It will be a day to remember for SBA Avidity Racing, a team of students from Scarborough UTC who celebrated being crowned UK National Champions at the 2021 F1 in Schools National Finals held last week at the F1 in Schools headquarters, Brighouse. The team win through to the 2022 Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals, receive work placements at Alpine F1 in Enstone, Oxfordshire, UCL Engineering bursaries to the value of £5000 and the UK Champions trophy. 

​SBA Avidity Racing with team members Missy McArdle - Team Principal and Business Manager (17), Libby Atkin - Project Manager (16), Alex Jenkin - Design and Manufacturing Engineer (17) put a supreme effort into winning their F1 in Schools National Champions title. SBA Avidity also won the Best Engineered Car Award supported by Williams Racing and Team Principal, Missy McArdle, won the Girls on Track UK Award supported by Motorsport UK.

Missy, said of winning the Champions title, “It hasn’t sunk in yet as to what we have achieved. We’ve put in hundreds and hundreds of hours staying late after school for many, many evenings, but it was all worth it. F1 in Schools offers so many opportunities for everyone, whether you go to the best private school or a local secondary school, it’s open to all. Winning the Alpine F1 placements is amazing. I can’t actually believe we’re going to be doing work experience at an F1 team.”

“The next step is the World Finals. We think we’ve done a lot of work now, but I know there will be so much more work for us ahead. We’re so immersed in it right now, but we just need to keep stepping it up and get to that next level. We’ve spotted areas of improvement for our car, how we want to re-design it and go again.
 
 We want to give our partners a massive shout out, to thank Scarborough Business Ambassadors, Nissan, Igus, BDC Machinery and Carter Bearings for all the help they’ve given us, our car wouldn’t be at the level it is now without their help and support.”
 
Blackout, from St John’s College, Cardiff were the runners-up to SBA Avidity Racing, also receiving an invitation to the World Finals to represent Wales. They celebrated setting a new UK speed record during the competition, with their car recording a time of 1.036 seconds on the official F1 in Schools track, surpassing the previous record of 1.041 set in 2019. The third placed team, Eclipse from Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Faversham join Blackout and SBA Avidity Racing at the World Finals. Scotland will also be represented at the World Finals, with Fibonacci from James Gillespies High School & George Heriots School, Edinburgh taking this honour. The Development Class champions, Anemoi Racing from St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith, London were delighted to take victory in this category and win a place at the Aramco 2022 World Finals too.

Andrew Denford, Chairman and Founder of F1 in Schools said of this year’s competition, “Every year we see more innovative, more professional, more sophisticated presentations at the National Finals and once again the teams have raised the bar. My congratulations go to SBA Avidity Racing for taking the title; they put tremendous effort into their entry and it is a testament to their determination to succeed that they achieved their victory.
 
​“We’ve seen the cream of young engineering talent at this year’s finals and I’m sure that many of them will consider a career in industry, which makes me very proud. We are already seeing F1 in Schools ‘graduates’ taking roles in the automotive and F1 sectors, as well as using the initiative to stand out from the crowd in their efforts to win university places and, ultimately, positions within industry.”
 
F1 in Schools, now in its 21st year, is the world’s biggest, most exciting student STEM initiative. Researching, designing, making, and racing an F1 car of the future is at the core of F1 in Schools. Teams then race each other head-to-head on the F1 in Schools 20 metre racetrack. The challenge can be used as an education tool or hook to engage students in STEM subjects. This gives students the opportunity to develop key skills such as communication, presenting and teamwork, while forming the foundation for any career path they choose to follow. 
 
The F1 in Schools National Final took place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters.  F1 in Schools thanks Autodesk, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, UCL Engineering, Alpine F1 Team and PMIEF. ​

Student teams from around the country will be racing for the chequered flag at this year’s F1 in Schools National Finals, hosted at the F1 in Schools headquarters in Brighouse, Yorkshire, with teams joining virtually to compete in this prestigious event. 

This year, for the first time, the UK champions will not only receive the impressive National Champions trophy and valuable UCL Mechanical Engineering bursaries, each winning team member will also be offered a work placement at Alpine F1 Team. 

The F1 in Schools teams have been working for many months to design, build and test their miniature F1 car. Putting the finishing touches to their race car liveries, completing the final test runs with their new cars, rehearsing their presentations and proofreading their portfolios, the students have been dedicating every spare minute to the competition. 

