Saints Performance Automotive Design Formula Student Team

Saints Performance Automotive Design (SPAD) is the University of St Andrews’ Formula Student team.

Brought together by our passion for engineering and motorsport, we founded SPAD with the aim of cementing a strong program to explore our interests and gain real-world experience in engineering and manufacturing, business planning, and project management. 

Within two years, SPAD has nearly doubled in size, and support for the team continues to grow. Today, SPAD represents a diverse group of students from over 25 countries studying a variety of subjects from physics, mathematics, and computer science to economics, geography, and philosophy.

With a passion for engineering and motorsport, our team is working to build the University of St Andrews’ first Formula Student vehicle. In 2021, we competed in the concept class of Formula Student with the designs for an internal combustion engine. This year, our team is evolving to construct an electrical vehicle that better aligns with our mission to engineer for a better, greener future. In our team, we thrive to promote sustainability and aim to provide a platform for ethically-sourced, environmentally-conscious engineering.

Our goal is to foster enterprising and innovative young engineers within the great tradition of Scottish motorsport success by designing and building a car to enter the Formula Student competition.  This year, we will be entering the Concept Class of the competition and building a strong foundation to race at Silverstone in Formula Student 2023. Aided by the Grass Roots Build Fund, we aim to equip our garage and maker space in order to start the manufacturing of the chassis and suspension of our vehicle.