Osprey Racing beats all Florida SUS schools in international Formula SAE competition
The University of North Florida’s Osprey Racing Formula SAE student club delivered an impressive performance against international teams at the 2025 Formula SAE Michigan competition earlier this month at the Michigan International Speedway.
Building on success from last year, which saw the D12 racing car break numerous team records at the 2024 SAE Michigan competition, the 19-member team unveiled the new D13 model at this year’s competition. The D13 includes high-strength pieces, seat molds and other parts created by newly donated 3D printers. Equipped with a new frame that is 20% lighter than its predecessor, the D13 features a new aero package, carbon suspension, drivetrain upgrades and the team’s most refined design to date.
The UNF team finished 41st out of 120 international teams and ranked ahead of all competing schools in the State University System of Florida.
The Formula SAE is an annual competition where students from universities around the world design, build and race formula-style cars, transforming classroom theory into real-world experiences. The annual Formula SAE Michigan competition requires teams to participate in both static (off-track) and dynamic (on-track) activities, receiving scores on presentation, design, acceleration, endurance, efficiency and more.
During the week leading up to the competition, the team conducted daily trial runs and various tests, making necessary modifications to ensure peak performance. These efforts saw the team arrive at the Michigan International Speedway with a heightened level of confidence.
Team captain Nathan Stratton, who graduated this May with a bachelor’s degree in advanced manufacturing engineering, said this year’s team was more prepared than ever before.
He was impressed with how the team performed in all the categories, especially the manufacturing and testing stages in Michigan, leading to a very successful competition performance.
“During my last run on the track for Osprey Racing, I tried to leave it all out there and I’m happy with a clean run,” said Stratton, who joined the team in his freshmen year. “The team should be very, very proud of what we accomplished together.”
Osprey Racing team member Owen Shell, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, and the team’s public relations lead, made his competitive driving debut behind the wheel of the D13 at this year’s competition. He shared driving duties with Stratton, and worked with other team members, Mason Lovelace, Tipton Ralston and Alexander Skigen. In addition to driving, Shell was also responsible for leading the development of the D13's aerodynamic flooring design.
“This year was all about growth, challenges and major progress,” shared Shell. “We finished endurance for the first time in three years, hit major development milestones, and came away more prepared and more driven than ever. To our sponsors, supporters, family, friends and the University of North Florida, thank you. Your support means everything and fuels the work we put in every day.”
In preparation for next year, Osprey Racing has already begun development plans for the D14 model. Additionally, they plan to transform one of their older race car models into a racing simulator for public use at campus and local events.
Learn more about Osprey Racing.