 F1 in Schools, now in its 21st year, is the biggest, most exciting student STEM initiative offered to schools. The National Finals will be the culmination of months of effort, with team work and commitment playing a key role for each student team. Between three and six students in each team will have assigned themselves specific roles and worked with their fellow students to produce a Formula 1 race car of the future. An expert panel of judges will not only be looking for a fast car, they will be rewarding innovation, presentation and the approach to the challenge, as well as marketing concepts, sponsorship acquisition, project management and the engineering techniques employed in the design and manufacture of the car. 

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, looks forward to the National  Finals saying, “We’re expecting a strong grid of cars this year and although the students will not be able to be with us in person, we will have an immersive and intense two days of judging and racing for them, with plenty of interaction between judges, as well as meeting everyone online via Zoom.

A highly professional livestreamed event with host Tom Deacon, from Formula 1’s Esports series, and Lucy Brooks, an alumni of the competition alongside as the competition pundit will anchor the event. The teams will meet Tom and Lucy via Zoom, compete live in reaction racing and complete a series of judging sessions with experts from industry and education. 

Researching, designing, making and racing an F1 car of the future is at the core of F1 in Schools. Teams then race each other head-to-head on the F1 in Schools 20 metre racetrack. The challenge can be used as an education tool or hook to engage students in STEM subjects. This gives students the opportunity to develop key skills such as communication, presenting and teamwork, while forming the foundation for any career path they choose to follow. 

The F1 in Schools National Finals take place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters.  F1 in Schools thanks Autodesk, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, UCL Engineering, Alpine F1 Team and PMIEF. 

Pirelli has partnered with the new F1 in Schools Primary Class programme to make young people passionate about Formula 1 and the technologies that revolve around the world of Motorsport.

​Pirelli is enthusiastic about joining the initiative, providing wheel stickers with the trademarks of its tyres: both the slick models for dry asphalt and the wet versions for wet roads, with the tread design to be applied to the miniature wheels.

Formula 1 strongly believes in this programme which targets youths, and has therefore included it among the main initiatives of its programme of social responsibility and fight against diversity and encouraging inclusion.  In addition, the activity is included in educational programmes referred to as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to encourage the study of scientific subjects.
​
All the Formula 1 teams in the paddock have joined the project, and they will also be taking part in various presentations and sharing promotional opportunities - as soon as the Covid-19 situation allows it.  Formula 1 hopes to showcase at a selection of Grand Prix, or with events at the team premises and with the presence of technicians and drivers.
Students from participating schools across the world will be able to take part in their National competitions, with a route aimed at Regional finals and National finals where the season winners will be announced!

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, says of the partnership, “It’s fantastic that Pirelli have joined with us to make sure our F1 in Schools Primary Class cars can be as authentic as possible.  All the F1 Teams have shared their race car liveries with us, so having Pirelli branded wheels, and even the tyre tread, makes the finished car even more realistic”.

​The F1 in Schools STEM Challenge, a leading, multi-discipline, not-for-profit, global education programme, is delighted to announce a new partnership with PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) to educate F1 in Schools' participants and stakeholders in project management fundamentals. PMIEF will provide a grant for training, coaching, and educational resources so youth and not-for-profit staff who deliver the Challenge worldwide develop project management skills and apply those lessons learned to the Challenge as well as to academic and professional pursuits. 
 
PMIEF will collaborate with F1 in Schools to integrate project management into the Challenge so participants strengthen their understanding of concepts like project scope and risk mitigation as they leverage studies in physics, manufacturing, and marketing and branding for an imaginative contest that requires they design the fastest miniature, compressed air-powered racecar. As a result, F1 in Schools will introduce a project management module into the regulations and judging sessions associated with the Challenge beginning in the 2020-21 school year. In addition, PMIEF will provide expert project management training and coaching at no cost to F1 in Schools staff and associates who operate the Challenge in 51 countries.
 
The partnership with F1 in Schools aligns with PMIEF's focus on youth-serving nonprofits and efforts to both build their capacity and enhance their youth programmes through a myriad of products and services. These include grants, training and coaching, educational materials, and access to a volunteer corps. The organisations with which PMIEF collaborates must deliver programs to youth ages to 5 to 19 in at least two countries, support the foundation's research activities, and offer opportunities for project managers who wish to serve as volunteers. 

​Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman F1 in Schools, says of the association with PMIEF, “We’re delighted to welcome PMIEF as a partner of F1 in Schools and look forward to a long and successful relationship. Project management is fundamental in our Challenge, as the students have limited time and resources for taking their F1 in Schools entry from concept to reality and I’m sure that PMIEF will be able to assist our students with this process. The scope of the partnership allows us to extend the learning and training to F1 in Schools staff and our In-Country Co-ordinators (ICCs) who deliver the programme internationally, and I am sure there will be enormous benefit to both individuals and F1 in Schools to have this opportunity.”
 
"Our partnership with F1 in Schools supports its professionals to learn project management and, in turn, to transfer that knowledge to young people by thoughtfully integrating it into this globally-renowned Challenge," says Jeannette Barr, PMIEF Executive Director. "The organization already appreciates the value of having youth learn through a highly experiential Challenge, so we are confident this collaboration will only enrich their participation in this exciting, project-oriented competition."
 
The F1 in Schools programme operates with the support of a host of partners including The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Formula One Group, Autodesk, FIA, Denford, Airbus, Lenovo, UCL Engineering , City, University of London and University of Huddersfield.

​Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Island, Abu Dhabi will host the 15th running of the F1 in Schools World Finals, the pinnacle of this prestigious global education challenge that is a springboard for thousands of students’ future careers.
 
The F1 in Schools World Finals, which takes place alongside a round of the Formula 1 World Championship each year, will be held with this year’s FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2019, the final round of the F1 season, in partnership with Yas Marina Circuit, considered to be one of the most technologically advanced Formula 1 circuits in the world and the home of motorsports in the Middle East.
 
The F1 in Schools World Finals 2019 will bring together an anticipated 60 teams from over 25 countries with the competition days being held on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.  The event will start on Sunday 24 November with an opening ceremony and the first of three days of competition. The event will conclude with a glittering Awards Celebration and Dinner, which will be
hosted at Yas Marina Circuit on Wednesday 27 November. The World Finalists will then have the opportunity to soak up the Grand Prix over the following four days.
 
Abu Dhabi has hosted the F1 in Schools World Finals on two previous occasions, with the events being held at Ferrari World in 2012 and 2014. The expansion of the event has led to a move to a new venue on Yas Island this year, with the need to accommodate over 300 students and their pit displays, the F1 in Schools 20 metres race track and the judging areas required for this exciting education event.

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, looks forward to a return to Abu Dhabi, saying, “Abu Dhabi has always given us a very warm welcome and has been a great venue for our World Finals. We’re delighted that Yas Marina Circuit is partnering with us for the event and we look forward to working with them in the run up to the event.  It marks the 10th anniversary of our partnership with Yas Marina Circuit and we are looking forward to celebrating this at our World Finals Awards Celebration Gala Dinner.”
 
He adds, “I know our students are going to have the most amazing time in Abu Dhabi for the World Finals and then to have a chance to go to the Grand Prix, makes it extra special. These are the Formula 1 Engineers, marketeers and team managers of the future and they gain so much inspiration from experiencing the occasion first-hand, it will give them memories of a lifetime.”
 
Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “We are delighted to welcome hundreds of international students to the home of our iconic Formula 1 track and to experience our world-class facilities.
 
“Our partnership with The F1 in Schools progamme keeps growing year on year and is a key part of our Yas In Schools programme.  We are excited to continue to be playing our part in developing the leaders of the future. Yas Marina Circuit is proud to support the spirit of innovation in students from around the world and we wish the teams success at the F1 in Schools World Finals this year.”
 
The F1 in Schools World Finals 2019 is supported by Formula 1 and in partnership with Yas Marina Circuit, The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), City, University of London, UCL Engineering, Denford Ltd and Autodesk. 

Britannia Red, a team of 13 to 15 year old students from Robert May’s School, Odiham, Hampshire, have won a place at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2019 after taking victory at the UK Finals held this week at Airbus’ West Factory in Broughton, Flintshire.  
 
Representing England at the World Finals will be Evolve, a team of three 16 and 17 year old boys from Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Faversham, Kent, who took the runners-up spot. Centurion Racing from Rishworth School, Halifax, a team of four 16 to 18 year olds, who were third also secured a place at this year’s World Finals. 
 
