A team from Germany and USA has taken out the title at this year’s F1 in Schools World Championships in Singapore, setting a new world record in the process.
The team, Union Racing International, comprised three members from Lexington High School in Massachusetts and three from Alexander-von-Humboldt Gymnasium in Greifswald.
The team won both the Fastest Car Award and the Knockout Competition. In the process, they became the first team ever to break the one second mark, recording a fastest time of 0.959 s.
A number of other factors go into the Overall Champions Award including design and presentation but, unsurprisingly, Union Racing International took out this award too.
Team manager George Britton said the most difficult part of the project was collaborating with a school on a different continent.
“It’s been difficult working together without having met, not being able to see face to face,” he said.
“The main thing we struggled with is agreeing on things, but after we figured that out it was fine.”
He described the experience as “amazing” and said it had been great to bond with the rest of the team over the past week.
Their prize includes City University London and University College London engineering scholarships and a VIP paddock tour at the 2015 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Runners up were Mustangs from Portugal while Team AIB Racing from Ireland finished third.
Australia was represented by four teams at the finals. National champions Hyperdrive Performance from Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne had the 5th fastest car in the time trial stage of the tournament but were surprisingly beaten in the knockout tournament by the 18th fastest team.
Precision Racing from Brighton Secondary School in Adelaide had the 15th fastest car and also qualified for the knockout stage, winning their first round race before being defeated in the second round.
More information about the competition and the F1 in School program can be found at www.rea.org.au/f1-in-schools/