Tognum supports upcoming engineers

• Tognum the main sponsor of the 'Formula Student Germany' design contest at the Hockenheim racing circuit
• Sponsoring the 'Most Innovative Power Train' award for the first time
• Several university teams supported by Tognum

Friedrichshafen, 13 July 2011. Tognum, the specialist for power and propulsion solutions, is one of the main sponsors of the 'Formula Student Germany' contest. The venue of the student’s racing car design contest from 4 to 7 August is Germany‘s Hockenheim racing circuit. For the first time, Tognum is also sponsoring the award for the 'Most Innovative Power Train'. Several of the university teams taking part are also being supported by Tognum. These include the 'Global Formula Racing Team' from the Ravensburg and Friedrichshafen campuses of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University and other racing teams from the University of Stuttgart, the Braunschweig University of Technology, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the University of Technology in Munich, the University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg/Weingarten and the Graz University of Technology. The Global Formula Racing Team, which was overall winner last year, will be entering an electrically-powered vehicle in the competition for the first time.    

"The 'Formula Student' contest is an ideal forum for us to meet technically-minded young people. By participating in an event like this, they acquire expert knowledge at an early stage and learn to work in a team. Those are the very qualities important to us in the search for our next generation of skilled personnel," said Joachim Coers, member of the Executive Board and Director of Labor Relations at Tognum AG.

Around 100 university teams from all over the world will be entering the contest with their self-built racing cars, capable of speeds up to 150 km/h. Since last year, there have been two categories for the aspiring engineers to compete in: vehicles powered by internal combustion engines and electrically powered vehicles.  

'Formula Student Germany' was first set up in 2006 by the Association of German Engineers (VDI). Unlike other motor sport competitions, the prize is not awarded to the fastest car, but to the team with the highest overall results in the design, driveability, financial planning and marketing disciplines. The 'Formula Student' contest originates from the USA. The 'Formula SAE' competition was started in 1982, and today around 140 student teams take part each year. Since 1998, spin-offs of the competition have also been taking place in England, Australia, Italy, Japan and Brazil. Since the contests, with a few minor differences, all take place according to the same rules, the teams can enter their racing cars at various venues.