‘Pirate’ is the first car produced by the partnership of the two universities, using a third-generation custom engine, based on and using internals of a Ducati Monster 695 air-cooled engine. The aerodynamic and suspension concepts have been totally overhauled, with ‘Pirate’ featuring hydraulically actuated interconnected suspension to enable articulation while retaining roll stiffness, allowing for a much more stable aerodynamic platform. This suspension concept works in conjunction with the all-new aerodynamics, with the addition of an undertray taking advantage of the flatter behaviour of the car through corners. ‘Pirate’ competed at Formula Student UK in 2018, where it placed 32nd amid teething issues, and will compete at FSAE-A in December 2018.

The car has been named ‘Pirate’ to honour a past team member of ECU Racing. Earlier this year Petar Dragovic passed away due to cancer. Petar was a long term team member, serving from 2009 until 2012. Petar was an excellent designer and manager and often returned to the workshop to help the next generation of engineers. We miss his input and friendship. Pirate was Petar’s workshop name and was thus chosen.
The car is running in black and white, without a livery or sponsor logos.

The 2016 challenger from the UWA Motorsport Team continued to use the mechanically mode decoupling suspension concept, reverting to a spaceframe chassis and continuing the use of the Honda CBR600 engine, with the total car weighing in at 214kg. During scrutineering for the 2016 FSAE-A competition, the car suffered a structural failure that rendered the car unsafe to drive, and was withdrawn.

2015’s ‘Habibi’ was a continuation of the concept started with ‘Emma’, using a similar chassis design, a second-generation custom 600cc engine, similar suspension and similar wheel hub and rim combination. The vehicle weighed in at competition at 190kg, after some components had to be modified for compliance. ‘Habibi’ competed at FSAE-A in 2015, placing 13th, and Formula Student UK in 2016, where it placed 10th of 130 teams, despite not taking part in the acceleration or skidpad events due to engine issues.

Built in 2014, ‘Emma’ was a car of firsts for ECU Racing - becoming the first car to use the custom, ECU-R designed 600cc engine based on and using the internals from a Honda CBR600 engine, producing 84hp, and the first to use a full carbon fibre monocoque chassis, allowing for a total vehicle weight of 186kg! ‘Emma’ was also the first to use the 10” rims the rules now allowed, making use of the wheel hub and rim concept seen on ‘Watson’; and the first to compete at an international level, at Formula Student UK in 2014, where it placed 12th of 97 teams competing. Back home, ‘Emma’ placed 2nd overall at the FSAE-A competition of 2014.

The 2013 car saw 2012’s mode separated suspension successfully re-implemented, marking the first time this suspension concept was used in dynamic events at an FSAE-A competition. This car achieved 5th place overall at FSAE-A, an especially strong result given it didn’t take part in the skidpad event!

‘Watson’ was the 2012 car from ECU Racing, with an evolution of the aerodynamic package that appeared on ‘The Nail’ and a new chassis design, along with a new wheel hub and rim concept. This car is the last of the hybrid chassis designs, with a carbon fibre chassis and spaceframe rear, as well as the last car to run the standard Honda CBR600 engine. ‘Watson placed 2nd overall at the 2012 FSAE-A competition.

For the 2012 car, the UWA Motorsport Team integrated an aerodynamic package into the initial concept, with undertray tunnels featuring. The suspension system was also reworked, with the first-ever use of mechanically mode separated suspension in an FSAE car. Unfortunately, despite attending the FSAE-A competition in 2012, the car was not finished for the dynamic events.

The most obvious change for 2011 was the addition of aerodynamic devices, a first for the team. ‘The Nail’ used a similar chassis to ‘Scarlett’, with a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and a spaceframe rear. The chain-drive CBR600 powertrain was retained from previous cars. This car was the first car from ECU Racing to place in the top 3 overall, doing so at the 2011 FSAE-A competition, placing 3rd.

This car used the 2010 chassis with updated componentry for the 2011 FSAE-A competition, placing a strong 2nd overall with the lowest fuel burn ever achieved by the team, in the process winning the fuel economy event.

‘Scarlett’ was the car designed by ECU Racing for 2010, for the first time using a carbon fibre monocoque with a spaceframe at the rear for engine and suspension mounting. This car again used the Honda CBR600 engine from previous years and was driven to 5th overall at the 2010 FSAE-A competition.

The first UWA Motorsport Team car to run on E85 fuel, developing around 100hp and weighing 204kg, this car showed promise but unfortunately could only manage 21st overall of 27 teams at FSAE-A, and was not taken international to allow the chassis to be used again in 2011.

The 2009 challenger from ECU Racing again featured the Honda CBR600 engine and steel spaceframe chassis, and competed at FSAE-A in 2009, where it placed 6th of 24.

The 2009 UWA Motorsport Team car again used the flexures first seen in 2008, and continued with the same powertrain and chassis construction. This car placed 2nd overall at FSAE-A and was not taken international.

In 2008 this car became the first Formula Student vehicle designed by ECU Racing, powered by a Honda CBR600 engine and using a steel spaceframe chassis. At the 2008 FSAE-A competition, this car placed 15th overall, of 24 teams competing.

The first UWA Motorsport Team vehicle to utilise flexures, this car had custom one-piece carbon fibre lower wishbones, and the same powertrain and chassis construction as previous years.

This car placed 2nd overall at FSAE-A 2008 and a strong 3rd overall at Formula Student Germany in 2009.

The 2007 UWA Motorsport Team car was easy on the eyes, but not easy on it’s competitors! Using the familiar CBR600 powertrain, along with the carbon fibre monocoque chassis construction, this car drove it’s way to 1st overall at both FSAE-A in 2007 and F-SAE Michigan in 2008, the first time the team had achieved a 1st overall at an international event.

For 2006, a new method of carbon fibre monocoque construction was utilised, with a two-piece mould allowing for more complex shapes to be used. The total vehicle weight for this car was 190kg, a huge saving over the 2005 car, with the lighter car being powered by the Honda CBR600 engine, now making a whopping 100hp!

This car achieved a 2nd overall at both FSAE-A in 2006 and F-SAE Michigan in 2007.

The fifth generation UWA Motorsport Team car was lighter and more powerful than any before it, with a 205kg full monocoque chassis being driven by the now-familiar Honda CBR600 engine, now developing 75hp!

This car brought home UWA Motorsport’s first ever 1st place overall finish at FSAE-A, and a strong 4th overall at F-SAE Michigan in 2006.

The 2004 effort from the UWA Motorsport Team saw weight again reduced to 220kg, and the Honda CBR600’s power output raised to 70hp, making for a rapid car that was again taken internationally, finishing 2nd overall at F-SAE Michigan in 2005.

For 2003, the UWA Motorsport Team moved away from a steel spaceframe chassis to a carbon fibre monocoque, retaining a spaceframe rear for engine and suspension mounting. As a result, this car had an even lower weight of 230kg and was driven by a Honda CBR600 engine, developing 60hp.

This was the first car UWA Motorsport took international, placing 13th of 134 teams in F-SAE Michigan in 2004.

The second car designed by the UWA Motorsport team, this car again featured a steel spaceframe and Honda Fireblade engine, however the weight was dropped to 240kg and the power raised to 67hp, making this car livelier than it’s predecessor. This car was described at the time as the best second year car Carroll Smith had ever seen - high praise indeed!

This car was the first produced by the UWA Motorsport Team, back in 2001. The car featured a 60hp Honda Fireblade engine, housed in a steel spaceframe chassis and weighed in at 254kg.