When it comes to performance on track, some of the most important factors aren’t visible from the outside. Hidden behind each wheel is one of the most technically challenging components on our entire racecar: the upright.

For the 2025 season, all four uprights on VEGA were designed in-house at Revolve NTNU and precision-manufactured by Knightec Group, formerly known as Semcon. The result? Our stiffest and lightest upright package to date, and a perfect example of what happens when high-end design meets world-class machining.

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Uprights form the physical interface between three critical systems: suspension, brakes, and drivetrain. Every control arm, steering link and wheel hub mounts directly into the upright. Even the gearbox connects here. That makes it one of the most sensitive structural nodes on the vehicle, with almost no margin for error.

For these reasons, we push the limits on both mechanical performance and manufacturing precision every year.

This season, we introduced an entirely new upright concept, driven by a need for more stiffness, better packaging, and improved thermal performance around the gearbox.

Here’s what we achieved:

• Front upright weight: 876 g (–170 g per side / 17 % reduction from 2024)
  
  
• Rear upright weight: 941 g (+1.6 %)
  
  
• Stiffness improvements: +28 % front, +93 % rear (validated through FEA and track testing)
  
  
• Manufacturing: All four uprights were 5-axis milled in Alumec-89, one of the highest strength aluminium alloys available.
  
  
• Design methodology: Topology-optimized and regenerated for CNC manufacturing. Designed in close coordination with the motor, gearbox, brakes, and cooling system.
  
  

Creating uprights of this complexity demands time, knowledge, and tight collaboration. Each part must hit tolerances down to a few microns across dozens of critical features. With suspension kinematics and gearbox alignment on the line, there's no room for adjustment post-machining.

To ensure this level of accuracy, Knightec employed their advanced machining centers and tight metrology processes, cross-verified by our partners at Kongberg Automotive. The result was a perfect fit on the first attempt.

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Initial testing confirmed the theoretical gains. Increased stiffness has led to reduced drivetrain deflection, more predictable handling, and lower heat generation in the gearbox under load, especially during endurance simulations. With less structural deformation, the entire gearbox runs cooler and more efficiently.

This level of engineering wouldn’t be possible without a manufacturing partner like Knightec Group. From machining to quality control, their contribution helps us turn ambitious CAD into real-world performance, on track and under pressure.