The University of Malta’s UM Racing team has achieved one of the greatest milestones in its history after finishing 11th overall at the Formula Student UK 2026 competition at Silverstone, while also emerging as the fourth-best electric vehicle team among 69 EV entries.
The result marks a breakthrough for the Maltese team, which this year successfully designed and built its first fully electric race car, the EV26, from the ground up within a single year.
Months of hard work culminated in an impressive debut, with the team becoming one of the first competitors to complete all mandatory scrutineering checks, allowing it to maximise its participation in the dynamic events throughout the competition.
The EV26 quickly demonstrated its pace on track, with UM Racing producing a series of outstanding performances against some of the world’s leading university engineering teams.
Among the team’s achievements were:
- 11th overall at Formula Student UK 2026
- 4th-best electric vehicle out of 69 EV teams
- 4th place in Sprint
- 5th place in Acceleration
- 6th-fastest lap in the Endurance event
The team’s campaign was, however, not without disappointment. A mechanical failure involving the driveshaft forced UM Racing to retire early from the Endurance event.
Despite being unable to complete the race, the EV26 still recorded the sixth-fastest lap time in Endurance, highlighting the performance and competitiveness of the car.
For UM Racing, the result is even more remarkable considering the setbacks encountered during the competition.
Rather than viewing the mechanical issue as a disappointment, the team described it as another valuable lesson in its continuous development, with work already underway on the next generation of its electric race car.
The achievements also represent a proud moment for the University of Malta, with the team showcasing Maltese engineering talent on one of the world’s biggest Formula Student stages.
Following an unforgettable week at Silverstone, UM Racing has already turned its attention towards future competitions, aiming to build on the success of the EV26 through further innovation, improved performance and continued technical development.
For a team that built its first electric race car in just one year, finishing 11th overall, ranking as the fourth-best EV team and competing with the world’s elite demonstrates that Maltese engineering students are capable of performing at the highest international level.
