A battle royal is looming as students from the University of Birmingham take on the best of the world on the race track.

Students from the School of Engineering will be among the 3,000 young people who will take over the Silverstone racing circuit in Northamptonshire in the wake of this year’s Formula One Grand Prix in July for the UK’s annual Formula Student event.

And athough it might not attract a television audience of millions, between 120 and 150 student-designed racing cars from around the world will be put through their paces with the aim of being triumphant in a contest which assesses everything from design to acceleration, handling and endurance.

The University of Birmingham’s involvement continues a tradition stretching back 16 years and it’s a project which can offer the first stepping stone to a successful career in engineering, with many aiming to go on to become the Formula One engineers of the future.

And the ultimate aim is to challenge the might of the Germans. Senior automotive technician at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Carl Hingley, explained they will be up against several German teams who are generally a step ahead of their rivals due to the generous funding and sponsorship they receive.

“It is a difficult competition to win,” said Mr Hingley, who has been involved with the university’s Formula Student project from day one. “But we are always up there competing and have achieved sixth place in a US event.”