F1 in Schools

F1 in Schools
F1 in Schools Logo
Date Founded:	1999
Founder:	Denford
Age Range:	11-15

F1 in Schools is an international competition for school children (aged 11–18), in which groups of 3 - 6 students have to design and manufacture a miniature "car" out of balsa wood using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO₂ cartridges and are attached to a track by a nylon wire. They are timed from the moment they are launched to when they pass the finish line by a computer. ^[1] The cars have to follow specific guidelines (e.g. the wheels of the car must be in contact the track at all times). The cars are raced on an 80-foot (24 m) long track with two lanes, to allow two cars to be raced simultaneously.^[2] Software called F1 Virtual Wind Tunnel was designed specifically for the challenge. F1 Virtual Wind Tunnel or F1 VWT uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate air resistance on the "cars" made in the CAD.^[3] The competition is currently operational in over 40 different countries.^[4] The competition was first introduced in the UK in 1999.^[5] The competition's aim was, and still is, to introduce younger people to engineering in a more fun environment.^[6] The competition is held annually, with Regional and National Finals. The overall winners of the National Finals are invited to compete at the World Finals, which are held at a different location each year, usually held in conjunction with a Formula One Grand Prix. In the UK competition; there are 3 classes of entry. Formula One Class aimed at 11-19 year olds, Bloodhound SSC Class aimed at 11-14 year olds and The Jaguar Primary School Challenge aimed at 5-11 year olds.

The current F1 in Schools World Champions (as of November 2013) are A1 Racing from Australia. Team Fuga, 2007 World Champions hold the world record time of 1.020 seconds.^[7] However, as the World Record can only be set at the World Finals, held annually, this record does not take into account individual country records.

Aspects of the competition

Specification judging

Specification judging is a detailed inspection process where the race car is assessed for compliance with the F1 in Schools Technical Regulations. Scrutineering is conducted within the confines of parc fermé where judges use a series of specially manufactured gauges and accurate measuring tools to check the car's compliance.

All of the rules and regulations season can be found at F1 in Schools website.^[8]

Engineering judging

The scheduled engineering judging interview session focuses on the application of CAD CAM, analysis, CAD data organisation, orthographic drawing, 3D render and use of CNC machining. This is an informal interview where judges ask the team to demonstrate their CAD / CAM work and query teams on what they have done.

Portfolio & pit display judging

Each team of students is required to produce a 20 page design portfolio as well as a pit display. The design portfolio is A3 size and should contain information about the team, their car design and manufacturing process, marketing techniques, project management, team work and team identity. Teams are given an area to set up a pit display which is judged alongside their design portfolio by a panel of judges.

Verbal presentation judging

In advance of the competition, teams prepare a timed verbal presentation to present to a panel of judges, outlining their project. Teams usually use a PowerPoint presentation as a visual aid when presenting to the judges. The length of the verbal presentation varies depending on the level of the competition. At World Finals Level teams are required to prepare a 10 minute presentation.

Racing

Teams race their cars against each other on the official 20 metre F1 in Schools competition track. Points are awarded for reaction time racing as well as manual launch racing.

Scoring

Australia's CARTER Ratio

The CARTER Ratio (CAR Time Efficiency Ratio) is an annually variable constant in the F1 in Schools time trial scoring formula in Australia. The formula is as follows:

Team Score = (55pts/(CARTER–Fastest Time))x(CARTER–Team's Time)

This formula is used to calculate the points awarded in the time trial races of any state or national final of the Australian F1 In Schools Technology Challenge. The current year's CARTER Ratio is calculated based on the results from the previous years' events.^[9]

The formula results are used to calculate the team with the fastest time trial time and they are awarded the maximum mark of 55 points. The slowest time is awarded 0 points using this formula. The CARTER Ratio influences the 'spread' of marks between fastest and slowest. It ensures that a team achieving a very competitive race time, say only a few thousands of a second behind the fastest, scores points that reflect their car's performance. Teams are rewarded for the speed of their car compared to the fastest time set as opposed to scoring points based on their rank.

Example The following table is an example of how points would distributed against a sample set of time trial results:^[10]

CARTER Ratio = 1.454 seconds

Race Time	Team Score
1.380	20
1.254	32
1.162	46
1.228	36
1.153	47
1.142	49
1.105	55
1.124	52
1.111	54
1.137	50
1.113	54

In practice this formula is used in conjunction with an additional logic expression that resolves the minimum possible score awarded as 20 points.

