Italy’s University of Modena won Formula Student 2019, beating over 100 undergraduate teams from more than 20 countries at the international racing-car event at Silverstone, which this year saw the launch of its first autonomous car competition (FS-AI).

Formula Student, which is run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, challenges the teams to use their creativity and technical skills to design, build and race single-seat cars in a series of events.

The runner-up for the second year running was Oxford Brookes University, while Germany’s West Saxon University of Applied Sciences of Zwickau took third place.

Formula Student chief judge Terry Spall said: “Congratulations to the Modena team, which scooped a number of awards, including the coveted 2019 Overall Winner trophy.

“It entered two cars: a hugely innovative hybrid, which won the best powertrain installation award; and a more conventional — but superbly designed — petrol engine car that secured the runner-up position in Engineering Design, plus several wins in the dynamic events.”

Four UK universities competed in the inaugural FS-AI competition. Edinburgh University received three awards, including overall winner of the AI competition, while representatives from Coventry, Bath and Oxford Brookes universities also received awards for their efforts.

Mr Spall said: “One of the highlights of the competition for me has been to see four university teams competing in the FS-AI competition and to actually see them out on the track and the vehicles performing their driverless manoeuvres.

“We look forward to welcoming more teams to the FS-AI competition in 2020, building on the great innovation we have seen this year.”

The partners involved in this year’s competition included Bosch UK, GKN Automotive, MathWorks and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains.

Further details can be found at the Web site (www.imeche.org/events/formula-student).