MORE THAN TECHNICAL DETAILS

with friends who share the same interest. Every input I gained will be shared with the juniors.”

The chemical engineering student said she was also involved in enhancing hydrogen fuel efficiency and helped to design an innovative body part to enhance the performance of the car by sensing and reporting car-related parameters to the driver.

It was the act of taking something apart and putting it back together that started her on the path to become an engineer and now modifying cars is a pastime among her circle of university mates.

Meeting deadlines and managing the project is just as important as overcoming technical challenges.

Sollehan said: “As a team manager, I also had to deal with various parties regarding logistics, placements and transportation.

“It was not easy to get sponsorship from government agencies and private companies. We created a campaign on social media platforms such Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and raised more funds than the previous year.”

Having made it to the competition technical inspection last year, Sollehan said she has silenced naysayers who used to tell the team members to send boys instead when they wanted to buy raw materials.

“I want to prove that girls can also work in a male-dominated environment.”

Team member electrical engineering student Amirah Sofianna Mat Isa, 23, said: “I woke up early to do administrative work and at night I learnt to build a car from my teammates.

“We only slept for four hours every day in the run-up to the challenge.”

Mechanical engineering student Nasyitah Othman, 22, said being a female in a male-dominated sport is difficult but it is not going to stop her from enjoying and competing in it.

“You need a lot of strength and the cockpits are extremely hot. You have got to be very fit to withstand the G-forces and extreme temperatures.

“We may not be as physically strong