Thomas Hanisch is also a fan of the Formula Student. He has been at Audi for 21 years and is currently involved in concept development for future true brake-by-wire braking systems. He has been involved in the FS Germany as a judge since 2015. In the area of engineering, he evaluates the brakes, the suspension, the steering system and the chassis. "While doing this, I can ask the students questions directly: Question their approaches and ask about what's behind the implementation. I suss them out, so to speak. This often leads to exciting conversations," says Hanisch.
What is so special about the Formula Student? Hanisch can answer this without hesitation, because for him the FS is more than just a project − it's a passion: "I was team manager of a private racing team for a long time, which was able to participate in 24-hour and endurance races in the alternative fuel category thanks to Audi's support. That's precisely what makes the FS so exciting for me," says Hanisch. "I also think it's good because it offers students the opportunity to complete an overall project from start to finish."What Hanisch finds particularly interesting is that he not only sees the finished presentations, but can also take a look into the paddock and observe how the team communicates and works together on the vehicle. "This makes it easy for us to see who's pulling the strings, who's setting the tone and who's getting stuck in. That gives us at Audi the opportunity to get in touch with people directly and possibly get them involved for theses or something similar."
Every year, the FS judge is positively surprised by the students: "The young people are motivated and bring new approaches and ideas to the team with their fresh outlook. They work at a really high level, so it's a real pleasure to have this exchange," says Hanisch. "I enjoy working with those who have already gained experience outside of their studies. Of course, it's also exciting to see how the students get involved within the team. We can always use people who drive the team forward, and they are interesting for us, for Audi as an employer."