Offered by the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering at Széchenyi University in Győr, Hungary - aims to provide state-of-the-art practice-oriented know-how in the field of racecar and race-motorbike design, testing and operation. The program is 1-year long and consists of 12 courses organized in 6 modules.
Each module is 5 weeks long, during which 2 courses are covered in an intensive, project-based educational form. This means that each course starts with the assignment of a Course-Related Project, followed by Lectures covering the theoretical background of the course as well as Practice Sessions and Consultations, where the know-how needed for the practical implementation of the theory as well for solving the Project are imparted to the students.
In addition to the coursework, renowned Experts with Motorsport or F1 experience will be invited in each Module to a 1-2 day interaction with the students to provide insight into specific deep-dive topics.
The program starts in February each year, which allows the particiaption of students in practice oriented activities at Partner Race Teams during the racing period in summer.
Duration: 1 year
Next start date: February 2025
Number of courses: 12
Format: 6 Modules of 5 weeks length,
with 2 courses covered in each
MOTORSPORT / F1 EXPERTS
In each module, students will be given a chance to learn directly from renowned Motorsport experts, many with current or former F1 experience. The interaction will involve a guest lecture or workshop in a specific deep-dive topic in Motorsport or F1 as well as a Speaker’s Corner, where students can exchange information first-hand with the Geust Experts. The total interaction time with each Guest Expert will vary between half day and 2 days, depending on the Experts availability availability. A total of 6 Experts will be secured for the entire duration of the program, i.e. one per each 5-weeks long module.
In academic year 2025, we are proud to present the following lineup of Motorsport / F1 Experts.
Founder and owner of OptimumG, former F1/
Indycar race engineer
Claude Rouelle
Claude Rouelle is a world renown expert of race vehicle dynamics simulations, who has worked with several F1 and Indycar drivers among amny others. Claude is the founder and owner of OptimumG, a company focussing on the developemnt of laptime simulation software OptimumLap, tire modeling software OptimumTire and suspension design software OptimumKinematics.
Aston Martin F1 Team (2023 – present), Red Bull Racing (2014-23), Marussia F1 Team (2011-14)
Andor Hegedűs
Andor Hegedűs has over 13 years of experience in F1, currently working as Senior Project Designer at Aston Martin F1 Team. Prior to this, he has worked 9 years at Red Bull Racing, where he was responsible for developing pit stop technologies, enabling RB to break the world record fastest pit stop time 3 times, Between 2011-2014, Andor was a Mechanical Design Engineer at Marussia F1 Team. Andor is a graduate of Oxford-Brooks University, where he obtained a BSc in Motorsport Engineering in 2012.
Williams F1 (2024 – present),
Red Bull Racing F1 (2015-18)
Dr. Sándor Kling
Sándor Kling is currently an engineer at the Williams F1 team, who also worked at the Red Bull Racing F1 team between 2015-2018. From the beginning of 2015, he first worked on the Red Bull RB11 car as a structural analyst. His main task was to check the strength, stiffness and regularity of the components, as well as to tune the characteristics of the components. He worked on all parts of the car: among others the aerodynamic elements, chassis, cockpit elements, engine parts, hydraulic parts, etc. In several seasons, his main task was the design of the front wing, from the conceptual phase to the developments during the racing season. He got a PhD from the Technical University of Budapest in 2015 in the area of polymer composites.
BMW F1 (2001 – 2008)
Norbert Gatzka
Norbert Gatzka is a renowned engine developer, with over 20 years of work experience at BMW, including 7 years contribution to the design of the BMW F1 powertrain, in which he led several technical fields. He was later leading the development of several BMW and Husquarna motorbike engines and served at Technical Development Director in this field. Norbert is renown for his workshops to the next generation of engineers, within which he interactively completes the conceptual design of a race engine.
Sauber Petronas Engineering F1 (1999-2001),
Audi Sport (2002 – 2009)
Thorsten Pfeffer
Thorsten Pfeffer is currently the Head of Powertrain Developmet at Audi Hungaria, with extensive Motorsport experience. Between 1999.2001, he was the Head of Research and Development at the Sauber Petronas Engineering’s F1 team, followed by a period at Audi Sport, where he directly contributed to 6 Le Mans victories between 2002-2008. Since 2012, Thorsten has held several key positions related to engine development and vehicle integration at Audi AG.
PARTNER RACE TEAMS
Students in the program will have a chance to interact with at least one from a number of Partner Race Teams or Partners listed below.
Partner Race Teams will define practically relevant problems to be solved by the students in the form of a Course-Related Project* or a full MSc Thesis*.
Interaction will involve a series of consultations with a member of a Race Team during the solution of the Team defined problem and/or visit of the Team, of a test event, or of a race event**.
The list of the current Partner Race Teams and Partners is listed below.
* Note that due to academic regulations, beside the Partner Race Team member, Course-Related Projects and MSc Theses will be co-supervised by a University teaching staff member as well.
** All students will be guarenteed to interact with at least one of the partnering Race Teams or Partners. Costs of travelling to visit the Teams or to participate at a test or race event shall be covered by the students.
Radical Motorsport Hungary Team
Radical Motorsport Hungary is a subsidiary of Radical Motorsports in England, which provides high performance racecars for customer racing in 36 countries. They provide cars in 4 categories between 180 - 650 HP, with racing history at the Le Mans 24hrs race as well.
M1RA Motorsport
M1RA Motorsport is one of the top teams in the TCR (Touring Car Racing) series, winning TCR International in 2017 and TCR Eastern Europe in 2020.
