Pit stop at Joanneum Racing Graz #43: The Rollout of the JR25
Welcome to the latest edition of Joanneum Racing Graz, the Formula Student team at FH JOANNEUM. The new JR25 electric racing car was unveiled at the rollout – with an atmospheric stage and first glimpses of the technical highlights.
On May 9th, 2025, the big day arrived: the ‘Weasels’ unveiled their latest racing car in the Audimax at FH JOANNEUM.
After months of work, the team celebrated the premiere together with sponsors, families, friends and motorsport fans.
Noticeable excitement
At 6 p.m., the doors of the Audimax opened to the numerous visitors attending the rollout. Over coffee, cake and cold drinks, the Weasels had a chat with their supporters. Then it was finally time: the presentation began! The evening started with a look back at the successful 2024 season, in which the team achieved second place in the world ranking of the Electric Class in Formula Student, among other things. This success was celebrated once again with thunderous applause.
An evening full of recognition
During the evening, long-standing supporters and key partners of the team took to the stage. FH JOANNEUM Managing Director Martin Payer opened the evening with words of appreciation for the importance of Joanneum Racing Graz for practical teaching and interdisciplinary teamwork.
Representing Joanneum Research, Raimund Krenn, a sponsor of the team, took to the stage and provided insights into the cooperation with Joanneum Racing Graz. The Institute of Automotive Engineering was also represented by its director Kurt Steiner and Thomas Gerstorfer, lecturer and faculty advisor to the team. They looked back on the technical developments of recent years and praised the commitment of the students. A special moment was the appearance of Michael Trzesniowski, better known as ‘Papa-Weasel’. As co-founder of the team, he gave personal insights into the beginnings of Joanneum Racing Graz and was visibly proud of the current generation of Weasels.
Technical progress in every area
After a long and impatient wait and a brief trip back in time to last season, the moment had finally arrived: the JR25 was unveiled! Once again this year, the Weasels have created a masterpiece and can look back with pride on their hard work over many months. Since last season, the team has learned a lot and applied their new knowledge directly to their new race car: the aerodynamics have been significantly improved with a redesigned front, side and rear wing, now delivering around 17% more downforce. The chassis has also been upgraded. A revised wishbone layup and optimised kinematics reduce weight and increase efficiency. The technological highlight is the power control unit, developed in-house for the first time, which enables precise power monitoring in the electric drive system. The package is complemented by a new battery concept with more powerful, lighter cells and completely revised steering wheel software.
After work comes pleasure
Following the unveiling, guests had the opportunity to examine the JR25 up close. Right up until the very end, Weasels stood proudly with their families and supporters in front of the new racing car, answering every question, no matter how curious. Later, the party moved from the Audimax to the Schrille Grille in Graz city centre. The team ended the evening in high spirits with a night out clubbing together.
Ready for the new season
The Weasels are back again this season with fresh ambition, technical refinements and the new JR25 in tow. The season traditionally kicks off with the FS Easter pre-competition, before the team sets out to score points with their racing car in the main competitions in the Netherlands, Austria and Czechia. The goal is clear: to build on the previous successes of Joanneum Racing Graz or even surpass them.
With the JR25, Joanneum Racing Graz has a promising racing car at its disposal for the coming season. The team has not only taken a big step forward in technical terms, but has also once again demonstrated its team spirit. The Weasels are ready to take on the challenges of the international race tracks.