Student Project Teams
While European students benefit from dedicated motorsport programs like F1 in Schools and Formula Student, American students develop comparable skills through competitions like Formula SAE (FSAE), Baja SAE, and Solar Car challenges. These engineering-focused programs provide essential technical experience for U.S. students pursuing careers in motorsport.
What makes these competitions particularly valuable is their dual purpose: they serve as both stepping stones to motorsport careers and powerful credentials for traditional engineering roles. Employers across industries—from Formula 1 teams to aerospace and automotive companies—often view significant involvement in these competitions as equivalent to internship experience. Many students leverage their competition experience to secure engineering internships, which can then become additional pathways to motorsport.
Industry professionals recognize that these American competitions develop the same critical thinking, technical expertise, and teamwork that motorsport demands. When students demonstrate substantial commitment and leadership within these teams, they build portfolios that can compete with international candidates.
Formula SAE
What is Formula SAE?
Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) is a collegiate engineering competition where student teams design, build, and race small-scale formula-style race cars. The competition challenges engineering students to design, build, and compete with these vehicles against teams from universities around the world.
FSAE features three main vehicle categories. The Internal Combustion (IC) category is the traditional and once most common, but the Electric Vehicle (EV) category is growing rapidly. There is also a Hybrid category, though this category is , a relatively new offshoot and operates in more specialized competitions.
The competition evaluates teams not only on their vehicle’s performance but also on their engineering design processes, cost management, and business planning, providing a comprehensive educational experience that simulates real-world engineering projects.
A Brief History
Formula SAE began in 1981 at the University of Texas at Austin as an evolution of the Mini Baja competitions. What started with just a handful of teams has grown into a global phenomenon with hundreds of universities participating worldwide.
Today, FSAE competitions are held across North America, while its European counterpart, Formula Student (FS), follows similar principles with some regional variations. The competition continues to evolve, recently incorporating autonomous vehicle categories to reflect changing automotive industry priorities.Team Structure and Specialization
Team Structure and Specialization
FSAE teams typically organize into specialized sub-teams focusing on specific vehicle systems:
- Chassis Team: Designs and manufactures the vehicle’s structural framework; either a steel tube structure or a carbon fibre monocoque for more advanced teams
- Drivetrain and Suspension Team: Develops the handling characteristics and power delivery systems including differential and axles
- Powertrain Team: Works on internal combustion engine modification, fuel systems, intake/exhaust optimization, and engine calibration (IC); Develops electric motors, battery systems, power electronics, and thermal management (EV)
- Aerodynamics Team: Creates wings, undertray, and bodywork to optimize airflow
- Business Team: Handles competition business case, budgeting, sponsorships, and marketing materials
For American students looking to break into Formula 1, FSAE provides the hands-on experience and technical portfolio that can help overcome the geographical disadvantage compared to European counterparts.
Directory of American FSAE Teams
| Team | School | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers Racing | University of North Carolina – Charlotte | Electric, Combustion |
| AAMU Motorsports | Alabama A&M University | Combustion |
| Anteater Formula Racing/Anteater Electric Racing | University of California – Irvine | Electric, Combustion |
| Aztec Electric Racing | San Diego State University | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| Bearcat Motorsports | University of Cincinnati | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
| Berkeley Formula Racing/Formula Electric Berkeley | University of California – Berkeley | Electric, Combustion |
| Binghamton Motorsports | Binghamton University | Electric |
| Bison Motorsports | North Dakota State University | Combustion |
| Black Bear Racing | University of Maine | Combustion |
| Blue Devil Motorsports | Lawrence Technological University | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
| Blue Hen Racing | University of Delaware | Combustion |
| Bobcat Racing | Texas State University | Combustion |
| Bobcat Racing EV | University of California – Merced | Electric |
| Bradley University Formula Team | Bradley University | Combustion |
| Bronco Motorsports | California State Polytechnic University – Pomona | Combustion |
| Bronco Racing | Santa Clara University | Electric |
| Bronco Racing | Western Michigan University | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
| Brown Formula Racing | Brown University | Combustion |
| Bruin Formula Racing | University of California – Los Angeles | Electric |
| Buffs Racing | University of Colorado – Boulder | Combustion |
| Bulldog Motorsports | Mississippi State University | Combustion |
| Bulldog Racing | University of Minnesota – Duluth | Combustion |
| Bulldogs Racing | Yale University | Hybrid + Electric |
| Bullet Racing | Oklahoma State University | Combustion |
| Bulls Racing | University of South Florida | Combustion |
