The third race day of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge went extremely well for Solar Team Twente. The students from the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences are closing in on Flemish frontrunner Innoptus Solar Team and significantly increased the gap with the competitors from Delft. Moreover, RED X performed optimally due to very favourable weather conditions for the Tukkers (inhabitants of Twente).
Hectic moments in Alice Springs
Fifteen minutes after departure, Solar Team Twente reached the first control stop in the busy Alice Springs. The Twente students knew they were about 50 minutes behind Belgian team Innoptus. They arrived here last night and also spent the night there. The busy streets in the centrally located town meant they had to be alert to the traffic around the stop. Partly due to red traffic lights and the morning rush on priority roads, the team had to stop several times.
After the hectic moments in Alice Springs, the next challenge came into view; the infamous, junction on the route. "If you miss the turn and keep on driving straight, you lose an immeasurable amount of time here," says escort driver Job Hofsté. Fortunately, Hofsté was alert and kept the Twente convoy on the right course.
Favourable weather conditions
In the morning, it took a while for the sun to break through, due to surrounding forest fires. But from 11 o'clock the team drove in full sunshine. This gave RED X more solar revenue than earlier days and allowed it to pick up the pace. The car's energy capacity also increased significantly.
The RED X team could put this extra energy to good use. After Alice Springs, the Tukkers faced strong headwinds that hit the car with considerable gusts. Despite all this, RED X remained stable on the road. "In the design of the car, we spent a lot of time on stability in crosswinds. Because of our design, the driver senses the car very well," said driver and aerodynamicist Bart Mol.
The next control stop that followed was in Erldunda. Here Solar Team Twente noticed they had caught up with the Belgians. Just after Innoptus' half-hour stop, the Tukkers arrived. In contrast, the gap with Delft had increased.
Longest stint
Then the toughest stint of the challenge awaited the team. From Erldunda to the infamous Coober Pedy which is almost five hundred kilometres away. The flat landscape here regularly causes treacherous wind gusts and this is also the stint where the 2019 adventure for the Tukkers came to a terrible end.
To prevent the drivers from being behind the wheel for too long and promote safety, the organization required the teams to have a driver change. This Solar Team Twente successfully completed theirs around 15:45. The team could then quickly continue the hunt for the Belgians.
Meanwhile, the team was catching up with the Belgians, leaving Delft further and further behind. Around 16:00 hours, the difference with the Flemish leader was only about 35 kilometres, while the students from Delft were 80 kilometres behind the convoy from Twente.
Four-day finish?
Tomorrow, the Twente convoy could be very close to the finish in Adelaide. So the students will have to give their all even further to oust the Belgians from first place. "Tomorrow we will see how the cards are shuffled. So far we can't say much about it yet. Doing so would be mere speculation. That's what makes it such an exciting race so far!" said strategist Mark Boulogne.