On Thursday, the conclusion of the 2026 Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix came in a high-energy awards ceremony. However just days prior, 39 teams from around the world descended upon Brainerd, Minnesota for the event, which for many was a high-stakes do-or-die moment for the opportunity to qualify and compete in the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge cross-country event.

Here are the results from the final day Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) and which teams will be moving on to the American Solar Challenge (ASC).

The second day of racing at this year’s Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix concluded late last night, with the finalization of lap results. The third and final day of racing is now underway, with 30 teams cleared for the track and 12 qualified to compete in the cross-country Electrek American Solar Challenge.

I expect the latter number to increase significantly by the end of the day.

That’s a wrap on day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) 2026!

For the first time, FSGP is running at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, a 3.1-mile road course better known for racing cars of the gas kind…until this week.

The sun has just about risen on this year’s Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), the pre-qualifying race before the renowned American Solar Challenge. FSGP officially kicks off tomorrow morning for the teams that have passed rigorous safety and quality checks, known as “scrutineering.”

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of speaking directly with teams from around the world, including the Delft Solar Team from the Netherlands and ÉTS Éclipse from Montreal. But for my final profile, I sat down with students from a small liberal arts school just outside St. Louis, right along the Mississippi River. Principia College has a long-running solar car program, which is astonishing considering the school is in the middle of phasing out its only engineering program.

So it was no surprise that after a few minutes speaking with the team’s leadership, I realized the car might end up being the least interesting thing about them.