| BYU Racing | Brigham Young University | Electric |
| Cal Poly Racing | California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo | Electric, Combustion |
| Calbaptist Racing | California Baptist University | Electric, Combustion |
| CalTech Racing | California Institute of Technology | Electric |
| Calvin FSAE | Calvin University | Combustion |
| Canyon Motorsports | Grand Canyon University | Combustion |
| Capital College Racing | Penn State University – Harrisburg | Combustion |
| Cardinal Formula Racing | Saginaw Valley State University | Combustion |
| Carnegie Mellon Racing | Carnegie Mellon | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| Circle Campus Racing | University of Illinois – Chicago | Combustion |
| Citrus Racing | Syracuse University | Combustion |
| Clemson Formula SAE | Clemson University | Combustion |
| Colegio Racing Engineering | University of Puerto Rico – Mayaquez | Combustion |
| Columbia University Formula Racing | Columbia University | Electric |
| Cooper Union Motorsports | Cooper Union for Advanced Science & Art | Electric |
| Cornell Racing | Cornell University | Electric |
| Cougar Racing | University of Houston – Houston | Combustion |
| Crimson Racing | University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa | Combustion |
| Cyclone Racing | Iowa State University | Electric, Combustion |
| Dallas Formula Racing | University of Texas – Dallas | Combustion |
| Dartmouth Formula Racing | Dartmouth College | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| Drexel Formula SAE/Drexel Electric Racing | Drexel University | Electric, Combustion |
| Duke University Motorsports | Duke University | Combustion |
| ERAU Motorsports | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach | Combustion |
| Flames Racing | Liberty University | Combustion |
| Formula Buckeyes | Ohio State University | Combustion |
| Formula Hardrocker Racing | South Dakota School of Mines & Technology | Combustion |
| Formula Kentucky | University of Kentucky | Combustion |
| Formula Knights/Clarkson Formula Electric Knights | Clarkson University | Electric, Combustion |
| Formula Slug | University of California – Santa Cruz | Electric |
| Formula U Racing | University of Utah | Electric |
| FRUCD | University of California – Davis | Electric |
| Gator Motorsports | University of Florida | Electric |
| Gaucho Racing | University of California – Santa Barbara | Electric |
| Global Formula Racing | Oregon State University | Electric |
| Goat Fast Racing | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Hybrid + Electric |
| Gopher Motorsports | University of Minnesota – Twin Cities | Electric, Combustion |
| Grizzlies Racing | Oakland University | Combustion |
| GT Motorsports | Georgia Institute of Technology | Electric, Combustion |
| Hartford Racing Formula SAE | University of Hartford | Combustion |
| High Altitude Race Engineering | University of Colorado – Colorado Springs | Electric |
| Highlander Racing | University of California – Riverside | Electric |
| Hope College Formula Racing | Hope College | Combustion |
| Hornet Racing | Sacramento State University | Combustion |
| Husker Motorsports | University of Nebraska – Lincoln | Combustion |
| Husky Formula Racing | St. Cloud State University | Combustion |
| IIT Motorsports | Illinois Institute of Technology | Hybrid + Electric |
| Illini Electric Motorsports | University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign | Electric |
| Jaguars Racing | Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis | Hybrid + Electric |
| Jayhawk Motorsports | University of Kansas – Lawrence | Electric |
| Kennesaw Motorsports | Kennesaw State University | Electric, Combustion |
| Kettering University FSAE | Kettering University | Combustion |
| Knights Racing | University of Central Florida | Combustion |
| Lafayette Motorsports | Lafayette University | Hybrid + Electric |
| Laker Racing | Grand Valley State University | Combustion |
| Lamar Racing | Lamar University | Combustion |
| Lehigh Racing | Lehigh University | Combustion |
| Lightning Cats Racing | Montana State University – Bozeman | Electric, Combustion |
| LOBOmotorsports | University of New Mexico | Electric |
| Longhorn Racing | University of Texas – Austin | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
| Matador Motorsports | California State University – Northridge | Combustion |
| Maverick Motorsports | Minnesota State University – Mankato | Combustion |
| Mean Green Racing | University of North Texas | Electric |
| Mesa Motorsports | Colorado Mesa University | Combustion |
| Michigan Tech Racing | Michigan Technological University | Combustion |
| Middlebury Racing | Middlebury College | Hybrid + Electric |
| Mines Formula | Colorado School of Mines | Combustion |
| Missouri S&T Racing/Missouri S&T Formula Electric | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Electric, Combustion |
| MIT Motorsports | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| Mizzou Racing | University of Missouri | Electric, Combustion |
| Monarch Racing | Old Dominion University | Combustion |
| Mountaineer Racing | West Virginia University | Combustion |
| MRacing | University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | Electric |
| MSOE Formula Hybrid Team | Milwaukee School of Engineering | Hybrid + Electric |
| MSU Formula Racing Team | Michigan State University | Electric |
| Mustang Motorsports | Midwestern State University | Combustion |
| NAU Formula SAE | Northern Arizona University | Combustion |
| Navy Racing | US Naval Academy | Hybrid + Electric |
| Nevada Racing Electric | University of Nevada – Reno | Electric |
| Nittany Motorsports | Penn State University – University Park | Electric |
