Delft students win world title at World Solar Challenge

After five days and more than 3,000 kilometers across the Australian outback, the Brunel Solar Team crossed the finish line in Adelaide today in first place.

In a nerve-wracking finale, the Delft student team held off competition from Solar Team Twente and Belgium's Innoptus Solar Team to win the world solar racing championship. The eighth world title makes the anniversary year even more glorious.

The final day began with 238 kilometers left on the clock and heavy clouds over southern Australia. While Innoptus Solar Team left later due to a lower battery charge, the team from Twente set off in pursuit. Dozens of kilometers before the finish line, the difference was only two kilometers. By making clever use of the innovative canopy fin, Nuna 13 even managed to increase the difference and reach the finish line first. “Unbelievable, we just did it, what a battle,” says Jules Teeuwen. “These last kilometers were nerve-wracking with downpours, heavy traffic, and the competition right behind us. We gave it our all and now we are world champions. I am super proud of our team.”

Anniversary year gets a golden edge

The Brunel Solar Team was a seven-time world champion, but its last victory dates back to 2017. The Delft students are therefore euphoric after their hard-fought victory. “We went all out for the win,” says Jans van den Nobelen. “This is truly a team effort, and the fin on Nuna 13 proved itself in the wind.” Gilles Oude Elberink calls it fantastic to bring the eighth title back to the Netherlands, “and especially special because it's our anniversary year: the crowning glory of 25 years of solar racing.”

Twelve participations

The Brunel Solar Team is a team of students from Delft who build a solar car every two years to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge: the world championship of solar racing in Australia. Since its inception in 1999, the team has competed twelve times, finishing as world champions eight times. The team's mission is to contribute to a future of clean mobility with its solar cars.