During the competition a local team of six 13 and 14 year old Welsh students from Connah’s Quay High School, Flintshire, had the fastest car on track, smashing the UK record with a time of 1.041 seconds, four-hundredths of a second quicker than the previous record held by a Coventry team. 
 
The highest placed Scottish and Welsh teams, Overdrive from Aberdeen Grammar School and Quantum from Denbigh High School have also won through to the World Finals to represent their countries at the event later this year.
 
Britannia Red, with team members Abi Bessant, 14, Tilly Wake, 13, Harriet Quarmby, 13, Caoimhe Thomas 14, Callum Green, 14 and Ted Hodgson, 15, won the Best Engineered Car Award as well as taking the National Champions title. Abi said of winning, “We really didn’t expect to win today, we didn’t think we’d get anywhere, so it was totally unexpected, especially as it was the first year for us. There’s lots of judging sessions and so there’s lots of pressure, but we were surprisingly calm. It’s a mix of fun and hard work doing the challenge, you have to dedicate a lot of time to it, but it’s great fun. It opens our eyes to the scope of Engineering too, especially coming to a place like Airbus, which has been a great experience.”
 
F1 in Schools is a hugely popular competition, engaging and inspiring students about Engineering by practical application of STEM skills to create their own Formula 1 team and a scale-model car, from scratch. The students assess their performance against other schools at a series of regional finals around the country. The best 4 teams at each regional final compete at the UK National Finals. 
 
The UK Champions win a trip to the headquarters of an F1 team and the podium placed teams win a trip to the FORMULA 1 ROLEX BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2019 weekend at Silverstone with grandstand tickets courtesy of Silverstone Circuit and F1 paddock access from Formula 1, two £5000 bursary scholarships from UCL Engineering and Denford Ltd F1 in Schools equipment to the value of £5000 for Britannia Red’s school as well as the new impressive F1 in Schools UK Champions trophy.  
 
The F1 in Schools UK Finals also featured Development Class teams, with Infinity Racing, a team of 12-13 year old boys and girls from St John’s College, Cardiff claiming the winners trophy and a place at the World Finals 2019 along with Avidity Racing from Scarborough UTC who were the runners up. A team from St. Joseph’s College, Reading, named Illusion were awarded third place. 
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, said after the event, “I’m blown away  - we’ve seen the UK record beaten by nine teams, a tight race on and off the track for podium places with talented UK Champions crowned today at our biggest UK event with over 250 students, held at one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world building the wing for the largest commercial aircraft in the world. 
 
“Airbus has been an amazing venue to house the UK Finals of the largest global STEM challenge and we’ve had outstanding hospitality and support from them, with a team of Airbus graduates and apprentices capably hosting our students and inspiring them with their experience of working in the Engineering industry.”
 
“Today we’ve seen an unbelievably high level of work from the F1 in Schools students, with skills that go far beyond the classroom and have enormous value, not only within their school education but in a broader context with increased confidence and life skills that will be invaluable to them in the future. My congratulations go to all our teams and I know they are destined to have very successful careers.” 

 
Full list of Award Winners: 

PROFESSIONAL CLASS
 
National Champions
Britannia Red
Robert May's School
Odiham

2nd Place 
Evolve
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Faversham

3rd Place 
Centurion Racing
Rishworth School
Halifax

Scotland Champions
Overdrive
Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen

Wales Champions
Quantum
Denbigh High School
Denbigh

Best Engineered Car
Britannia Red
Robert May's School
Odiham

Fastest Car Award 
XLR8
Connah's Quay High School
Connah's Quay

Research & Development 
Protoanic
Calday Grange Grammar School
West Kirby

Sponsorship & Marketing
Novo
Royal Grammar School
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Verbal Presentation
Sheff1 Racing
Bradfield Secondary School
Bradfield

Pit Display 
Morson-Blackout
Sprowston Community Adacemy
Norwich

Portfolio
Imperium
Whitley Bay High School
Whitley Bay

DEVELOPMENT CLASS
 
National Champions 
INFINITY RACING
St John's College
Cardiff

2nd Place 
Avidity Racing
Scarborough UTC
Scarborough

3rd Place 
Illusion
St Joseph's College
Reading

Best Engineered Car 
Avidity Racing
Scarborough UTC
Scarborough

Fastest Car Award
Speed of Light
Harlow College
Harlow

Research & Development
INFINITY RACING
St John's College
Cardiff

Sponsorship & Marketing 
Igneous Racing
Royal Grammar School
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Verbal Presentation
Ouragan Platine
The Nelson Thomlinson School
Wigton

