27 April 2022

Motorsport Network to host F1 in Schools U.K. National Finals at the Autosport International Show

F1 in Schools and Motorsport Network are delighted to announce that the F1 in Schools U.K. National Finals 2022, where student will showcase their own miniature F1 racing cars, will be hosted at the Autosport International Show. The Finals will be held from 12 to 14 January 2023 at NEC, Birmingham, with the F1 in Schools event taking centre stage at this premier motorsport show. 
 
F1 in Schools first held a U.K. National Finals at the event in 2005 and since then has returned for 3 annual events. The U.K. National Finals draws together successful teams from 10 regional finals, with the best of the young engineering, entrepreneurial and creative talents competing for the U.K. National Champions title. This brings with it a chance to compete at the F1 in Schools World Finals, traditionally held alongside one of the Formula 1 Grands Prix. 
 
A straightline racetrack of approximately 20 metres in length will dominate Hall 4 of the Birmingham venue, with the National Finals teams racing their miniature Formula 1 cars down the track in the blink of an eye. Surrounding the track will be each team’s ‘pit displays,’ where attendees can get an up-close view of the work that the teams put into the design and manufacture of their scale-model race cars. 
 
Visitors to the Autosport International Show will be able to watch the racing, tour the pits and find out more about the competition from the students. F1 in Schools will also be showcasing its Primary School challenge, with younger visitors having the opportunity to make their own Formula 1 car and then racing them on the specially designed track, a highly interactive STEM learning tool. 
 
The last edition of the Autosport International Show in January 2020 featured more than 600 motorsport and automotive brands and was attended by over 90,000 visitors, underlining its position as Europe’s largest motorsport show. 
 
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, says of holding the U.K. National Finals at the Autosport International Show: “We’ve had some great events at the Show and we’re excited to be returning there next year. We love having the opportunity to showcase F1 in Schools to the industry and the Show’s tens of thousands of visitors, and the students competing also have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the Show, with its multitude of activities and displays.”
 
“We feel very privileged to be a major feature of the Show and it will be a great opportunity to promote our UK STEM talent, as well as be a centrepiece for our STEM education programmes. “
 
Ben Whibley, Director of Events, Autosport Media UK, added, “We've enjoyed seeing F1 in Schools develop over the last two decades and are excited to see them return to the Autosport International Show in 2023. In many ways, it is as iconic as the sport’s original Diversity & Inclusion programme; it has opened up the world of engineering and STEM for so many young people and especially girls, from around the globe.” 
 
“Visitors to the 2023 Autosport International Show will witness first-hand the student's creative and entrepreneurial designs during the trade and public days. We look forward to hosting the U.K. National finals in January 2023 before they embark on the World Finals.”

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