The Royces say Goodbye

[Michael Royce]

Some of you may have already heard rumors of this, but I think it is appropriate that the whole FSAE community hear the news. There are two announcements that I feel I need to make.

Firstly, after 9 years as the Chairman of the FSAE Rules Committee, SAE has decided that I should step aside. For a number of reasons, I felt it was better to resign from the committee as a whole rather than hang around and muddy the waters for the new chairman. I have tendered my resignation and it has been accepted.

Secondly, Suzanne and I have been involved in Formula SAE and Formula Student for 23 years, ever since the event first came north to Lawrence Tech in 1986. During that time we have officiated at over 50 FSAE and FS events. Our belief is that Formula is to be viewed as an educational competition, and our philosophy as Technical Inspectors is, and always has been that:

1. Safety is the number 1 priority. For the long-term good of the programme as well as the immediate good of all involved, it must not be compromised.
2. ALL rules must be applied to ALL teams fairly and equitably.
3. Within numbers 1 and 2 above, the Technical Inspectors will work with the teams to get their cars through Tech Inspection so that they can compete on the track.

However, it appears that a small number of people have been unhappy with some of the decisions we have made and believe that we have not followed our own credo, (particularly number 2). These individuals feel that we have penalized them unjustly, and they have complained to the SAE staff to such a degree that our professional integrity is now being questioned. We stand by our past decisions based on the application of points #1 and #2. However, we have decided that we will not participate in any North American Formula SAE events for the foreseeable future. We did not make this decision lightly but cannot continue in the current environment.

We are still convinced that Formula SAE/Formula Student is the premier engineering student competition in the world. We have seen it grow from 25 or so teams to over 400 in 40 plus countries on 5 continents. Please continue to support it. For those of you who have graduated, please go back and volunteer at the event closest to you. FSAE alumni make excellent officials, usually!

Over the years, we have enjoyed meeting so many of you, we wish you all well in your future endeavours, and we hope that we will meet again sometime and somewhere.

Michael Royce

[Michael Royce]

Some of you may have already heard rumors of this, but I think it is appropriate that the whole FSAE community hear the news. There are two announcements that I feel I need to make.

Firstly, after 9 years as the Chairman of the FSAE Rules Committee, SAE has decided that I should step aside. For a number of reasons, I felt it was better to resign from the committee as a whole rather than hang around and muddy the waters for the new chairman. I have tendered my resignation and it has been accepted.

Secondly, Suzanne and I have been involved in Formula SAE and Formula Student for 23 years, ever since the event first came north to Lawrence Tech in 1986. During that time we have officiated at over 50 FSAE and FS events. Our belief is that Formula is to be viewed as an educational competition, and our philosophy as Technical Inspectors is, and always has been that:

1. Safety is the number 1 priority. For the long-term good of the programme as well as the immediate good of all involved, it must not be compromised.
2. ALL rules must be applied to ALL teams fairly and equitably.
3. Within numbers 1 and 2 above, the Technical Inspectors will work with the teams to get their cars through Tech Inspection so that they can compete on the track.

However, it appears that a small number of people have been unhappy with some of the decisions we have made and believe that we have not followed our own credo, (particularly number 2). These individuals feel that we have penalized them unjustly, and they have complained to the SAE staff to such a degree that our professional integrity is now being questioned. We stand by our past decisions based on the application of points #1 and #2. However, we have decided that we will not participate in any North American Formula SAE events for the foreseeable future. We did not make this decision lightly but cannot continue in the current environment.

We are still convinced that Formula SAE/Formula Student is the premier engineering student competition in the world. We have seen it grow from 25 or so teams to over 400 in 40 plus countries on 5 continents. Please continue to support it. For those of you who have graduated, please go back and volunteer at the event closest to you. FSAE alumni make excellent officials, usually!

Over the years, we have enjoyed meeting so many of you, we wish you all well in your future endeavours, and we hope that we will meet again sometime and somewhere.

Michael Royce

[Mike Cook]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

I appreciate everything you have done for everyone involved in FSAE. I wouldn't be the person I am without it. I've got to know the two of you better in the last few years and I know you both will be greatly missed. Your safety record is impeccable and I can't imagine how difficult it will be for someone to fill your shoes.

Hope to see you again,
Mike Cook

[Moke]

Mr and Mrs Royce

On behalf of the Auckland teams of past, we wish you both well in the future. And although we had our moments, we have always respected what you added to the competition and your expertise will be missed.

No doubt you will still be seen around events.

[RiNaZ]

I believe a standing ovation is in order.

I joined SAE in 99' and have gone through Baja, FSAE, F-Hybrid with you. I learned a lot from you. Your accent and your wife's yelling in the background will surely be missed.

Thank you, sincerely from the bottom of my heart.

[js10coastr]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

Thank you for all of your time and effort. I would have never dreamed of working in motorsports (I'm not sure I'd call anything in motorsports a "career"), but because of you, the competition and the community I've got an unstable and stressful job where I'm over worked and underpaid... even still I wouldn't change it for the world.

While I can understand how certain teams may complain when tensions are high in the heat of competition, I will never forget the sight of you running over to our Formula Hybrid car, trying to get us through tech as we waited for the electrical inspectors. For me this is case in proof of your aforementioned philosophy.

Many thanks!

[Mr. White]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

Thank you for your work and for the fairness shown in every FSAE event.

[exFSAE]

The safety record at comp speaks for itself. Good work.

[J. Vinella]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

You will be dearly missed and I wish the best for you in your future.

Somebody has some very large shoes to fill.

Best regards,

[TorqueWrench]

Mr. and Mrs. Royce,

You forced many of us to think of safety much more than we most likely would have on our own and for that I thank you. The fact no one has been seriously injured in this competition so far speaks a lot to the work you have done. I think SAE will be challenged to find someone else who cares as much as you do about this program to take over for you. You will be missed.