ABout our team
Our Story
This is our 2nd year in a row competing after our last trip to Michigan in 2021! We’re excited to share that the 2025 team made it to competition for the first time in 3 years, and placed 81st out of 144 teams. The 2026 team has the goal to finish endurance and place top 50 overall. Join our Discord or follow us on Instagram to learn more about our journey to competition in Michigan. Wildcat Formula Racing is a dedicated University of Arizona FSAE team that comprises around 40 students across 7 technical sub-teams and 1 non-technical sub-team.
We design, build, and compete a fully functional formula-style race car against over 100 schools from around the world. Our annual competition takes place at Michigan International Speedway in May, but we also participate in the annual Southwest Shootout.
the car
Frequently Asked Questions
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Any student at the University of Arizona can join regardless of major. If you are a current Pima Community College student interested in joining, please reach out to us. No prerequisite knowledge required, just show up and we’ll teach you what you need to know! WFR’s internal peer mentorship program will connect you with experienced members on the sub team(s) you’re interested in to help familiarize you with the shop and get you onboarded to a project.
Join our Discord server and follow us on Instagram (@arizona.fsae) to be up to date on meeting times. Then, just show up! Once at the shop (AME N213) we’ll have you sign a safety contract. There is no fee for UA students joining WFR.
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Our sub teams include aerodynamics, CCSB (cockpit, controls, safety, braking), drivetrain, electrical, frame, powertrain, suspension, and marketing/business. Check our team page for individual details! You can join as many sub teams as you would like, however most members choose to specialize in one. If you have questions about a specific sub team, we encourage you to reach out to that sub team’s lead either via Discord or email.
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You get out what you put in. Everyone on this team is a student and understands that classes come first, so there’s no minimum hours per week required for this club. We hold general body meetings for 2-4 hours every Sunday and sub team meetings in the evenings for 1-2 hours on various weekdays. You can decide how much of that time you would like to show up for. but please communicate with your lead about involvement level.
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Baja Wildcat Racing is our fantastic sister club that we share a shop space with. Both clubs operate under the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Baja has a similar structure to Formula, but focuses on building an off-road vehicle every year. Membership is not limited to only one of our SAE clubs; do what interests you!
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Yes! We compete with other universities at the international scale. However, Student Formula does not permit wheel to wheel racing (we’re not racecar drivers). Instead, the competition is split into multiple scored events. Our team is judged on design, cost, and business model presentations, while the car scores points in dynamic events that include autocross, acceleration, skidpad, and endurance.
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Our facility is in the aerospace and mechanical engineering (AME) building on campus—room N213. We house a plethora of tools and machines that assist us in the manufacturing process including a Haas CNC VMC, lathe, manual mill, plasma cutter, TIG welder, and 3D printer. Our club also has access to the AME composites room, which is where we do our carbon fiber layups. We test the car at the UA Tech Park.
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WFR gives engineering and marketing/business students hands-on projects that are relevant to their majors. You can explore multiple aspects of racecar design and operation through our different sub teams, and also get fabrication experience in our shop. We teach basic metal manufacturing, welding, machining, soldering, and carbon fiber manufacturing. Additionally, you can gain leadership experience in our mentorship program that is tailored to generate skills in project management, problem solving, and teaching.
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Our drivers are selected based on leadership and car handling skill level. Club officers get opportunities to drive the car on testing days, which helps determine our competition roster of 4 drivers. Highly involved mentors are also occasionally considered for driving. If you are interested in driving, WFR has no shortage of opportunities for leadership that you can step into after just 1 year on the team.
How are we
SUpported?
WFR is mainly funded by the University of Arizona College of Engineering, which generously provides our annual base funding.
We are actively growing our sponsorship network by working with local businesses and industry partners.
Any money the club receives goes towards building and maintaining the car, and towards getting us all the way to Brooklyn, Michigan every year to compete. Please navigate to the donation or sponsor page if you would like to help WFR!
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The Fall semester welcomes students from all majors to join our weekly meetings to discuss the key milestones, goals, and activities for the upcoming competition year. As we prepare for a successful competition season, members can look forward to projects each sub team has prepared to work on. This can include Design workshops, Solidworks CAD Training, and hands-on manufacturing preparation.
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Assessments of finished plans are underway as the fall semester ends and we undergo the winter break. Students can expect to see a shift from introductory reviews and production plans to finalizing design components in the shop. We begin working with subteams such as CCSB, Fabrication and Drivetrain for detailed manufacturing tasks that will ensure the team is ready to begin building the car in the spring.
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With only 5 months until competition takes off in May, the team has an exciting semester during the spring. The team transitions fully into the build and validation phase of the competition cycle. Subteams will conduct validation simulations to verify design performance and ensure all systems meet competition and safety requirements. Manufacturing will continue for remaining components while completed parts move into full vehicle assembly. In parallel, the team will prepare required documentation and presentations for design events. As assembly is completed, the focus shifts to vehicle integration and Spring testing, allowing the team to evaluate performance, identify improvements, and ensure the car is competition-ready.
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The competition season marks the culmination of the team’s design, manufacturing, and testing efforts as members travel to compete in the Formula SAE Competition. During competition, the team will participate in technical inspections, static design presentations, and dynamic driving events that evaluate the car’s performance, engineering, and overall execution. Following the event, the team will conduct a competition debriefing to evaluate results, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and document lessons learned. This reflection period is critical for developing a new-season roadmap, establishing goals, and setting the foundation for the next vehicle cycle and continued team growth.