Newsletter: August 2025
Stay up to date with everything happening at AUMT. Our August 2025 edition dives into a big season of change and momentum: a full recap of our 2024 competition, our aero package and monocoque development, a Q&A with the leadership team, updates on the team merger, and recognition for the sponsors who make it all possible.
FSAE 2024 competition recap
Competition in 2024 raised the standard for what AUMT could achieve. We completed all static and dynamic events, became the first team to pass scrutineering, and scored our largest points haul yet to finish 9th overall.
Leading up to competition, the team got together to make sure the car was legal and performing at its best. Every member had the chance to get hands-on with each subsystem during manufacturing, and track days let our drivers push the new car to its limits, providing valuable data on where performance could be optimised.
The exhilaration of competition was reflected in the energy the team brought to our week-long stay in Victoria. With every member assigned a role, everyone who attended helped get the car ready and out on track. The static events pushed some of our members out of their comfort zones to present at the cost, design and business events, and in between we watched incredible engineering from the other university teams.
Our goals for the rest of 2025
- Have the monocoque driving by July, to maximise ADL25e testing and driver training and push towards 26e development early.
- Inverter and general reliability, including 95% accuracy of torque feedback at launches.
- A 100 point increase at competition, focused on acceleration, efficiency, skidpad and the business presentation.
- Begin 26e development in August, to set the team up in the best position possible for 2026.
- 500 km of track testing, with at least 300 km on ADL25e, to optimise setup and give our drivers extensive experience.
Our primary goal for the second half of the year is to integrate every component onto the ADL25e monocoque, using a laser-cut jig to precisely align the suspension pickup points, then validate the car through extensive static and dynamic testing. Suspension tuning is a critical part of this phase: we aim to develop a tailored setup for each of the four dynamic events.
The monocoque
2025 marks the first year AUMT has run a monocoque chassis. It is built from carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb rather than steel tubes, making it lighter than the spaceframe and, in simulation, stiffer, which we will validate with a real-world torsional rigidity test.
A key part of running a monocoque in Formula SAE-A is physically testing the attachment points. We manufactured flat panels with the same layup as the monocoque, installed inserts and mounts, and ran pull-out tests to confirm they withstand the 15 kN required by the rules, as well as shear tests. With more than 100 inserts to install, from the roll hoop to the suspension link mounts, it is a whole-team effort. We also 3D scanned the finished monocoque on the university's new scanner to validate its manufacturing accuracy and design precise mounts.
Aero package
The Aerodynamics team has made big strides in design capability, simulation workflow and manufacturing quality. Siemens NX is now our primary CAD platform for aero, letting us build a parametric surfaced model fit for CFD and integrate our own custom aerofoil profiles.
Improved mesh efficiency means more accurate simulations with less computing power, so we can now model the accumulator cooling fans and their effect on airflow over the undertray. A new cornering simulation is in the works that will produce a full aero map for the drivers and vehicle dynamics team.
In manufacturing, the nosecone mould is nearly complete. Thanks to our sponsor Centre Line Patterns, who CNC-cut the foam base with precision, before our new members reinforced it with fibreglass, filled the weave and sprayed several coats of epoxy primer, ready for layup.
Becoming Adelaide University Racing
As part of the merger between the University of Adelaide and UniSA, our two Formula SAE teams have begun the journey of becoming one. At the end of this year, AUMT and UniSA Motorsport will officially unite under a new name: Adelaide University Racing (AUR).
Over the past year we have held a series of collaborative meetings and joint events, culminating in our first joint Annual General Meeting on 21 July, where we introduced the combined team structure and our long-term goals for 2026 and beyond. We are especially excited about the new facilities at the Mawson Lakes campus, including expanded workshop access and shared technical resources.
The new structure is led by a Team Leader, Chief Engineer and Business Lead, with engineering subsystems for Chassis, Aerodynamics, Suspension, Electrical, Powertrain and a brand new Performance subsystem dedicated to driver data and vehicle setup. Business subsystems cover Finance, Sponsorships, Marketing and Media, and Events, alongside Operations and Human Resources.
Looking further ahead, our long-term vision is to move to a rear-wheel drive hub motor configuration, starting with the design of a planetary gearbox and a comparison of 10-inch and 13-inch wheels.
New recruits
This year's recruitment brought around 20 new members to the team across mechanical, electrical and business. First-year members have already designed and implemented the brake light system, worked on regenerative braking integration and helped with early aerodynamic wing design. We have also focused on encouraging female involvement in STEM and motorsport as we push for gender equality in our team.
Volunteering and outreach
We have volunteered at the Adelaide Rally, All Historic Mallala, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and the Old Crock's Run, and represented the team at O-Week, our Information Night, Sportopia and the Adelaide University Open Day.
Our sponsors: driving us forward
Our 2025 season would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Every contribution, whether financial, technical or in-kind, has helped bring ADL25e to life, from the fabrication of our monocoque to a refined aero package and advanced testing tools for driver data. As we transition into Adelaide University Racing, we are excited to keep building these relationships and showcasing the impact of your support at competition and beyond.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
