Help Us Build Our 2027 Formula Race Car! | Formula SAE Fall 2026

Who We Are

Thank you for visiting our page! We are Berkeley Formula Racing, a dedicated team of students who design, build, and race a single-seat formula-style race car each year, competing against universities from around the globe. Our mission is to give our members a chance to apply their classroom knowledge through hands-on applications. We take pride in inspiring students and demonstrating our engineering skills, and we depend on the generous support of people like you to make our projects a reality. As we are a non-profit 501(c)(3) org, all donations to us are 100% tax-deductible.

Since the team’s founding in 2001, we have grown from a small group into one of the nation’s top teams. Our members come from a variety of majors and different backgrounds, bringing together their skills and experience to design, build, and compete each year. Our team includes Aerodynamics, Brakes & Driver Interface, Business, Chassis, Composites, Drivetrain, Engine, Electrical, Suspension, and Vehicle Dynamics. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment on our team where everyone feels welcome, regardless of experience or background.

Berkeley Formula Racing’s car at Formula SAE Michigan after a day of competition.

Throughout the Fall semester, our team engages in the Design Phase, where each subsystem undergoes rigorous design reviews with sponsors and alumni to ensure we are on track to meet our goals. Once design is finalized, we transition into the Manufacturing Phase. During these two months, our student machinists make over 500 unique parts, including our student-welded space frame chassis, custom carbon fiber aero package, and titanium exhaust system. Once we assemble all these components, we move into the Testing Phase, where we work to debug the car, validate our designs, and tune the car for optimal performance. At the end of Testing, we will be able to go to Competition fully prepared in May!

A detailed CAD rendering of Berkeley Formula Racing’s car, showcasing its chassis and aerodynamic components.

STEM education is a cornerstone of our team’s values, as we strive to create opportunities for innovation and learning beyond the classroom. These experiences not only contribute to the success of our car in competition but also deepen our understanding of design, engineering, and project management. However, these achievements would not be possible without sufficient funding, and we are immensely grateful for your support.

Berkeley Formula Racing continues to grow and achieve new milestones each year. With a little extra support, we can continue to improve our car and push our team further. This year, our crowdfunding goal is $15,000, which will directly support the manufacturing, testing, and development of our car, as well as our competition and logistics costs. We invite you to join our journey in creating the fastest, lightest, and most innovative car we’ve ever built.

Berkeley Formula Racing’s car in action during dynamic testing at Formula SAE Michigan.

Where Your Donation Will Go

We need $15,000 to support the manufacturing, testing, and competition of our car. Below, you can see a rough estimate of our costs:

$5000 - Competition Registration and Logistics 

Each year, our team travels to Formula SAE Michigan to compete against universities from around the world. These funds will help cover competition registration and the logistics required to transport our car, equipment, and team to Michigan. Competition is the culmination of a year of designing, manufacturing, and testing, giving us the opportunity to put our work to the test.

$2500 - Chassis Manufacturing

Our chassis provides the main structure of the car and serves as the foundation for many of its components. These funds will go toward the materials and manufacturing costs needed to produce our student-built space frame chassis and ensure it is ready for assembly and testing.

$2500 - Composites R&D and Aero Composites

Carbon fiber composites allow us to manufacture strong, lightweight components while continuing to explore new ways to reduce the overall mass of our car. These funds will support the manufacturing of our carbon fiber aerodynamic components as well as continued research and development toward a future carbon fiber monocoque. Developing a monocoque requires extensive physical testing to characterize our composite materials and validate their strength before they can be integrated into a competition car.

$2000 - Engine and Break Dyno

A major focus for our team is design validation. An engine dyno allows us to run our KTM race engine on a test bench and optimally tune the power band of our engine for each dynamic event. For the brake package, a brake dyno allows for a full characterization of the braking system and provides a method to optimize brake performance before competition.

$2000 - Suspension and Drivetrain Manufacturing

Our suspension and drivetrain systems are essential to transferring power to the ground and controlling the car through each dynamic event. These funds will support the materials, components, and manufacturing required to produce these systems and prepare them for testing and competition.

$1000 - Custom Titanium Exhaust

Our team designs and manufactures a custom titanium exhaust system for our engine. Titanium allows us to create a lightweight exhaust system while meeting the performance requirements of our car. These funds will help cover the materials and manufacturing needed to produce the exhaust for this year’s car.

Berkeley Formula Racing prepares to take the track at Formula SAE Michigan.

Actual expenditures may vary. This funding will not only support the manufacturing of our car but also enable us to attend outreach events that engage the wider community and inspire future engineers. Most importantly, it will help cover manufacturing, testing, transportation, and competition costs for our car. If we exceed our crowdfunding goal, additional funds will allow for extensive testing and event participation, providing crucial learning opportunities to ensure our team is competition-ready. Regardless of the amount raised, we remain committed to our objectives: we will build and race this car.

We realize we would not be able to succeed without the generosity of our community, and we are thankful for anything you are willing and able to donate. Please reach out to us with any questions or comments.

Berkeley Formula Racing team with their student-built car at Formula SAE Michigan.

Thank you again for your time and support! 

For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at calfsae@gmail.com. Check our website out at fsae.berkeley.edu, and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/calracing) and Instagram (@calformularacing).

Want to make your gift by check, donor-advised fund, or employer matching program? We are happy to help! Please email calcrowdfunding@berkeley.edu and include how you would like to support this project. Our team will provide the appropriate instructions, coordinate gift processing, and help ensure your contribution is credited to this campaign whenever possible.