Name The term "CARTER Ratio" should be written CARTE Ratio but is so called similar to "ATM machine" or "PIN number".

Carter is also the surname the CFO of Re-Engineering Australia Forum (REA), a not-for-profit company. REA runs the F1inSchools Technology Challenge in Australia and New Zealand, and plays a strategic role in the coordination of the F1 in Schools program globally.

Countries currently involved

F1 in Schools is an internationally recognised competition.

Australia	Austria	Bahrain	Brunei	Canada
China	Cyprus	Czech Republic	England	France
Germany	Greece	Hong Kong	India	Ireland
Jordan	Korea	Kuwait	Malaysia	Nigeria
Northern Ireland	Oman	Portugal	Qatar	Saudi Arabia
Scotland	Singapore	South Africa	Spain	Thailand
United States of America	United Arab Emirates	Wales

F1 in Schools in the media

F1 in Schools has featured in UK print media and on television.^[11]

2001

F1 in Schools was reported by The Mirror (22 February) and appeared on Blue Peter in June.

2002

F1 in Schools was reported by The Sun (27 November), RPM Motorsports (November) and appeared on Techno Games on BBC1 in March.

2003

F1 in Schools appeared on HTV News (11 December), BBC News Wales (11 December) and BBC 1 Newsround (10 January).

2004

F1 in Schools appeared on the BBC Politics Show (10 October), BBC Central News (3 October) and BBC Northern Ireland TV (7 January). An article on F1 in Schools was in the Education Guardian (6 January).

2005

F1 in Schools appeared in Newsround (13 January). The programme featured Mathew Hughes, from Welsh team "Atomic Jo's", explaining the F1 in Schools scheme.^[12] The interview was recorded at the UK National final in London 2005.

2012

F1 in Schools feature on Sky Sports F1.^[13]

Partners

The challenge has many supporters and sponsors.

Bloodhound SSC	City University London
CREST Awards	Denford Ltd.
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills	Edge Foundation
FIA Women in Motorsport Commission	Formula Student
Jaguar	The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Tomorrow's Engineers	Silverstone Circuit

Winners

The winners and runners-up from each region are invited to compete at the National Final. The National Champions are invited to compete and represent their country at the World Finals and the 2nd and 3rd placed teams are invited to create an international collaboration team and compete at the World Finals. The World Final podium places are outlined below, however, the full results of each season can be found on the Schools website.^[14]

2001–2002

National finals - London, England^[15]

(UK National finals only)

• 1st Place - Archbishop Temple School, England (14-16 Team).
• 2nd Place - George Abbot School, England (16-18 Team).
• 3rd Place - South Holderness School, England (14-16 Team).

2002–2003

National finals - London, England^[16]

(UK National finals only)

• 1st Place - Ramsey Abbey High School (16-18 Team).
• 2nd Place - St Joseph's College (16-18 Team).
• 3rd Place - Archbishop Temple School (14-16 Team).

2003–2004

International finals - Coventry, England^[17]

(This was the first F1 in Schools competition to have an international final.)^[18]

• 1st Place - Team Turbo, Bloomsburg Highschool, USA.
• 2nd Place - Team Flash, St Alban's College, South Africa.
• 3rd Place - Team Thunder Down Under, Collaboration between Cheltenham Girls High and Noosa District State High School, Australia.

2005 - 2006

International finals - Birmingham, England^[19]

(The season started 2004, the regional and national finals were held in 2005 and the international finals were held in 2006.)^[19]

• 1st Place - Team Stingers, Trinity Grammar School, Australia.
• 2nd Place - Team Flash, St Alban's College, South Africa.
• 3rd Place - Team Turbo, Bloomsburg Highschool, USA.

2006 - 2007

International finals - Melbourne, Australia.^[20]

• 1st Place - Team FUGA, Coleraine Academical Institution, Northern Ireland - (Alistair Adams, David Anderson, Aimal Khan, Jonathan Steen, Philip Taylor)
• 2nd Place - Team Lighting, Blairgowrie High School, Scotland.
• 3rd Place - Team Mercurial Ace, SMK Convent Bukit Nanas, Malaysia.

