ITS Campus, ITS News — The automotive team at the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS)has once again shown its genuine commitment to designing research vehicles engineered for high performance on an international scale. ITS Sapuangin Team has officially unveiled its latest land jet, Sapuangin Speed 8, ready to compete against hundreds of top universities worldwide at SAE Japan 2026, one of the world’s most prestigious automotive engineering competitions, scheduled for early August.
ITS Rector Prof Dr Ir Bambang Pramujati ST MScEng PhD emphasized that the intensive research experience gained in the workshop over these past months serves as an invaluable platform for character building for the students’ future. Through this research, students learn to build teams and manage their time. “This is a valuable lesson that cannot be found in the classroom. Do your best, stay united while abroad, and let’s fly the Indonesian flag there,” said the ITS Professor of Mechanical Engineering encouragingly.
In addition, Dr Ir Witantyo Meng Sc, the faculty advisor for the ITS Sapuangin Team, added that this year’s competition served as an important test following its postponement the previous year. He explained that this year’s formula car was deliberately designed with a tactical approach to compensate for the engine’s limited capacity through agile maneuvering on the track.
According to the lecturer from the ITS Department of Mechanical Engineering the challenges in Japan are particularly challenging because their competitors are directly backed by major manufacturers. Moreover, his team is competing with a 250cc engine, which is relatively small for this class. “However, with the Formula Student circuit designed to be winding, we’ll compensate for that lack of acceleration by making the vehicle’s body as agile as possible on the track,” the ITS automotive expert added optimistically.
Responding to the full support from the institution and the guidance provided, the launch of this latest variant certainly caught everyone’s attention because it introduced a fairly massive overhaul of the architecture and design geometry of the exterior body. The team deliberately formulated these updates as a tactical move to conquer the Japanese circuits, which are notorious for being extremely challenging and filled with technical turns.
The strategic research approach for this eighth generation stemmed from an intensive evaluation of the performance of their Formula SAE cars in previous years. The launch of the Sapuangin Speed 8 marks a pivotal moment, as it is the first time since 2019 that the team has prepared to compete in Formula SAE Japan.
ITS Sapuangin Team General Manager Chandra Iksan Suryana said his team faces a major challenge, having to compete against far more experienced international teams. “However, our team sees this as a golden opportunity to prove the resilience of ITS students’ research,” he added confidently.
Furthermore, Chandra explained that the most striking aspect of this year’s Formula car is the complete overhaul of its aerodynamic components, which now feature new front and rear wings. Visually, these updates provide the most striking contrast when compared to the previous generation. Beyond the exterior, the research team also completely redesigned the chassis from scratch, adopted a different engine type, and recalibrated the vehicle’s suspension geometry to ensure thorough technical readiness.
All of the latest specifications on the Sapuangin Speed 8 are the result of the team’s ingenuity, supported by tactical advice from the ITS Sapuangin Team alumni network. The weight reduction achieved through the use of advanced carbon fiber composite materials on the exterior body is designed to provide significantly more agile and responsive downforce when tackling the circuit.
This powerful yet environmentally conscious innovation further underscores ITS’s tangible commitment to supporting the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These students’ concrete achievements actively contribute to Goal 4 on Quality Education through a platform for direct applied research, as well as Goal 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure through the development of national automotive technology. (ITS Public Relations)
Reporter: Dinda Fithriyyah