The Scuderia Tor Vergata, the Formula Student team of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, has long been a space where theory meets application — where students transform engineering knowledge into tangible prototypes capable of competing on international tracks.

The project was initiated in 2008 by Prof. Marco Evangelos Biancolini, Associate Professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Since then, much has been accomplished. The Scuderia has designed and built ten prototypes, taking part in over fifteen international Formula SAE competitions, and engaging dozens of students every year in mechanical, aerodynamic, and management challenges that mirror real-world motorsport engineering.

Over the years, RBF methodologies and morphing-based optimization have become integral to the Scuderia’s design and research processes. Students have been able to experiment with CFD-based aerodynamic optimization, mesh morphing, and parametric shape control — all core aspects of RBF research and development.

A recent and exemplary contribution to this ongoing collaboration is the thesis by Gaia Marica, titled “Aerodynamic Optimization of a Formula SAE Vehicle Using CFD and Mesh Morphing”.
In her work, Gaia developed a CFD-based aerodynamic optimization workflow for the Scuderia Tor Vergata’s Formula SAE vehicle, using RBF Morph to parametrically modify the car’s nose geometry. Through a systematic Design of Experiments approach, she achieved a 7% increase in aerodynamic efficiency, validating both the methodology and its potential for future vehicle design.

Her study exemplifies the mission of rbfLAB — to bridge advanced numerical research with real engineering applications, empowering students to experiment, innovate, and contribute to the evolution of computational morphing techniques.

📘 You can read Gaia’s thesis here.
🔗 Scuderia Tor Vergata official site