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A race track atmosphere on the H-BRS campus: BRS Motorsport celebrates the end of the season
For a few hours, the car park at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg in Sankt Augustin was transformed into a race track, complete with a pit lane and spectator area. Students from the university’s motorsport club had cordoned off the entire area and marked out a circuit using green and white cones. And it was certainly a challenging one: with hairpin bends, sharp turns and short straights, it was a scaled-down replica of the circuits used in the international ‘Formula Student’ racing competitions. The highest level of concentration and great manoeuvrability were required here too; after all, the all-electric racing car can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in around 2.3 seconds. The drivers deliberately did not reach this speed on the narrow circuit, but the pace and precision with which the racer navigated the tight bends were nonetheless impressive. The students from the BRS Motorsport club had come up with all sorts of ideas to bring a race track atmosphere to the car park. They had set up a drinks and bratwurst stall, as well as a separate spectator area and loudspeakers for commentary on the action. The idea was that guests at the end-of-season party should be able to experience the atmosphere of the competitions.
Earlier, the students had looked back on the past racing season in the main lecture theatre. In front of sponsors, family members, friends and university staff, team members spoke about their successes and setbacks – and about what it takes to get a racing car they have designed and built themselves onto the starting grid under competitive conditions.
In the Formula Student competitions, student teams compete against one another with Formula racing cars they have designed and built themselves. The judging covers both dynamic disciplines on the track and the technical vehicle concept, cost analysis and business model.
The BRS Motorsport team laid the foundations for the season early on. Following the roll-out in May, the racing car, dubbed the G26e, completed its first test drive as early as 19 May – earlier than any new model from the club has done in years. This was followed by test days at Bonn-Hangelar Airfield and a joint test event with other Formula Student teams in Paderborn.
The G26e, which weighs around 200 kilograms, is powered by four electric motors with a combined output of 80 kilowatts. For the season, the students had, amongst other things, adapted the aerodynamics to a new set of regulations, developed a transmission optimised for efficiency, redesigned the battery management system and revised the carbon monocoque. The racing car is more than five kilograms lighter than its predecessor and has also been designed to be easier to maintain.
At their first international competition, Formula Student Czech at the Autodrom Most, the team passed the demanding technical inspection and subsequently completed the autocross. However, in the endurance event, BRS Motorsport had to retire after eight laps. In the end, they finished twelfth in the digital presentation and 26th in the overall standings.
Things went significantly better at the end of August at Formula Student France on the Transpolis test track near Lyon.
The G26e was the first car in the competition to pass all technical inspections. Although a technical problem led to a retirement in the autocross, the students managed to get the car back on the starting grid in time for the decisive endurance test.
As recently as the night before, it was unclear whether the racing car would be able to compete in the endurance test on the long-distance circuit due to engine problems. In this part of the competition, also known as ‘Endurance’, the racing car must not only prove its performance capabilities, but also its reliability and efficiency over a distance of 22 kilometres. It must deliver consistently high performance whilst using resources efficiently.
Then came the breakthrough: the G26e completed all 18 laps and crossed the finish line. It was BRS Motorsport’s first fully completed Endurance race in four years. The reward came that evening in the form of two trophies: third place in the Endurance category and third place in the Efficiency category. The team also held its own in the other classifications against a strong international field. In the overall standings, 315 points secured ninth place.
“The 2026 season was a truly challenging one. Throughout the development, manufacturing and race periods, there were repeated setbacks which we overcame together as a team. With third place in both the Endurance and Efficiency classifications, we were able to finish the season on a really strong note. I’m proud of the team and what we’ve achieved!” says Bernhard Winkelhake, a computer science student and team leader at BRS Motorsport.
The motorsport project remains closely linked to academic study and teaching. Several bachelor’s and master’s theses have been written on the development of the racing car. Two students are currently completing their practical semester with the team. At the same time, the club has gained further supporters from business and industry. There are also plans for an exchange with a Formula Student team at a partner university in New Brunswick, Canada.
For the students who are passionate about motorsport, too, the motto ‘After the race is before the race’ applies: They began preparations for the 2027 season some time ago. A new team management team is taking shape under the new team leader, mechanical engineering student Antonia Arweiler, whilst test drives continue and the new racing car takes shape on the digital drawing board. A lot is set to change with the 2027 model. The plans include new engines, a new chassis and newly developed aerodynamics. So the young team has a lot of work ahead of them – on top of their studies.
Press photos: BRS Motorsport and the 2026 racing season
Contact
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
E 240
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 9560
Dirk Reith
Computational Science and Engineering , Managing Director of the TREE Institute, Faculty Advisor BRS Motorsport
Research fields
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
B 223
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757 Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 9678