That’s a wrap on day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) 2026!
For the first time, FSGP is running at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, a 3.1-mile road course better known for racing cars of the gas kind…until this week.
The energy among students was high, and the wind gusts were even higher. Crosswinds of 16-plus mph raked the track all day, nudging cars along where the wind sat at their backs and adding to drag where head-on.
This is the event’s largest attendance in history. A record 39 teams registered this year, and 15 of them passed “scrunteering” safety checks and were able to start on the line this morning for day one of racing.
It’s also the most global FSGP yet. For the first time ever, the grid includes teams not just from Canada, but the Netherlands and Belgium, all racing alongside those from across the US. Solar car racing has always drawn a passionate crowd. It’s great to see it truly go international this year.
Day 1 of 3 results
As of writing, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), based in Quebec, Canada, is #1 in the SOV (Single-Occupant Vehicle) class with 112 registered laps. ÈTS also claims the fastest lap, clocking a 3:31:00 on the 3.1-mile track. That’s an average speed of nearly 53 mph, and that thing was whipping through the corners like it had somewhere to be.
In the MOV (Multi-Occupant Vehicle) class, Georgia Tech set the pace on day one with 77 laps, a 22-lap cushion over Appalachian State’s 55. MIT sits third with 3 laps on the board. The school left the track as quickly as it entered. Hopefully, we see more of MIT tomorrow.
Iowa State, Minnesota, and Polytechnique Montréal have yet to post a scoring lap. App State did claim the class’s fastest lap of the day at 4:24, quicker over one lap than Georgia Tech’s 5:04 even while trailing on total count. It’s still early though, and with two full days of racing left before Thursday’s finish, there’s plenty of room for the order to shift.
I also had the privilege of interviewing a bunch of the teams between sessions. We’ll be rolling those out across Electrek’s social media over the coming days, so keep an eye out.
Congrats to everyone who made it on track today. We look forward to seeing even more cars out there tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some shots from today via the event’s wonderful photographer Cora Kennedy.
Stay tuned for day 2!
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