Welcome back!

The season may be over, but we’re not taking our foot off the gas pedal. From Formula Hybrid + Electric to Formula SAE Michigan and Formula Student Germany, it’s been a year to remember, and we have even bigger things already in motion for UT26.

In this edition:

• Competition Recap: Formula Hybrid + Electric, Formula SAE Michigan, Formula Student Germany

• Deep Dives: Business Director Evan Tal

• Sneak Peek: What’s next for UT26

Let’s get started.

Competition Recap

Formula Hybrid + Electric

At the end of April, the team made the trek to New Hampshire to take on over 25 teams at Formula Hybrid + Electric. UTFR continued its streak of success at NH, finishing 2nd overall and taking home the IEEE Excellence in EV Engineering Award, trophy and all. It was a strong start to the competition season, powered by sharp engineering and the relentless drive of the team.

Formula SAE Michigan

Building on the momentum from New Hampshire, UTFR made the trip to the Michigan International Speedway in mid-June to face off against 100 teams at Formula SAE Michigan. We finished 15th overall and made it to the Design Finals for the second year running, putting us among the top engineering teams at the event.

The biggest highlight came right at the end of the week: UTFR became the first team in North American FSAE history to demo a working driverless vehicle on track. After years of hard work, our Driverless team finally got to show off what they’ve built, and it definitely turned heads. With solid results and a car that impressed all week, Michigan was a huge step forward for UTFR and a great sign for what’s coming next.

Formula Student Germany

This year marked a historic milestone for UTFR as we competed at Formula Student Germany for the first time in our EV history. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by Running Snail Racing Team of OTH Amberg-Weiden, who generously let us use their shop to get the car prepped for competition. Their support set the tone for what would become one of the most memorable events in team history.

UTFR broke new ground by becoming the first North American team to pass driverless technical inspection in Germany and to compete in a driverless event there. Against the odds, we also advanced to the Driverless Design Finals in our very first year, something unheard of from a newcomer.

The team placed 20th in overall Design, continued our streak of finishing Endurance, and stood out as the only North American team on the grid. By the end of the week, we secured a 44th place overall finish in the toughest and most competitive Formula Student competition in the world.

FSG was more than just another competition for UTFR, it was proof that our team can innovate, compete, and make history on the global stage.

Deep Dives – For the Love of the Game: How Evan Tal Transformed the UTFR Business Section

This issue, we’re spotlighting someone who’s helped elevate UTFR’s business operations to a whole new level. Still relatively young compared to the rest of the team, the business section has quickly become a core part of how UTFR runs, and few have shaped that growth more than Evan Tal. From sponsor outreach to international logistics, Evan’s left his mark in more ways than one. We sat down with him to talk about building structure, chasing side quests, and what it really takes to keep the whole operation moving.

The Accidental Start

“A family friend told me about Formula Student, and once I heard about building race cars, I was like, ‘Yeah, I need that’” Evan says. But like many first-year students during COVID, his entry into the team was delayed. A year later, with the shop finally open, Evan joined what he thought was the mechanical powertrain section, only to realize UTFR didn’t even run combustion anymore.

Instead, he pivoted. As a business major and having a curiosity for the team’s behind the scenes operations, Evan joined the business section and quickly took charge of external relations. “Emily (then-Business Director) had this list of leads she wanted to create” he recalls. “She asked me if I wanted to take one. I thought ER sounded pretty fun. So I just ran with it.”

From First Sponsor to First Lead

Tal’s first real test came when someone from electrical needed... a telescope. “That was my first side quest,” he laughs. “I had no clue what I was doing.” But that ask led to UTFR’s first confirmed sponsor under his watch, Electro-meters. The success snowballed from there.

In the beginning, much of his time went into getting a clear picture of the sponsorship landscape. “A lot of it was connecting the dots,” Evan explains. “Once I understood the relationships we already had, it was easier to build momentum.”

