Shot Notes
These are the competitors for the 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. I spent the day watching teams complete their hot lap to secure their place on the start line tomorrow. Debutante team Top Dutch Solar Racing (on far left) got pole position with their car Green Lighting in a time of 1:51:99 (92.3km/h)
I had been trying to get a photo of the Cambridge University solar car all week. The hot lap would be my best chance so far. Unfortunately, they ran out of time and could not record a lap. Hopefully, the race will go better for them as they are yet to finish a Solar Challenge.
I was surprised not to see more UK university teams as the challenge is perfectly suited to any engineering department. Especially as the development of this technology is essential if humans wish to continue living on this planet. My own experience studying engineering in UK did find some of the lectures had a Brunellian approach to all design. This is fine if you are making bridges from cast iron but of no use when it comes to lightweight efficient designs. Fortunately, the rest of the world has stepped up to the challenge with teams from Thailand, Chile, Poland and Morocco. Japan even has a high school team.
This image has been accepted by Shutterstock for Editorial Stock Photography and is available for download here.
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