ENGINEERING students from Huddersfield University are hoping to recreate Lewis Hamilton’s Silverstone success.

A week after Hamilton enjoyed his finest hour by winning the British Grand Prix, a team of 20 students were today taking part in their own version of Formula One at the prestigious Northamptonshire circuit.

They have spent £20,000 and 10 months building a racing car from scratch for the international Formula Student competition this weekend.

Stuart Rogers, who is doing a masters degree in mechanical engineering, has been one of the team leaders on the project.

The 26-year-old said thousands of man hours had gone into it.

He added: “It has been a long process, but we have had a cracking team and it’s a real relief to see the car finally come together.

“Everything has been ideas and concepts up to this point, so to see it all working is brilliant.”

The car – HARE (Huddersfield Automotive Racing Enterprises) 08 – has a 600cc engine from a Honda CBR 600 motorbike.

It has a lightweight frame and is fitted with a supercharger – a device that could improve the power of the engine by about 20%.

Because of restrictions imposed by competition organisers, the car will have a top speed of 60mph this weekend. Without the restrictions it could be capable of speeds up to 120mph.

About 90 teams from as far afield as Germany, the USA and Italy will be at Formula Student.

The four-day event includes a series of rigorous checks, presentations and driving exercises to test cars’ acceleration, speed, handling and endurance.

Four drivers from the Huddersfield team will be given the chance to get behind the wheel.

It is the eighth time a team from the university, which is being sponsored by Huddersfield engineering firm Cummins Turbo Technologies, has entered the event.

Phil Kelly, principal lecturer in mechanical engineering at the university, said: “This is not an exercise in car mechanics – it’s not like Scrapheap Challenge. They have to work to a very tight formula and it’s a demanding process – it’s not just about racing cars.

“The whole project has been driven by the students. It’s a very ambitious car and one of the best we have produced. I think it will do well.”