Pit Display 
Tîm Apex Alpha Bro Edern
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern
Cardiff

Portfolio 
Illusion
St Joseph's College
Reading

Social Media
Blue Rockets Racing
The Castle School
Thornbury

FIA Women in Motorsport
Illusion
St Joseph's College
Reading

Team Identity
Aspire6
Leasowes High School
Halesowen

The F1 in Schools™ STEM Challenge UK National Finals will showcase high flying talent, with 48 student teams competing for the F1 in Schools UK Champions title and a place at the World Finals later this year. The event being held from 11 – 12 March at Airbus’ West Factory in Broughton, Flintshire where wings for the company’s entire family of commercial aircraft are manufactured, will celebrate the best young minds and engineering flair. 
 
Winning student teams from regional finals around the country will race their bespoke designs of miniature Formula 1 cars on the Official F1 in Schools 20 metre track, present their business plans, display their engineering designs and showcase their work to a panel of industry and engineering experts. The two-day competition tests their F1 car designs to the limit on track, as well as the students supporting work with a busy timetable of judging sessions. 
 
The UK Champions will win tickets to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX, including exclusive paddock access at the event from Formula 1, a Formula 1 team factory tour, two £5,000 scholarships for UCL Mechanical Engineering and, for the winning school, a F1 Branded Race Track and Race Control System with Car Deceleration System worth £5,000 from Denford Ltd.
 
The elite of the UK National Finals teams will be rewarded with a place at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2019. These students compete for the coveted F1 in Schools World Champions trophy, and highly valued City, University of London and University College London Engineering scholarships.
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, said, “We’ve had an exceptionally strong series of regional finals with outstanding car designs, innovative ideas and highly professional presentations, so I’m very excited to see how they all perform, and I’m sure they will all have raised their game for the National Finals. Bringing Formula 1 into the classroom with this programme really inspires the students and nurtures a passion for engineering as well as developing the students’ life skills. They all learn so much, without realising it!”
 
Lucy Brooks, Team Manager from reigning F1 in Schools UK Champions, Unity from Emmanuel College, Gateshead, looked back on winning last year saying, “It has been the most amazing experience for us. After winning the UK Champions title we had the time of our lives at the British Grand Prix, meeting and having our photos taken with Formula 1 drivers. We then went to Singapore for the World Finals, which was the trip of a lifetime, the memorable experience, a really special time. Not only has it been the best fun, it’s also really helped our career opportunities, opening so many doors and introductions, it is such an advantage to have F1 in Schools on our CVs.”
 
The F1 in Schools National Finals 2019 takes place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters. In addition to Airbus, these are the IET, Autodesk, Denford Ltd, City, University of London and UCL Engineering. 

​Aerospace giant Airbus has partnered with the leading global education STEM challenge, F1 in Schools, for its UK National Finals 2019.
 
The two-day event will be held at Airbus’ West Factory in Broughton, Flintshire, where wings for the company’s entire family of commercial aircraft are manufactured.
 
The F1 in Schools UK National Finals 2019, from 11th – 12th March, brings together the top 40 teams from around the country competing for the National Champions title. Over the two days the teams will undertake a busy timetable of judging elements, with an expert panel of professionals from Formula 1 teams and industry, including Airbus personnel, appraising the students’ work.
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, said: “We are very privileged to be partnering with such a prestigious organisation and are delighted to take our UK National Final to Airbus and house it in one of the biggest factories in Europe. The Airbus factory will provide our students and teachers with an exclusive experience that adds a new dimension to the event and will undoubtedly be a highlight of the competition.”
 
He added: “F1 in Schools inspires a passion for engineering, with many of our ‘alumni’ choosing this as a career path. I’m sure that Airbus will be able to benefit from our partnership with access to some of the brightest young engineers and I’m sure we’ll see former F1 in Schools students joining Airbus in the future.”
 
Emily Merrison, Head of Education Liaison for Airbus in the UK, said: “Airbus was a key sponsor of the F1 in Schools competition last year, and we are very excited to take the partnership even further in 2019 by hosting the national finals at our A380 Wing factory here in North Wales. The students participating in this competition demonstrate the right behaviours and technical mindsets that the company looks for in its engineers of the future, which is why we’re proud to support and mentor them on their journey and we wish them the best of luck.”
 
