ENGINEERING students have launched a crowdfunding campaign to boost their chances of a podium finish at an international racing car contest.

The Sussex Racing team from the University of Sussex is designing and building a car from scratch, before competing against students from around the world at the Formula Student competition at Silverstone in July.

They are hoping to raise £2,000 to buy specialist parts that could shave seconds off their finishing time. This would help them compete with the world’s elite, many of whom have lucrative sponsorship deals.

Final-year student Chris Charles, Sussex Racing team leader, is confident his team can do better than the ninth place finish last year.

He said: “Although we are far from the largest team in the event, with our extremely dedicated and hard-working team members, combined with the immense support of the faculty at the university, I am certain we are able to expand on our already great achievements in the competition.”

The team consists of 13 fourth-year engineers from various disciplines such as mechanical, electrical and computer engineering.

The Sussex Racing team is smaller than many of its competitors but has advanced in the competition in recent years by using new materials and techniques.

Money from the crowdfunding campaign will help the team to introduce front and rear wing spoilers, upgrade the prototype differential and fit a pneumatic gear change, and install advanced telemetry systems capable of measuring the driver’s every move from the pit-lane.

It will also be used to buy specialist carbon fibre parts for the car, used in some of the fastest racing cars in the world.

To thank donors for their support, the Sussex Racing team is offering different levels of recognition in the pit lane, seen by thousands of people over the Formula Student weekend, as well as exclusive merchandise from Mobil 1, the team’s sponsor.

Formula Student is the world’s largest student motorsport competition, in which top engineering students from more than 100 globally recognised universities compete.

This year’s contest will take place from July 20 to 23.

The current holder of the overall trophy is Rennteam from the University of Stuttgart .

Last year’s top team from the UK was Team Bath Racing from the University of Bath.

For more information about the project and to donate to the team visit crowdfunder.co.uk/offtheline.