FaSTTUBe Combustion Team Interview

Amira Tamam

Introduce your Team briefly:

FaSTTUBe stands for Formula Student Team of the TU Berlin and team spirit, ambition, gasoline, and electricity in the blood. Since 2005, nearly 80 students have been building new racing cars every year with which they participate in Formula Student design competitions throughout Europe. Today, FaSTTUBe is bigger than it has ever been in the past; we count a staggering number of up to 100 members, all building 3 cars this year.

Tell us about your Team’s history with formula student:

It all started in 2005 when a group of young engineering students wanted to participate in a so-called Formula Student Event. Driven by the motivation of making a self-build car drive, they started with the most basic but functioning car. Over the years, they managed to grow the Team and find likewise thinking students. Further improvements were made, and the first complete aero kit was fitted in 2015. Following this trend, the Team experimented on how to increase the engine power resulting in fitting their first Turbocharger to their Engine. Besides working on the combustion car, FaSTTUBe started developing their first electric car in 2018, therefore building 2 cars every season since. It didn´t stop there, and a third member was added to the family – 2019, the birth of our first Driverless car.

What does join Formula Student Netherlands mean to you?

Joining Formula Student means to us to return to the Event in which we were the most successful in our history. FSN in 2018, we scored 1st in Autocross, 1st in Cost and Manufacturing Report and 2nd in Engineering Design. We see FSN as an example of how well we can perform. If you asked our drivers, they would answer you that it is the best track to drive on!

What are your main goals for this year?

We want to show our new size 250 concept and put it to the test. We are planning to succeed in all disciples. Our Electric car has the goal to finish its first full endurance! And the very last is to finally get back together as a team and participate at Formula Student!

What made you think of/choose FSN?

FSN has a great community, has the most fun track to drive on and has the best competition among other teams. Especially the quality of the feedback we have received so far at FSN has made us prioritize it over others.

What makes you different from the other teams?

We are one of few teams that manage to build three cars with one Team! We still use a Steel Tube space Frame, which is just a few kilograms heavier than some of the best mono`s out there.

What is your biggest achievement in Formula Student so far?

There were many achievements so far, and it is tough to tell which one is the biggest. Although, finishing three cars under a worldwide pandemic could count as one the biggest so far!

Describe your car in three words.

Engine go Brrrr

Picture by Jan Zimmer

How did COVID-19 affect your Team, and how did you deal with it?

COVID had a significant impact on our team and our team spirit. We hat cutbacks in our Budges as well as in our Manufacturing capacity. It brought us a lot of uncertainties and emotional up and downs. Passing on knowledge to the new generation has become an even more complex challenge. Besides the downsides, we proved that working under Pandemical Restriction is possible and that all members always behaved responsibly and carefully.

You can follow FaSTTUBe combustion for more updates and news on their social media platforms:

Webisite          https://fasttube.de/fasttube/

Instagram:      fasttube_tuberlin

LinkedIn:         https://www.linkedin.com/company/fasttube/mycompany/

YouTube:         https://www.youtube.com/user/Fasttubeengineering