FORMULA ZERO CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 STARTS IN ROTTERDAM

The Rotterdam Climate Initiative is the chief sponsor of the Formula Zero Championship. Vice- Mayor Harbers, alderman for Port, Economy and Enviroment, is enthusiastic about the racing event. ‘By being the first city to host this race series, we are demonstrating to the world that Rotterdam is going for sustainable mobility. Clean transportation is good for the economy, the climate and the air quality in our city. Above all, Formula Zero is a fantastic prelude to CO2 –free motorsport.’

A new generation of racing fans
‘Racing is the perfect platform for the development and promotion of hydrogen fuel cell mobility; the most advanced propulsion system of this century’ says Godert van Hardenbroek, managing Director of Formula Zero. ‘Formula Zero attracts a completely new generation of racing fans, with the promise of unpredictable technological innovations, races in city centres, zero emissions and a futuristic sound. Over the next couple of days we’re going to see all of the above.’

Program
The Formula Zero Championship consists of two different challenges for the racing teams. On Friday from 17:30 there will be sprint races in which teams compete for the fastest lap time with a ‘flying start’. On Saturday there will be the two-mile main races with ‘standing start’ (approx. 6 laps). The mobile race track, which can be put up anywhere, has a length of 535m and lies at the foot of the Willemsbridge.

Race teams Formula Zero Championship 2008
Greenchoice Forze: TU Delft, Delft, The Netherlands
EUPLATECH2: EUPLA, Zaragoza, Spain
Imperial Racing Green: Imperial College London, London, UK
Element One: Lawrence Technological University, Detroit, USA
HercUCLAs: University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Unicord Solvay Zero Emission: RacingTeam Groep T, Leuven, Belgium

University teams
Six race teams have spent the past months working hard on perfecting their hydrogen racers. About a year ago these international teams signed up to take part in the Formula Zero Design Competition. The challenge was to design a hydrogen fuel cell kart. In March the best designs were selected and awarded a fuel cell stack, finaced by the Rotterdam Climate Initiative. Six teams did not make the cut.

Testing the hydrogen racers
Last Wednesday the six participating karts were extensively scrutinized and tested by experts. Safety was priority number one. At the Formula Zero test centre in the port of Rotterdam the teams came together for the first time and laid eyes on the competition. On Friday morning the karts were taken for their first test drive on the official Formula Zero circuit.

International FZ forecast
Following the world premiere in Rotterda, Formula Zero will be travelling to other international cities. Van Hardenbroek: ‘ We have planned FZ-Grand prix events in Columbia, South Carloina as well as at Tower Bridge in London, both to take place in April 2009.’ The same six competing teams will meet again at these events. Of course, improving the performance of their racers is permitted.

The next racing season is also already being organised. The 2009 Championship is recruiting new international university teams to join the race for the future. This next Championship season will be an ‘open series’ one; participating teams will be free to choose their own fuel cell. This will stimulate innovation.

The future of racing
As commercial interest and the technology develop, Formula Zero- the zero emission race series will scale up to full size racing cars. “Hydrogen racing will become the racing of the future” according to Van Hardenbroek. “Our aim is to have full-size racing circuits all over the world for hydrogen vehicules produced by car manufacturers up and running by 2015.”

Formula Zero’s goal is to generate enthusiasm for fuel cell cars and accelerate the introduction of this technology into commercial production. This ambition is shared by the Rotterdam Climate Initiative. “ Formula Zero proves that sustainable mobility is already a reality and we support that wholeheartedly” says Harbers. “The racing world is the ideal environment for developing this technology so that we will eventually all drive zero emission cars.”

About the Rotterdam Climate Initiative
The Rotterdam Climate Initiative is the climate programme of the Rotterdam municipality, the port of Rotterdam, Deltalinqs and DCMR Environment Service Rijnmond. The RCI’s ambition is to reduce CO2 emissions by half of that of 1990; an ambition which must be reality by 2025. The partnership with Formula Zero is a manifestation of this as it highlights the urgency of sustainable mobility.

About Formula Zero
Formula Zero promotes well-to-wheel zero emission technology by organising hydrogen fuel cell races. Formula Zero was founded by two dutch designers Godert van Hardenbroek and Eelco Rietveld in 2003. Offices are located in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.