| NIU Huskie Motorsports | Northern Illinois University | Combustion |
| NJIT Formula Racing | New Jersey Institute of Technology | Combustion |
| Northeastern Electric Racing | Northeastern University | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| Northwestern Formula Racing | Northwestern University | Electric |
| NovaRacing | Villanova University | Combustion |
| NYU Motorsports | New York University | Electric |
| Olin Electric Motorsports | Olin College of Engineering | Electric |
| Oregon Tech Racing | Oregon Institute of Technology | Combustion |
| Osprey Racing | University of North Florida | Combustion |
| Owls Racing | Florida Atlantic University | Combustion |
| Ozark Mountain Racing | Missouri State University | Combustion |
| Pacific Motorsports | University of the Pacific | Combustion |
| Pack Motorsports | North Carolina State University – Raleigh | Combustion |
| Panther Motorsports | Florida International University | Combustion |
| Panther Racing | University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh | Electric |
| Parks Racing | Saint Louis University | Electric |
| Pellissippi State Motorsports | Pellissippi State Community College/University of Tennessee – Knoxville | Combustion |
| Penn Electric Racing | University of Pennsylvania | Electric |
| Pioneer Racing | University of Wisconsin – Platteville | Combustion |
| PNW Formula SAE | Purdue University – Northwest | Combustion |
| Powercat Motorsports | Kansas State University | Combustion |
| Princeton Racing Electric | Princeton University | Hybrid + Electric |
| Purdue Formula SAE | Purdue University – West Lafayette | Electric, Combustion |
| Rainbow Warrior Racing | University of Hawaii – Manoa | Electric |
| Ram Racing | Colorado State University | Combustion |
| Ram Racing | Virginia Commonwealth University | Electric |
| Ravens Racing | Carleton University | Combustion |
| Red Raider Racing | Texas Tech University | Combustion |
| Rensselaer Motorsport | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Electric, Hybrid + Electric |
| RIT Racing | Rochester Institute of Technology | Electric |
| River Hawk Racing | University of Massachusetts – Lowell | Combustion |
| Roadrunner Racing | University of Texas – San Antonio | Combustion |
| Rocket Motorsports | University of Toledo | Combustion |
| RoseGPE | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Combustion |
| Rutgers Formula Racing | Rutgers University | Electric |
| Shocker Racing | Wichita State University | Combustion |
| SIU Formula Racing | Southern Illinois University – Carbondale | Combustion |
| SIUE Formula SAE | Southern Illinois University – Edwardville | Combustion |
| Sooner Racing Team | University of Oklahoma | Combustion |
| Spartan Racing | San Jose State University | Electric |
| Sun Devil Motorsports | Arizona State University – Tempe | Combustion |
| TAMIU DustyMOTOR | Texas A&M International University | Combustion |
| Temple Formula Racing | Temple University | Combustion |
| Tennessee Tech Motorsports | Tennessee Tech University | Combustion |
| Terps Racing | University of Maryland – College Park | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
| Terrier Motorsport | Boston University | Hybrid + Electric |
| Texas A&M Formula Electric/Texas A&M Formula SAE | Texas A&M University – College Station | Electric, Combustion |
| TigerRacing | Louisiana State University | Electric |
| Titan Racing | California State University – Fullerton | Combustion |
| Trinity Univ Formula Racing | Trinity University | Combustion |
| Tufts Electric Racing | Tufts University | Hybrid + Electric |
| UChicago Formula SAE | University of Chicago | Electric |
| UConn Formula SAE/UConn Electric | University of Connecticut | Electric, Combustion |
| UGA Motorsports | University of Georgia | Combustion |
| UNC Asheville Formula SAE | University of North Carolina – Asheville | Electric |
| UND Motorsports | University of North Dakota | Electric |
| UNH Precision Racing | North Dakota State University | Combustion |
| UNLV Formula Racing | University of Nevada – Las Vegas | Electric |
| USA JagRacing | University of South Alabama | Hybrid + Electric |
| USAFA Racing Team | US Air Force Academy | Combustion |
| USC Racing | University of Southern California | Combustion |
| UTA Racing | University of Texas – Arlington | Electric, Combustion |
| UVM AERO | University of Vermont | Hybrid + Electric |
| UW Formula Motorsports | University of Washington | Electric |
| Vanderbilt Motorsports | Vanderbilt University | Combustion |
| Viking Motorsports | Portland State University | Electric |
| Viking Racing | Brigham Young University – Idaho | Hybrid + Electric |
| Virginia Motorsports | University of Virginia | Electric |
| VT Motorsports | Virginia Tech | Electric, Combustion |
| War Eagle Motorsports | Auburn University | Electric |
| Warrior Racing | Wayne State University | Combustion |
| WashU Racing | Washington University in St. Louis | Combustion |
| Wazzu Racing | Washington State University – Pullman | Combustion |
| Wild Hare Racing | South Dakota State University | Combustion |
| Wildcat Formula Racing | University of Arizona | Combustion |
| Wildcat Racing | California State University – Chico | Combustion |
| Wisconsin Racing | University of Wisconsin – Madison | Electric, Combustion |
| Wolverine Racing/Dearborn Racing Electric | University of Michigan – Dearborn | Electric, Combustion |
| WSU Formula Electric | Washington State University – Vancouver | Electric |
| WWU Racing | Western Washington University | Electric |
| Wyoming Motorsports | University of Wyoming | Hybrid + Electric |
| YCP Racing | York College of Pennsylvania | Combustion |
| Zips Racing | University of Akron | Electric, Combustion, Hybrid + Electric |
Paddock Paths 