Forze

Netherlands Forze
Full name Forze Hydrogen Racing Team
Location Delft, Netherlands
51°59′58.5″N 4°22′35″E / 51.999583°N 4.37639°E / 51.999583; 4.37639Coordinates: 51°59′58.5″N 4°22′35″E / 51.999583°N 4.37639°E / 51.999583; 4.37639
Website www.forze-delft.nl

Forze is Delft University of Technology's Hydrogen Racing Team. It was founded in 2007 by Edgar van Os and has built 6 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The team's offices and workshops are located in the D:DREAM hall on the campus of the Delft University of Technology. In this factory hall, designed by architect Dirk Roosenburg, all the universities dream-teams are located.

Competitions

Formula Zero

The team started competing in the 2008 Formula Zero Championship, the world’s first ever hydrogen fuel cell championship. Given the importance of the upcoming Hydrogen economy and considering climate change and oil related problems, the project draws a lot of attention from international media.[1][2]

The first season was limited to one event in the inner city of Rotterdam next to the famous Erasmus Bridge. The second season consisted of a European Cup and a separate Grand Prix in the city center of Torino. The third season again only had one race, held the center of The Hague. This event was organized by the Forze Team.

Formula Student

The Formula Zero competition did not prove to grow into what it promised to be during the first years. The team then continued to do something new and moved on to the Formula Student competition.

Team

Greenchoice Forze, Forze I Team Photo in front of University Library

All members of the team are students, from the first year up to final year students and come from a wide range of faculties. Most of the students involved in the project do this as an extracurricular activity, in their own spare time. Only the management is involved on a full-time basis.

Management

2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
1 Edgar van Os Ivo Salters Koen Lubbers Wouter Krul Jan Jaap Treurniet Michel Haak Ruiz Knöbel Menno Dalmijn
2 Koen Legrand Teunis Schuurman Edwin De Kreij Charlie van der Schoor Andrew Hagens Albert Mulder Jonas Brendelberger Nils Barfknecht
3 Leon de Poorter Hielke Wesdorp Mart Moerdijk Matthijs Jansen Ruben Burger Remco Duba Mart van Rijsingen
4 Bob Wittebrood Jelle Boersma Ruben Grandia Martin Hartvelt Anton Stoop
5 Pieter Danneels Thomas Arink Matthijs Damen Thijs van Winden Joost Kortleve
6 Matthijs Koornneef Tiemen Joustra Kevin van Giessen Jan Bot
7 Niels van Duijkeren Ruben Biesheuvel Bob Ligtvoet
8 Stefan van Seggelen Philip Coenen
9 Kevin Schreiber

Drivers

During the third season a new team member with karting experience became the third driver for the team. This Charlie van der Schoor was also more closely involved with the development of the Forze3. In season 4 the team said farewell to Martin Buitelaar as a driver. He was no longer a student and took on a full-time job outside the racing industry. For season 4 the team raced in the Formula Student (UK) competition and therefore needed more drivers to be able to compete in all the events. A selection among the team members was organised by Buitelaar where Marco van't Wout, Arie Nap and Lennert van den Boom were selected. Buitelaar also organizes the driver training from season 4 onward. For the 6th season only licensed drivers are allowed.

Driver 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
1 Martin Buitelaar Martin Buitelaar Andrew Hagens Andrew Hagens Kevin Schreiber
2 Andrew Hagens Andrew Hagens Marco van't Wout Jan Bot Jan Bot
3 Charlie van der Schoor Charlie van der Schoor Charlie van der Schoor
4 Arie Nap Arie Nap
5 Kevin Schreiber

Events

The goal of the team is to promote hydrogen technology, especially for the automotive industry. To reach this goal the team participates in different types of events.

Races

Greenchoice Forze on the stage after winning the world championship in 2008
Date Race Car Result
23-08-2008 Formula Zero World Championship Forze I 1st place
summer 2009 Formula Zero European Home Grand Prix Forze II 3rd place
11-10-2009 Formula Zero GP Torino Forze II 1st place
19-08-2010 Formula Zero GP The Hague Forze III 1st place
17-07-2011 Formula Student UK Forze IV DNF
15-07-2012 Formula Student UK Forze V 55th place

World Record

The team did several official and unofficial world record attempts to beat the FIA world land speed record for hydrogen powered fuel cell cars under 500 kg on the 1/8th mile. On the 3rd of October 2010 the team would attempt to break the world record held by the Formula Zero Mark II at 11,2 seconds. This attempt would take place on the island of Aruba on the Palo Marga International Raceway Park. No FIA officials where present making this an unofficial attempt. Unfortunately due to heavy rain part of the island flooded and the attempt was pushed to the 4th of October. In a much smaller time frame with almost no time to prepare the vehicle the team managed to set a time of 9,77 seconds.

On the 16th of August 2011 the team organized an official attempt on the Princess Beatrixlaan in the center of The Hague. With the help of the Dutch national autosport federation (KNAF) a licensed track to FIA standards was put up. The Forze IV hydrogen vehicle drove a time of 10,45 seconds that day. After several months the FIA ruled that this measured time was not an official land speed record because of an error in the by KNAF submitted documents to the FIA.

Sponsors

A list of sponsors of the team can be found on the website of Forze:

References

  1. http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSLN04035620080823
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7581839.stm
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