The Brunel Solar Team loses their grip on the world title in solar racing

Coober Pedy, Australia, October 25, 2023 - On day 4 of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the Brunel Solar Team once again saw their competitors get further out of sight. A flat tire cost the Delft students precious minutes, and it briefly seemed that the third position in the world championship was no longer attainable. However, the team managed to minimise the consequences, retaining their podium position today.

The team started the day with an almost insurmountable gap to the leaders in the race for the world title. In the morning, the Delft team could only watch helplessly as this deficit grew even larger. So large, in fact, that the team now has to primarily focus on retaining the third position, a painful realisation. Team leader Lennart Hessels says, 'It hurts to realise that we can only helplessly watch; Nuna 12 simply can't go any faster. We must be honest with ourselves and admit that the Belgians and the team from Twente have built a better car.

The route took the team through vast plains with sparse vegetation today. The wind in this landscape can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour and can be highly unpredictable. This affects the maximum speed that can be safely achieved. 'Nuna 12 is so lightweight that you feel every gust of wind, so you have to adjust your steering carefully. Especially when a road train passes by, an Australian truck, sometimes as long as 50 metres,' said driver Ben Onland. Fortunately, we managed to keep Nuna stable, but we had to significantly adjust our speed."

Just after noon, the team faced the following setback: a flat tire. Changing tires takes a lot of time with solar cars. The wheels are carefully concealed to minimise the effects of wind. As a result, a part of the car had to be disassembled during the tire change. It was the first time that the technical team of Nuna 12 had to spring into action. The tire change went smoothly, but due to the lost minutes, the number 4 team in the challenge, Michigan, came a bit closer.

With 389 kilometres left to go, the end of the Solar Challenge is starting to come into view for the Delft team. The current world champions from Belgium now have a lead of 184 km. The team from Twente is still in second place.