Students from two schools in Australia, 3000 kilometres apart, proved that distance is no barrier to success in the F1 in Schools World Finals 2013.
A1 Racing, a group of high schools students from Pine Rivers State High School Brisbane and Phoenix P-12 Community College in Ballarat, have created world history by becoming the third Australian team in three years to become World Champions of the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge.
The teenagers were tasked with designing and building a miniature F1 car capable of speeds over 80 km/h. F1 in Schools challenges students to create their own Formula One team which is commissioned to design, manufacture and race the fastest miniature Formula One Car of the Future; a 21cm long scale model designed using 3D solid modelling software and machined from a block of balsa wood, incorporating 3D print technology in its front and rear wings.
They used space age engineering and aerodynamics computer software, desktop smoke and wind tunnels and multi-axis CNC manufacturing equipment more sophisticated than what many professional engineers in Australia are using.
The competition also required that they collaborate with industrial companies in the design and manufacturing processes.
After beating every team in Australia (more than 40,000 students participate in the competition locally) A1 Racing flew to Austin, Texas, to compete against the world’s top 38 teams from 22 nations.
For one team member, Dylan Sexton, celebrations had to be put on hold as he was forced to return to his hotel room to sit a Business Management exam minutes after the team received the trophy. “I’m already 12 minutes late,” said the 17 year old student, “so I’ll have to celebrate later”.
Team Australia won the previous two World Finals (students from Tasmania and South Australia) and A1 Racing completed the trifecta.
Their futuristic F1 car set the fastest time of 1.043 seconds on the custom built laser-timing race track. Their trophy for fastest car was an actual part from a Mercedes Petronas F1 race car and signed by team principal Ross Brawn.
The students received the solid glass Bernie Ecclestone World Champions Trophy as well as Motorsport and Automotive Engineering Scholarships for City University London.
They then visited F1 drivers and race engineers competing at the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas not far from the World Finals venue.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools said of this year’s World Finals, “I’m always blown away by the professionalism, innovation, engineering capabilities and overall dedication shown by the World Finals teams. This year there was an incredibly high standard of work and it made it very difficult to judge. A1 Racing shone out from their rivals and deserved all their success and the World Champions title."
Australian students have stood on the podium more times than any other country since the World Finals were launched in 2002. Another team from Pine Rivers SHS finished second in 2010.
The F1 in Schools Technology Challenge was introduced to Australia in 1999 by social enterprise Re-Engineering Australia Foundation, the brainchild of philanthropic Sydney engineer Dr Michael Myers OAM.
Dr Myers set up the Foundation in 1998 , in response to the drastic shortage of skilled young people wanting to pursue engineering-technical-manufacturing career paths.