Serdang, 26 June – The Faculty of Engineering, UPM has organised the UPM Racing Car Launching Ceremony for the 2026 Formula SAE Japan International Competition at the Radin Umar Engineer Auditorium, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The UPM Racing Car, PUTRA 2, will represent Malaysia in the international racing competition, the Formula SAE Japan 2026, which is scheduled to take place from 2 to 7 August 2026 in Tokoname City, Aichi, Japan. The ceremony was officiated by YBhg. Dato' Prof. Ir. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Vice-Chancellor of UPM.
The construction of the UPM racing car was carried out over a period of six months by more than 70 UPM students from the Putra Motorsport Team (PMT) club consisting of various departments, including the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department (KMP), the Computer and Communication Systems Engineering Department (KKK), and the Civil Engineering Department (KAW) under the guidance of 15 technical and management advisors led by the KMP Department. PUTRA 2, which is a continuation of PUTRA 1 which was launched in 2024, is the successor to the revolution of progress and innovation in the creation of racing cars that was started through the production of PUTRA 1. PUTRA 2 is the fourth car produced by PMT after PUTRA 1 (2024), LEKIR (2018) and JEBAT (2016).
The Formula SAE Japan competition is divided into two main categories, namely static and dynamic events. This competition not only evaluates driving performance, but also emphasizes comprehensive aspects such as marketing, planning, design, production and cost management. Indirectly, it provides a platform for students to strengthen their skills and opens up opportunities for the industry to identify potential talents who can lead the automotive industry in the future. The production of formula racing cars needs to prioritize various aspects to meet the car specifications and safety standards set by the competition organizers. Therefore, the construction cost is high because it involves the use of materials with specific specifications.
The production of PUTRA 2 would not be possible without the support of the sponsors, namely Syarikat Embun Karisma Resources (M) Sdn Bhd as the main sponsor, Syarikat Ranhill Utilities Berhad as the ‘Gold’ sponsor, Syarikat Amtel Cellular Sdn. Bhd., Syarikat Gogges Hardware Sdn. Bhd. and Syarikat Pautan Legasi Sdn. Bhd. Not to be forgotten are the companies that provide in-kind sponsorship support, namely CF MOTO, CAD-IT Consultant (Asia) Pte Ltd (Private Limited), Anders Trading Sdn. Bhd., Future Auto Gearbox Ampang, Altus Engineering and Trading Sdn. Bhd., and Velocity Race Innovations Sdn. Bhd.
