Rimac Group FS Alumni club - Meet the Team

How did FS start for you and how did you find yourself in this project? ?

I started the first Croatian FS team, FSB Racing Team back in 2003. I did almost every position imaginable because in the beginning that was the only way to handle it and tackle the challenges that were in front of us.??

How did FS prepare you for your career? ?

One of the best choices in my career. It taught me practical problem solving and showed me how alienated you can be with just theoretical knowledge, and not having a chance to put your knowledge to practice. FS taught me the importance of planning and gave me the real perspective tempo of work needed to get the project to the finish line on time.??

Were you always a petrol-head or was FS just a challenge for you? ?

Yes, ever since I was a little kid playing with my toy cars.

How are you involved in FS today? ?

As an alumnus. And not nearly as I would like to be because of my busy schedule, but every opportunity I get I try to interest students into FS. I think it is the best launch ramp for their knowledge and career, especially in the automotive industry.

What do student teams need, want and with what are they mostly struggling? ?

Planning skills and knowledge transfer are the most crucial ones for a FS team to progress. Because there is a lack of knowledge transfer, a lot of teams unfortunately keep repeating the same mistakes. Also, poor planning is a recipe for failure and demotivation of the team.

Is there a discrepancy between their academic background and company needs in terms of skills or knowledge? ?

Yes, massive. Curriculum is too slow in making changes and updates to the program. Faculties should always be one step ahead. Unfortunately, in most cases this is not the case, and it is something every team experiences in some extent. Still, the best thing about FS is that it teaches students how to think, adapt, and overcome challenges, and how to be proactive. If you have the right mindset, skills and knowledge will shortly follow.??

Do you see a shift in trends when it comes to racing events? Are EV's now more

represented than CV's? ?

Yes. This is the trend and for all the right reasons.??

Is there a big difference between engineering students now and 5 years ago? If so, what is the biggest change? ?

Core is the same. They all have that special drive. Organizational skills are getting better, and generally more engineering approach is present. There are less garage heroes and more scientists ??

What is the main reason you are still involved in FS? ?

FS gave a lot to me and is still giving. The best engineers I have worked with, not just in Bugatti Rimac or Rimac Technology, but also other companies we work with, had Formula Student background, and those guys are always the most capable ones.??

What do you get out of being a part of FS? ?

Satisfaction. Nostalgia. Emotions. Sense of calmness. In the era where average person from 18 to 40 years of age, so in their work prime, spends a big chunk of their time on social networks, or looking at their phones, and doesn’t have any clear aspirations of what they want to do with their lives – seeing at least one FS event per year makes me sleep better and puts a smile on my face. These engineers and enthusiast are the ones who will run the world eventually in all kinds of branches in years to come.??

Except the sponsoring of student teams, in what other way are you involved in teams’ preparation for the race? ?

I try to help them with my vehicle testing experience and problem projections. How to prepare the vehicle for testing, to be safe and to be sure you will have a clear result you can build on at the end. Also, organizational pointers, sponsorship, and marketing targets.??

What do you do at the racing event? ?

I try to stay out of the way and help if I’m asked. It is their event. I am there to see it, admire their work and congratulate them on their success. That is a milestone in their lives. Even if the event is a total failure for a team, they deserve admiration. A lot of effort and learning hours go into the production of one vehicle, so I try my best to spot the causes of the problems they had, what they can do to improve, and try to give them this perspective few weeks after when the dust has settled.??

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How do you judge or scrutineer the teams? What makes a winner team? ?

Good organization and testing. A team that does not have a running car at least 2 months prior to the event is most likely not going to make the top 10. If they do it is called luck, not knowledge. Many teams neglect testing and find themselves in frustration. To finish first you first need to finish.??