KEMAMAN — Building a race car from scratch and putting it to the test on a real circuit is giving UC TATI students an opportunity to take their engineering knowledge beyond the classroom.
The UC TATI Racing Team will return to the Formula Student Malaysia championship at Litar Dato Sagor from April 21, with two student-built cars, Blueshark and Redshark, marking another step in the institution’s efforts to strengthen hands-on technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Team manager Mohd Saifuldin Mohd Mokhtar said the competition offered students more than the chance to compete for podium finishes, as the process of developing a race car required them to apply knowledge across several engineering disciplines while managing team operations.
“The process begins with designing and building the car, involving mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as team and organisational management. These experiences help develop students’ competencies before they enter the workforce,” said Mohd Saifuldin, a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering Technology.
He said students were also exposed to vehicle development, performance analysis and race preparation, giving them a clearer understanding of the demands of the automotive industry.
Beyond technical knowledge, the experience helps students build communication, leadership and problem-solving skills while learning to work under competitive conditions.
The team’s two single-seater Formula-style cars were designed and built by students under the guidance of academic staff, allowing them to experience the engineering process from initial development to track preparation.
For driver Che Hanif Haikal Che Mat, who will take the wheel of Redshark, the competition marks his first experience racing on an actual circuit.
“There is certainly a sense of nervousness as this is my first experience competing on an actual race circuit. It truly tests our ability as students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world conditions,” he said.
His teammate, Eizzedin Afkar Azil Hizaq, who will drive Blueshark, said the team would focus on achieving its best possible lap times while making the most of the opportunity to compete.
“Our focus is to record our best possible lap times and make full use of every opportunity on the track. The experience itself is already invaluable to us,” he said.
Formula Student Malaysia brings together students from higher learning institutions to design, build and compete with their own vehicles, combining engineering knowledge with practical application.
The competition operates under the umbrella of SAE International, an organisation involved in advancing mobility engineering and related technical standards.
For UC TATI, the challenge provides a platform to develop industry-ready graduates by exposing them to practical engineering tasks, teamwork and the demands of high-performance automotive technology.