Hard work. Team work. Some creativity and ingenuity. Plenty of grit. And some luck. That’s what it took for the De La Salle University team from The Philippines to win the Drivers’ World Championship Asia crown at the Shell Eco-marathon competition in Singapore. With the win, DLSU secure a place to compete in the Drivers’ World Championship in London, to be held in May.
The Drivers’ World Championship is a unique, exciting competition where teams race head-to-head to see who is the fastest, while running on limited fuel. It is the first time that DWC has set foot in Asia, an extension of the long-standing Shell Eco-marathon. Shell Eco-marathon consequently, is part of Make the Future Singapore – the Asian instalment of a global festival of ideas.
Top teams from the Shell Eco-marathon, competing in the UrbanConcept category are selected to race head-to-head in the DCW competition. It is open to Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), Hydrogen and Battery Electric vehicles. Read more about the Shell Eco-marathon here.
During the Shell Eco-marathon, the total fuel consumption of each team is recorded. The minimum fuel required to complete lap around the 2km competition track plus an additional 20% is allocated to each vehicle. The DCW competition runs for a total of four laps.
For instance, if a team needs 1 litre of fuel for 1 lap, they will be allocated 1L x 20% x 4 laps in total for the DCW race.
Eight out of 12 selected teams qualified for the DWC finals, having battled against time, heat and limited fuel.
Gasoline-powered DLSU started from pole position, after a strong qualifying. Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) team was second on the grid.
At flag off, the NTU team was quick to take the lead from DLSU, and led for half of the race. Unfortunately, home ground advantage proved fruitless, as NTU eventually dropped positions in an attempt to conserve fuel.
DLSU kept it steady and consistent throughout, and deservingly greeted the checkered flag ahead of the rest.
Two diesel-powered Indonesian teams – Bengawan Team 2 and ITS Team 2that started from the back of the grid, drove a brilliant race to take runners-up and 2nd runners-up places.
The three podium finishers secure places in the Drivers’ World Championship to be held in London, in May this year.
Make the Future Singapore took place from 16-19 March 2017 at Changi Exhibition Centre, Singapore. Open to public, the festival saw an impressive 22,000-visitor turn out.
For more information, visit www.shell.com.sg/makethefuturesg
For more updates, follow me at vernonchan.com/tag/makethefuture2017, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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