F1 in schools

The annual make and race contest is here again. The finish line: The F1 in schools World Finals. Local secondary schools from London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent are entering teams of 3 to 6 students with ages 14 and under to compete in building their own mini formula one race car.

The teams are to take part in the local regional final on the 20th of January at the Chelsea stadium to see who has created the fastest car over a 20m distance. The winners go through to the UK National Finals to compete against other regional winners. The process is also happening in 40 other countries leading to a World Finals. From this the F1 in schools’ World Champions will be awarded, to lift the Bernie Ecclestone trophy.

To get there, the teams must first design, construct and race their entrance for the fastest Formula One car of the future. The car will be powered by compact compressed air cylinders and materials bought through business sponsorship. Each team must have a Team manager, Resources manager, Manufacturing Engineer, Design Engineer and a Graphic Designer. The current champions are A1 Racing from Australia but soon there will be new teams racing to get the trophy.

The design process uses the program ‘space claim’, computer aided design (CAD) software, to create a small drag car out of wood. The car length can range from 17cm to 22 cm and will be manufactured using Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machinery. The team must write a letter to a business of choice requesting they sponsor them. The business donating the greatest proportion of funds to the project gets to display their company logo on the car.

The contest is created to give under 14’s the chance to develop key skills, with real life application such as; business awareness, practical use of computer software and team work. Steve Walker entered the F1 in schools competition eight years ago which gave him the opportunity to experience the CAD engineering process. He has now gone on to become a Graduate Engineer working for Mercedes-Benz high performance engines. The contest is beneficial for all involved as a gripping, challenging, new experience.

Further details, including results of past years, can be found at the F1 in schools website: http://www.f1inschools.co.uk/all-about-the-challenge/

By Heather Seldon, Reigate College