Formula Sun Grand Prix

Formula Sun Grand Prix
Venue	Racetracks
Location	Varies
Corporate sponsor	Innovators Educational Foundation
First race	2000
Last race	2022
Distance	Varies
Laps	Most laps wins
Duration	3 days
Most wins (team)	University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project

The Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is an annual solar-car race that takes place on closed-loop race tracks. In the race, teams from colleges and universities throughout North America design, build, test, and race solar-powered vehicles.

Every two years the race serves as a qualifier for the American Solar Challenge road race.^[1]

Format and organization

Rules

• The race consists of three days of freely driving laps around the race track.
• The team with the most total laps driven wins.
• The total area of all solar cells and related reflectors, etc., must not exceed six-square meters.
• The solar array may be reoriented toward the sun for charging batteries for specified time periods before and after race hours.
• Strict specifications and engineering scrutiny process is provided for vehicle configuration, safety requirements, and other standards.
• Previous races have divided teams into "open" and "stock" classes based on levels of solar cell and battery technologies.

History

Formula Sun Grand Prix is governed by the Innovators Educational Foundation,^[2] and was started in summer 2000 at Heartland Park race track in Topeka, Kansas, in conjunction with a solar-bike race.

It has served as a qualifying race for the biennial American Solar Challenge road race.

The race was held there every year through 2005 until the 2007 American Solar Challenge was canceled due to funding issues. It resumed in 2009 and has been held every year since then at a few different venues.

2000

The inaugural race was held at Heartland Park Topeka race track in Topeka, Kansas. It was won by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Solar Phantom V.^[3] The stock class was won by the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner II.

2001

FSGP 2001 served as a qualifier for the 2001 American Solar Challenge and was the only year when multiple events were held.

• The first event was again held at Heartland Park Topeka and the Rose-Hulman again took first place overall^[4] with Solar Phantom VI, while the stock class was won by the co-op team from Minnesota State University, Mankato and Winona State University.

• The second event was held at Gingerman Raceway^[5] in South Haven, Michigan, and was won by Principia College's RA IV, while the stock class was won by Stanford University.

2002

FSGP 2002 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and was won by the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner III,^[6] while the stock class was won by Kansas State University.

2003

FSGP 2003 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and served as a qualifier for the 2003 American Solar Challenge. It was won by the University of Minnesota's Borealis II,^[7] while Kansas State finished just one lap behind in second place. The stock class was won by North Dakota State University.

2004

FSGP 2004 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and the University of Missouri-Rolla's Solar Miner IV^[6] took first place overall.

2005

FSGP 2005 was held at Heartland Park Topeka and served as a qualifier for the 2005 North American Solar Challenge. It was won by Minnesota's Borealis III.^[8]

2009

After a three-year hiatus due to a lack of funding, FSGP 2009 was held at MotorSport Ranch in Cresson, Texas. The University of Minnesota's Centaurus took first place overall.^[9]

2010

FSGP 2010 was again held at the MotorSport Ranch Cresson and served as a qualifier for the 2010 American Solar Challenge. It was won by the University of Michigan.^[10]

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