Building a Business Department

By the time Evan became Business Director during UT24, he found himself in charge of unveiling just weeks into the role. “Emily had stepped away, and I kind of jumped right in,” he says. “It was chaotic, but it worked out.”

As per UT25, Evan had a larger vision. “I wanted to make business feel like a real department. Not just a couple people doing the same jobs every year. Something sustainable that would last after we left.”

This meant expanding outreach, improving the quality of events, and revamping recruiting, especially outside engineering. “We made sure to go to non-engineering career fairs and events. Once people joined, we got them to the shop, gave them tasks, and made sure they felt part of the team.”

Side Quests & Strategy

One of Evan’s most successful strategies was giving members room to take on mini projects. “Side quests are a great way to keep people around, find something they're interested in, help them shape it into something useful, and let them run with it.”

One of those side quests came when Niti Chaudhary, a senior member of the business team, decided to revamp the team’s website. She took the project from idea to launch, giving our online presence a fresh new look and picking up valuable skills along the way.

This strategy helped expand the business team, while keeping things fun. “Race cars have that built in appeal, but we had to show business did cool things too.”

Shipping Crates and Driving Stints

This year, Evan’s also been the point person for UTFR’s return to European competition. “Germany is way more complicated than Michigan. You can’t just put the car into a trailer and drive. There’s paperwork, customs, a shipping crate, a broker, but we’re getting through it”

He’s also back behind the wheel, having earned a spot as one of the team’s drivers. “Last year, I wasn’t expecting to drive. I just showed up to testing, got a few laps, and my numbers weren’t bad. So they gave me more.”

Lessons from the Grind

After graduating in May, Evan reflects on how much time and energy he’s poured into the team. “It’s taken more effort than school sometimes. But nobody’s forcing you to do it—you just want to, because everyone around you is working just as hard.”

For someone who never imagined leading UTFR’s business efforts, Evan now sees the team as a defining part of his university life. “There were nights I should’ve slept instead of sending emails at 3 AM,” he admits. “But when you care this much, you just do it.”

If he could go back and give first-year Evan some advice? “Just dive in. Do side quests. Sit around and learn from the older members. That’s where the good stuff is.”

And as for why he kept doing it all?

“For the love of the game.”

Learn more about Evan’s work and experience on LinkedIn.

A Sneak Peak into the Future

The dust hasn’t even settled from this season, but we’ve been working on UT26 since June. Building on everything we learned, the team is full steam ahead with some of the boldest plans in our history.

In the driver’s seat is our new Team Captain, Eric Emmenegger, who’s just returned from his professional experience year at Jaguar TCS Racing in Formula E. His hands-on experience at the highest levels of electric racing will be invaluable as we tackle what’s shaping up to be a defining year for UTFR.

This year, we’re making a historic leap — UT26 will be the first UTFR car ever to run a 4WD powertrain. It’s a game-changer, giving us far better acceleration, sharper handling, and the kind of performance boost that sets a new bar for the team.

With design work well underway and testing on the horizon, everyone’s fired up and ready to push hard. UT26 isn’t just an upgrade — it’s a clear signal of how far we’ve come and where we’re headed.

Get ready — we’re only getting started.

Get Involved

Sponsors

UTFR’s success is made possible by our sponsors – they help us with parts, manufacturing support, design advice, and so much more.

Our 2024/25 sponsorship package is now live. To know more about our offerings and upcoming season events, please reply to this email and we will get back to you.

Up Next

With our new leadership in place, learn more about our Team Principle in the next edition as well as where have UTFR members worked.

Check the next month’s issue for info on UT26 Kickoff.

Alumni

Know any UTFR Alumni who would like to keep in touch with our team’s journey? Fill out this form and learn more about our alumni offerings in the next edition.

We're always looking to improve and innovate, both on and off the track. Have any thoughts on this newsletter? Ideas for future content? We want to hear from you!

Reply to this email or connect with us on LinkedIn or Instagram. Your feedback could spark our next big idea or feature in an upcoming issue.