MNASZ
(Hungarian Autosport Association)
MNASZ is responsible for organizing all Motorsport category races in Hungary, including the International GT Open race at Hungaroring or the annual Rally Hungary ERC (European Rally CHampionship) races. As such, MNASZ could enable the participation of selected students of the program at races as Technical Scrutineers. This gives real insider race weekend experience to the students.
BirelART Hungary
BirelART is one of the top go-kart race vehicle manufacturers, which has racing car series carrying the names of Charles Leclerc, Daniel Ricciardo and Robert Kubica. Their Hungarian subsidiary is located in Győr and therefore are a natural partner in this program.
Arrabona Racing Team (ART)
Arrabona Racing Team is one of the top Eastern European teams in the Formula SAE (or called Formula Student in Europe) category. In the past 3 years, the team has landed podium finishes at the most competitive races of the series at the Hockenheimring in Germany or Red Bull Ring in Austria.
GUEST LECTURERS
As many as 8 of the 12 courses offered in the program will be taught by topic-specific Guest Lecturers with real-life racing and/or industrial experience. This ensures that the contents taught to the students are practically relevant and up-to-date. The Guest Lecturers will teach a full course, i.e. a total of about 50 hrs of interaction is ensured with them (including the lectures and practice sessions). The Guest Lecturers and the courses taught by them in 2025 are listed below.
Dr. Barna Hanula
Course taught: Race Vehicle Engines
Dr. Barna Hanula is a former racing driver himself and an internationally renowned expert in high-performance engine design and development. He worked more than 20 years for engine development firm AVL - Dr. Schrick in Germany, which he later also led as CEO. He joined Audi Hungaria in 2011, and has served as Dean of the Audi Faculty of Automotive Engineering at Széchenyi University between 2015-2023. During his years in Germany, he contributed to the design of several iconic engines, including the 8 Liters 16-cylinder 1,183 HP power unit of the Bugatti Veyron as well as the Renault F1 engine in the mid 2000’s.
Dávid Bári
Course taught: Race Vehicle Testing
Dávid Bári is an expert in race vehicle dynamics, and together with 2-times World Champion Norbert Michelisz, the co-founder and CEO of the M1RA Motorsport racing team, which competes in the European TCR series. Between 2021-2023 he has worked at Hyundai Motorsport in Germany, where he headed the development of a fully electric racecar development program. Dávid is the alumni of the Formula Racing Team at TU Budapest, where he has held several positions.
Bettina Szelezsán
Course taught: Race Vehicle Electronics Systems
Bettina Szelezsán is an Electronics Systems Engineer at the World Rally Championship (WCR) team at Hyundai Motorsport in Germany. Bettina has prior work experience from Audi Hungaria in the modelling of electronic systems, as well as she is an alumni of the ART Formula Student team at Széchenyi University, where he was heading the Electronic department.
Dániel Boriszov
Course taught: Data Acquisition and Analysis
Dániel Boriszov is a Race Engineer in several touring car series, with over 8 years of experience in various teams. Presently he works with the 2-times World Champion, Norbert Michelisz at BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, coaches young Hungarian drivers at M1RA Motorsport and provides vehicle dynamics research services through his own company.
He is an alumni of BME FRT, the Formula Student team of TU Budapest, which he led as Team Leader.
Máté Matuska
Course taught: Race Vehicle Suspension Systems
Máté Matuska is a Vehicle Performance Simulation Engineer at STARD in Vienna, Austria, and was member of the team developing the 2023 Pikes Peak Open winner Ford SuperVan 4.2 and 2024 Pikes Peak winner Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck vehicle. Prior to this, Máté has worked at Audi Hungaria in the field of Multi Body Simulations within the Whole Vehicle Development department. Máté is an alumni of the Arrabona Racing Team at Széchenyi University, where he has held several engineering or leadership positions related to suspension design and Multi Body Simulations.
Nimród Ludescher
Course taught: Race Vehicle Mesurement and Setup
Nimrod Ludascher is the Co-Founder and COO of the BDN Automotive, which is providing state-of-the-art internal combustion engine development systems (combustion analysers), and advanced engine control strategies to a wide range of customers in all levels of motorsport, and automotive sector. He is a qualified Motorsport Engineer (MSc, Cranfield) with a large passion for internal combustion engines. He experienced in OEM engine calibration (base, emissions, OBD), developed engine controls (SW and calibration) for Koenigsegg Jesko and Gemera, and managing a motorsport tech startup since 2019.
Szabolcs Kiss
Course taught: Race Vehicle Conceptual Design
Szabolcs Kiss was the co-founder and CEO of Performanceology, a start-up aiming to develop an AI-based Race Engineer for simulator-based racing. Prior to this, he has worked at Audi Hungaria as Project Coordinator for the 5-cylinder TFSI Evosport engines used in the Audi RS3 and Cupra Formentor models, as well as Project Manager at Accenture. Szabolcs is an alumni of the Arrabona Racing Team at Széchenyi University, where he has held several positions, including head of Engineering Design, Head of Aerodynamics and Chassis Development Engineer.
Dr. Marcell Treszkai
Course taught: Race Vehicle Aerodynamics
Dr. Marcell Treszkai is currently an Engineer at Audi Hungaria’s Whole Vehicle Development department and a long-time guest lecturer of Race Vehicle Aerodynamics at Széchenyi University. He has extensive expertise in CFD and wind tunnel testing of multi-element airfoils from Canada. Marcell is a former alumni of the ART Formula Student team at Széchenyi University, where he was member of the Aerodyanmics team, dealing with full vehicle CFD simulations.
TUITION FEES AND APPLICATION
International student tuition fee:
7 000 EUR/year
Application deadline:
28 October 2024