About Us
Born from the mountains…
A Brief history of Montana FSAE
Montana Formula SAE was born from a love of racing, and a love of Formula. Our founders saw the deficit in engineering design clubs at Montana State and knew what they needed to do. Established in 2024, we started this journey to excellence, believing in the quality of engineers on our campus we knew that if we worked hard enough we had what it took to compete with teams who have been established for decades. We started with nothing — no materials, no funding, and no clue what we were doing. By 2026, in just two years, we have added an aerodynamics kit, grown to over 100 active members, and are looking to take the competition by storm.
Crafting a team from the ground up is no easy task, and we have faced many problems in our quest to create a real team. With no alumni who understand the competition that we can garner knowledge from, we’ve had to lean on other teams who have been willing to help us out and lend some advice (and occasionally some parts). We had to figure out for ourselves the rules of SAE to ensure a rules compliant car, and the nitty gritty of administrative work. We have put in the work to not only make the car, but to craft a community that is all rooted in individuals all focused on a common goal. We want to be proud of what we make and what we do — every meeting we have we discuss how we can improve our practices and push past any walls that we may run into.
Montana FSAE is a student-run motorsports 501(c)(3) organization at Montana State University dedicated to developing the next generation of engineers through hands-on vehicle design, manufacturing, testing, and competition.
In 2025, the first year Montana State University was represented at a Formula SAE competition in nearly a decade, we achieved our goal of building an ICE car to pass technical inspection at competition. This year, we are taking our program to the next level. Through optimizing our operations, we have enabled our engineers to create a platform that we believe will be truly competitive at a national level. Students in our organization gain technical, hands-on experience designing, manufacturing, testing, and racing as well as valuable facilitation, planning, and management skills.
Who we are
Montana FSAE is a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization at Montana State University dedicated to designing, building, and racing a formula-style race car in the Formula SAE collegiate design series. Founded in 2024, the team was established to give students hands-on experience applying classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges.
Our members work across disciplines including aerodynamics, chassis design, manufacturing, composites, electronics, business, and graphic design, taking a race car from concept to competition. Through Formula SAE, students gain valuable experience in engineering design, project management, teamwork, and problem-solving while preparing for careers in industry.
As one of Montana State University's newest engineering organizations, Montana FSAE is building a tradition of innovation, technical excellence, and student leadership while representing MSU on the international stage.