Oxford University Racing has achieved its best Formula Student UK result after its latest electric car passed safety inspections and competed on track at Silverstone.

The student-led team finished 23rd overall in the 2026 competition, improving on 36th place in 2025 and 46th the previous year.

Oxford also recorded the 11th-fastest time in the Sprint event and was the third-fastest UK electric-vehicle team in that category. It was one of a small number of British university teams whose electric cars passed scrutineering and qualified for the dynamic events.

The result marked the first time in Oxford University Racing’s history that its car had passed the required inspections in time to compete in the Sprint.

Students spent 12 months designing, manufacturing and testing the single-seat electric racing car. Developments included a lighter chassis and battery system, a new YASA electric motor, a carbon-fibre nose cone and redesigned suspension.

The car was also equipped with a mechanical differential and updated high-voltage electronics.

Team members competed in both static and dynamic events, presenting their engineering, design and business decisions to industry specialists as well as demonstrating the car’s performance on track.

Faculty adviser Dr Ryan Walker said building an electric racing car within a year was a major challenge, as demonstrated by the number of teams that did not pass scrutineering.

“It is a testament to the students that not only did the car pass all of the safety requirements, but it ran fast in the dynamic events,” he said.

Team member Joshua Ampomah described qualifying for the Sprint as a significant step forward, adding that Oxford finished ahead of several established teams.

Thomas Turner said the result established Oxford as one of the competition’s fastest-improving teams.

The project brought together students working across vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, electronics, manufacturing, business and operations.

Oxford University Racing will now use the experience and data gathered at Silverstone to guide development of its next electric car ahead of the team’s planned return in 2027.