The University of Malta Racing Team today unveiled its first Formula ATA racing car, which was designed and built by university students and staff.

The team is now able to take part in global Formula ATA races, starting from one at the end of August in Parma, Italy.

Leonard Agius, the team’s public relations officer, explained that the car was designed from scratch by university students. The project involved students from a number of faculties, including the engineering and FEMA faculties.

The racing car boasts a 600cc motorcycle engine, a number of safety features and an on-board engine computer (ECU), which was also built from scratch on campus. It weighs around 230kg. 

The University Racing Team was set up two years ago and its fifteen members designed and built the car in their free time.

The car cost some €30,000 and was sponsored by a number of government entities, including the Education and Transport Ministries and Transport Malta, and a number of private companies.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said the team had won even before the start of the race for the fact that a number of different faculties and departments had joined forces and come up with such an innovative project. He hoped the example would be followed by other educational institutions.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi congratulated the university team and pledged his ministry’s future support to the project.