The Belgian Solar Team started from pole position in Australia at the world championship for solar cars. Race driver Bert Longin drove the fastest lap on the Darwin race track last Saturday. Thanks to their good qualifying results, the students from Leuven were allowed to start the race in first place.
This year, 42 teams from 21 countries are participating. Thanks to their strong qualifying performance, the Leuven students immediately left their biggest competitors behind. ‘It’s a dream start,’ says Thierry Garritsen. ‘We always said we wanted to be among the first to start. Now we’re making that ambition a reality.’
Rotero Belgium has supplied linear stepper motors to the Belgian Solar team. These motors enable the car to “crab”. A car crabs when all four wheels are turned in the same direction. This allows the rear wheels to be steered without affecting the front-wheel steering.
The Belgian team expects to be on the road for five days to Adelaide. The award ceremony will take place on Sunday 15 October.
We wish the Punch Powertrain Solar Team every success!
