Every year, Brown Formula Racing builds a car from scratch to compete in the annual Formula SAE Michigan competition, designing and creating every part except for the engine.
The race, which is the one of the largest collegiate formula-style racing competitions in North America, will take place at the Michigan International Speedway from May 14 to 17. Last year, the team placed 45th of 108 teams, despite unexpected technical difficulties.
Although building a car may be a daunting task, club members describe Brown Formula Racing as a club that inspires passion and devotion.
When Rehaan Irani ’25.5, a former co-captain of the team and a current testing lead, first joined the club his freshman year, the “team was in a very different state” due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on membership.
The team began in the ’90s as an initiative by then-Dean Harvey Fox Silverman, predating even Brown’s School of Engineering, according to Irani. The team found great success in its early years as a faculty-driven program but transitioned into a student-led initiative in the early 2000s. Originally based out of the basement of Barus and Holley, the team now resides in the Brown Design Workshop.
When Irani first started with the team in 2021, no club members had attended a competition due to COVID. Together, their goal was simple: “We need something that will drive around the track,” Irani said.
Since then, the team has seen major progress and is “looking to place very highly, like in the top five, in the top 10,” Irani said. “Throughout the years, we’ve gotten better and better and better.”
In 2022 and 2023 combined, Irani estimates that the car underwent around 40 miles of testing. This year, the team has driven the car around 100 miles in a single day. The team is also expecting to shave off over 70 pounds from last year’s design to improve efficiency.
“The reason why I stick around on the team is that I am very grateful for everything I learned when I was a freshman and sophomore,” Irani said. “I just want to be able to pass that on.”
Tristan Keyser-Parker ’26, current suspension lead for the team, credits the leadership over the past three years for the team’s success and for “shaping the team into a group of people that really are passionate about what they’re doing.”
As much as Keyser-Parker loves driving the car, “the people” have been what has kept him in the club. He fondly recalls spending time with other team members, from brainstorming sessions to Josiah’s runs after working on the car.
Keyser-Parker came to Brown unsure of whether he wanted to pursue engineering, but joining the car team solidified his goals.
“I’m sure I want to be an engineer, because this is what I want to always be doing,” Keyser-Parker said.
Karunmay Aggarwal ’28, one of the current aerodynamics leads, said that the Formula Racing team was one of the main reasons he applied early decision. Two semesters in, Aggarwal’s favorite part is the community that the team has cultivated.
“I’ve never felt truly tired here,” Aggarwal said, describing the satisfaction of working towards a common goal and the positivity the team exudes even in the face of adversity.
This year, the team has faced obstacles with a few members taking a step back from the team.
Chompoonek Nimitpornsuko ’27, the former business lead in charge of the competition’s business presentation, stepped down this semester, pointing to the high-pressure environment, stress and time commitment.
“We all want to win, but we also want to have a good time,” Nimitpornsuko said. “It’s a balance that is incredibly hard to achieve.”
She added that “it is so incredibly difficult to keep up with those who are working so hard on the car,” and this passion “is scary to some people.”
Although Nimitpornsuko has stepped down from the leadership role, she still helps out with the team. “It’s so rare to see a club like this anywhere else,” she said.
Irani told The Herald three members have stepped down from the club for a variety of reasons, noting that the team tries to encourage anyone who needs to take a step back to do so.
In his time in leadership roles, Irani has tried to emphasize inclusivity within the club environment.
The club is not just for engineers. “It is truly for anyone,” Irani said, adding that their welder last year was an archaeologist, and one of his former co-captains studied biochemistry. “If you want to come here, we will teach you.”