2007 - 2008

World Finals - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia^[21]

• 1st Place - Pulse - Devonport High School for Boys, Plymouth
• 2nd Place - Goshawk - Trinity Christian School, ACT, Australia
• 3rd Place - Impulse F1 - Barker College, NSW Australia

2008 - 2009

World Finals - London, England^[22]

• 1st Place - The Koni Kats - St. David’s Secondary School, Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland (Sean Clery, Conor Daly, Adam Gammell, Eoin O'Connell)
• 2nd place - Redline Racing - Trinity Christian School, ACT, Australia (Daniel Boucher, Annie Harper, Chris Law, James Mazengarb, Alistair Smith)
• 3rd place - AC Racing - (Collaboration Team), Australia and Canada

2009 - 2010

World Finals - Singapore

1st Place - Unitus Racing - USA - Southeast High School (Florida) and James Madison Middle School (Amanda Clark, Mark Nanney, Tony Griffin II, Brandon Miranda, Yatrik Solanki, Niemann Pest)

2nd Place - Zer0.9 - Australia/UAE - The Indian High School, Dubai and Pine Rivers State High School (Vivian Anthony Britto, Sidhant Shetty, Prateek Mahindra, Josh McClennan, Alysha Limmer, Gregory Mills)

3rd Place - Aixtreme Racing - Germany Einhard-Gymnasium Aachen (North Rhine-Westphalia) (Niklas Bünning, Clemens Cremer, Niklas Hönmann, Leonard Tusch)

2010 - 2011

World Finals- 19 September 2011 - 21 September 2011, Double Tree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1st Place - PentaGliders - Australia - Brooks High School (Launceston, Tasmania) (Jack Ball, Nathan Clark, Tristan McCarthy, Amy Winter)

2nd Place - BETAGREEN - Germany - Gymnasium Grootmoor (Hamburg) (Team: Niklas Hagenow, Fabian Bode, Arved Bruns, Johannes Rohwer)

3rd Place - Unitus Racing - USA - Southeast High School (Florida) and James Madison Middle School (Amanda Clark, Mark Nanney, Tony Griffin, Niemann Pest)

2011 - 2012

World Finals - Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

1st Place - Cold Fusion - Australia - (Jane Burton, Thomas Agars, Jake Grant, Michelle Lennon, Henry Lynch, Spencer Olds)

2nd Place - Team Ignite - UK - (Rebecca Simpson, Jon Perrett, James Linwood)

3rd Place - Rush - England- (Joe Edwards, Katy Edwards, Rachel Pluthero, James Blackmore, Charlie Flynn, Steph Carter)

2012 - 2013

World Finals - 9 November 2013 - 13 November 2013, Circuit of the Americas, Texas, USA

1st Place - A1 Racing - Australia - (Beau Gieskens, Luke Meredith, Jacqui Cunninghame, Dylan Sexton, Sam Young, Ben Marshall)

2nd place - Allegiance Racing - USA - (Aly Cote, Merritt Kendzior, Joey Komor, Sean Martin, Sheel Patel)

3rd place - Unlimited Acceleration - Germany - (Steffi Weng, Patrick Metz, Thilo Hahn, Niklas Metz)

2013 - 2014

World Finals - November 2014, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

1st Place - Colossus F1 - England - Robert May's School, England

2nd place - Gamma Raycing - Australia - Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan, Australia

3rd place - Boreas Racing - Germany - Gymnasium An der Stenner, Iserlohn, Germany

References

External links

• UK F1 in Schools Website
• Australian F1 In Schools Website
• German F1 in Schools Website
• French F1 in Schools Website
• Czech F1 in Schools Website
• Irish F1 in Schools Website
• United Arab Emirates F1 in Schools Website
• United States of Americas F1 in Schools Website
• South African F1 in Schools Website
• Singapore F1 in Schools Website
• ITV Article
• Newsround article
• BBC Article
• List of awards, challenges, event and courses related to D&T
• SST's article on F1 in Schools
• Australian news article (on the Today Program) on F1 in Schools
• Short article reporting on the F1 in Schools challenge
• Short article from Newsround summarising "Atomic Jo's" F1 experience
• A video on how F1 in Schools is being used to promote engineering in Australia
• F1 in Schools - Cairo American College

Awards
Preceded by 2008 Singapore Grand Prix	Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award 2009	Succeeded by McLaren (F-duct)