Statics but static 07/08/09

Today turned into the predicted long slog for Full Blue Racing, with static events and the team attempting to complete the noise and brake tests.

The static events are now completed, and the team has heard its result in the business presention - 39th, meaning the team has retained a similar position to that acheived in Silverstone. The team entered the design event with confidence, the car having passed scurinteering pre-design for the first time in the team's history. This was unfortunately overshadowed by a design judge (not involved in our judging process) exerting excessive force on the steering system and causing damage that required a trip back to scrutineering. The cost event went more smoothly, and the team is awaiting the results of design and cost tomorrow.

The 90 minutes consumed by fixing the steering and re-scrutineering further compounded the problems the team were having in the engine test area. With the normal engine tuning 'guru' still stranded in Belgium, the team has struggled to get the engine to run. Despite the team's best efforts and the generous help of numerous other teams (many thanks to Brunel and Birmingham in particular) the team is still in a stalemate at close of play and the issues are threatening once again to prevent the team running in Saturday morning's events. This problem can be linked back to a lack of any facilities for testing the engine and powertrain and hence a reliance of the team tuning the engine in 'no-load' tests in the finished car. Work is already underway to improve this situation for next year and any offers of help are welcome!

So all in all a tough day for the team - a lengthy fault finding process is underway to try and maximise our chances in the morning, having just 4 hours to get through noise and brake tests if we are to compete in the dynamic events taking place.

We are not beaten yet…