What is it that drives someone to join Formula Trinity? Is Formula Trinity right for you? Included is the responses of various team members as to what their rosebud moment that made them go “I have to get involved in this” was. If some of these answers resonate with you, perhaps consider if you want to get involved in Formula Trinity, or attend our two (that’s right, two!) events next week; a fun quiz, where you can win two vouchers for free entry to Kylemore Karting, and an informational talk about what we do and how you can help. We’ll see you then!
I had just entered college, and was looking for things to become a part of within the college community. I had no idea what Formula Student was, but I saw a Facebook group advertising a meeting, and after coming along I instantly loved it. Initially I was a little in over my head, and I had to learn quickly. Over my subsequent years in engineering, and with several projects of this type under my belt, I’ve realised this is always a great feeling to have, it’s the best way to learn!
I first thought about joining Formula Trinity at the start of second year. A close friend who I enjoy watching F1 with asked me to come along with her to that years recruitment event. I had some idea as to what form of engineering I was planning to learn for third year, but I wanted to get some more experience before I made my stream choice, so I heard all the departments out. After listening to the talks I really became interested in finally doing something with my degree that doesn’t involve studying, so I joined electronics and haven’t looked back!
Upon picking course choices, I was considering different course options for my degree and wanted to find a way to develop my skills both practically and theoretically. Formula Trinity was recommended to me by a friend and since TCD’s Engineering Department is very theoretical, building a race car seemed like the perfect opportunity to get some hands on experience. I joined the team as soon as I began in first year to gain practical experience during my time here at Trinity, in the crucible of Formula Student.
My joining of the team was not something that was the product of any long plan or desire. I had heard of the team, and as I seen UL’s car on their open day I was very interested, but didn’t act on it at first. After a talk with Arnie about my experience with steering systems, and that I had been using Solidworks for 4 years at that point, we added me onto the Steering and Braking Department before the end of the school day, and I was attending my first department meeting the next day. It was probably the best decision I have ever made.
I have always had a love of motorsport since youth, and have always wanted to get more involved in it. Some of my earliest memories were making the trip up to watch races in the Phoenix Park and Mondello, and as soon as I caught wind of a project to design and build an entirely home grown racing car, I couldn’t sprint across campus fast enough. In spite of my not studying engineering, I found a place in the operations and business team, where in a little way I have been able to invest that passion to a project that will see competition.
I started the team because I saw Formula Student as a fantastic opportunity to develop critical skills while participating in such a fantastic international community. Funnily enough I’m not as big amotorsport fan as many would think, but I can wholeheartedly appreciate the amount of planning and work that goes into a competitive racing vehicle. Such a project has never existed in Trinity before so there was an opportunity to create a unique community, and, even if it was scary to take that first step, someone had to do it.
My Formula Trinity journey has been one of adrenaline, all the way back to that split second decision to join what was at the time an elevator pitch. Arnie floated the idea of starting a Formula Student team to a group of us in 2017, when we were still learning the college, hardly ready to build a student led team from the ground up. Any sensible person would have turned it down, considering we had no money and no idea how to even start. However, seat-of-my-pants decisions are what I live for, and it’s been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I joined the team back in its infancy in 2017. I was the chassis lead from the very first meeting, and at that point I think we had fewer than 20 people on the team overall. We had no idea what we were doing at that point, certainly I know I didn’t. All we knew was that we were going to bring a car to Silverstone, and everything, all the work, organisation, and results have sprung from there.
