The Brunel Solar Team experienced a grim third day in the World Solar Challenge

Mount Willoughby, Australia, October 24, 2023 - The Brunel Solar Team faced a challenging third day during the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Persistent cloud cover and strong headwinds made it difficult for the team members to recharge, forcing them to drive at a slower pace. As a result, the world title seems to be slipping further out of reach for the Delft students. The team remains stuck in the third position in the world championship for now.

In the early morning, the sun was shining, but soon the first clouds appeared. At the second control stop of the day, the sun was nowhere to be seen. This was disastrous for the race in which cars powered by solar energy compete against each other. During the mandatory 30-minute break, solar car Nuna 12 could hardly recharge due to the lack of sunlight. Additionally, a headwind of up to 20 km per hour caused significant delays. The clouds and wind posed a major strategic challenge, said strategist Sweder Blanken: 'We had already predicted that today would be a tough day. Cloud cover reduces the energy generated by the solar panel. Moreover, we faced strong headwinds. As a result, we couldn't drive nearly as fast as we had hoped.

The top three positions in the Solar Challenge remain unchanged after the third day of racing. The reigning Belgian world champions are still in the lead, followed by the teams from Twente and Delft. The Delft team has now covered 2025 km out of the total 3024 km. The gap to the leader of the challenge is currently 112 km, and it seems almost insurmountable. Team leader Lennart Hessels: “We're keeping our cool and focusing on our own strategy. We expect a lot of wind again tomorrow, so we chose to conserve energy today to be well-prepared for it. We really need to cover some serious ground tomorrow if we want a chance at the world cup.”