Researching, designing, making and racing a miniature Formula 1 car is at the core of the F1 in Schools challenge, with the students producing a portfolio and pit display as well giving a business presentation and showcasing their engineering design, research and development work for the judges. Each team’s car is also put to the test, racing head-to-head on the F1 in Schools 20-metre track within the factory.
 
The UK Champions will win tickets to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX, including exclusive paddock access at the event from Formula 1, a Formula 1 team factory tour, two £5,000 scholarships for UCL Mechanical Engineering and Denford equipment worth £10,000 for their school.
 
The elite of the UK National Finals teams will be rewarded with a place at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2019. These students compete for the coveted F1 in Schools World Champions trophy, and highly valued City, University of London and University College London Engineering scholarships.
 
The F1 in Schools National Finals 2019 takes place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters. In addition to Airbus, these are the IET, Autodesk, Denford Ltd, City, University of London and UCL Engineering. 

​Unity, a team of 16 and 17 year-old students from Emmanuel College, Gateshead, celebrated winning the F1 in Schools UK National Finals 2018 this week, proving that determination and perseverance is rewarded, taking the UK Champions title at their fourth attempt. Their success wins them a place at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2018 in Singapore in September, alongside the FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX, 
 
Tickets to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX courtesy of Silverstone Circuit, exclusive paddock access at the event from Formula 1, a Formula 1 team factory tour, two £5000 scholarships for UCL Mechanical Engineering and Denford equipment worth £10,000 for their school were also prizes for the victors. Unity also won the Best Engineered Car Award on their way to the UK crown with the judges commending the team on the design, manufacturing and Engineering of their F1 in Schools car. 
 
Amid tears of joy on the top step of the podium, Unity Team Leader, Lucy Brooks, said, “I’m speechless. It’s unbelievable; we’ve all worked so hard for this, so I think we deserved it. It’s been a long road, but so worth it. We’ve been together a long time now, so our teamwork is certainly a factor in our success. We have a huge amount of work now to prepare for Singapore, making sure our car is as good as it can be. We know that competing at the World Finals can open doors to careers in Engineering so that is a great opportunity for us. We’re very excited to be heading there.”
 
Joining Unity on the podium after two days of fierce competition were Origin, a team from Robert May’s School, Odiham, who will represent England at the World Finals and Hawk Racing from Colyton Grammar School, Devon, who have the opportunity to collaborate with an overseas podium-winning F1 in Schools team at the World Finals.  Also heading to Singapore will be DRIVE from Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni representing Wales and Velocity Racing from Inveralmond Community High School, Livingston flying the flag for Scotland. 
 
Team AcceleRace powered by Inoapps, an F1 in Schools Development Class team from Linlithgow Academy, Scotland, also won a place at the World Finals, after taking the F1 in Schools Development Class Champions title earlier this week. 
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools said of this year’s UK National Finals, “I’m blown away by the standard we’ve seen this year. The students have put in an amazing amount of work, displaying an exceptional level of Engineering, design, and business skills and being excellent ambassadors for their schools and for STEM learning. I’m delighted to see Unity finally take the crown, they’ve shown such perseverance and have never given up on their dream of representing the UK at the World Finals.”
 
“The skills developed by the students is almost unnoticed as their passion and motivation to design the best car possible takes over. It is only at the conclusion of this event when they reflect on their work that they realise how far they have come and their skills have developed whether that is confidence, CAD/CAM expertise, leadership, time management, or Engineering. I’m very proud of every student, team and teacher involved in the programme, they demonstrate just how STEM in action can be invaluable in education.”
 
The F1 in Schools UK National Finals, held at the home of British motorsport, Silverstone circuit, brought together the top 42 teams from around the UK, who had won through from ten Regional Final events held earlier this year. The teams had taken up the challenge to design, build, test and race a miniature F1 car, with the last two days being spent having their entries judged in a number of categories including scrutineering, Engineering, verbal presentation, pit display and enterprise portfolio as well as the car’s speed being tested on the Official F1 in Schools track, a 20 metres long drag strip, which the F1 in Schools F1 cars cover in just over a second. 
 
The F1 in Schools National Finals 2018 took place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters. Amongst these are the IET, Autodesk, Denford Ltd, Airbus, City, University of London and UCL Engineering.