What is F1 in Schools?
F1 in Schools, the Formula One Technology Challenge, is a competition, open to all U.S.A.-based students aged 11-18, to design and manufacture CO2-powered model racing cars. Teams consist of three to six students and compete against each other at state, national, and international levels to determine the best-engineered and fastest car in the U.S.A.
Sounds simple? Not when you consider that these 11- to 18-year-old kids use state-of-the-art software programs that enable them to play around with CAD (computer-aided design) and CFD (computational fluid dynamics), just like real F1 designers. Or that they have to manage the whole project from scratch, from drawing up a business plan and raising the sponsorship, to financing it through the design and manufacturing stages, to a presentation in front of a panel of preeminent judges.
Mission
The F1 in Schools initiative was set up in 2000 as a way of raising the profile of engineering as a career option and assisting the teaching of the subject in schools and colleges.
Since that time, some two million children have taken part, and it has expanded into an international competition.
Who's backing it?
F1 in Schools’ indefatigable founder and chairman Andrew Denford landed a major coup by securing the official endorsement of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Apart from the kudos that automatically flows from Bernie’s name being linked to the project, it means Denford is able to use official F1 branding for promotional and advertising purposes.
Ecclestone’s company, Formula One Management, has granted F1 in Schools the rights to use a new specially designed livery and trademark-protected logo.
“We are delighted to be supporting F1 in Schools,” said Ecclestone. “It is extremely important to the future of our sport to encourage young people to enter the world of high-performance engineering. F1 in Schools is a truly global challenge, which meets all the objectives of our business.”
Luminaries from the political and business world have also expressed support for the program, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Digby Jones, Director General of the CBI.
ITV-F1’s lead commentator James Allen has been involved from the beginning and serves as a patron of F1 in Schools.
“I spend my whole life working in F1 where the best of the best operate,” says James. “I never thought it was possible for children to attain such high standards. This is exceptional.”
F1’s technical experts on board
While Bernie’s backing is priceless from a commercial and PR standpoint, the fact that three of F1’s leading technical directors – Ferrari’s former technical director, Ross Brawn; Sam Michael of Williams and Spyker; F1's Mike Gascoyne; Pat Symonds; Renault F1; and Adrian Newey of Red Bull Technology – have lent their support brings huge additional credibility.
Michael attended the F1 in Schools presentation at Cass Business School on Tuesday, 22 November 2006 and was impressed with what he found.
He said, “The level that they’ve gone to, looking at things like manufacturing techniques, CADs, CFD, studying levels of friction – it’s fantastic that kids of 12 years old are looking at that sort of thing. It puts the awareness of Formula 1 into schools at an early stage.”
A life-changing experience
F1 in Schools ‘graduate’ Adam Charnley testifies to the value of getting involved: “You gain a lot of skills from it, not just in designing the cars but also communication and sponsorship skills.
“You also learn how to build a car that is not only fast and efficient but also reliable and cheap to manufacture. I had started an architecture course at university and I’ve now changed courses to an engineering degree, which is what I really wanted to do in the first place, so it’s changed my life.”
Sounds simple? Not when you consider that these 11- to 18-year-old kids use state-of-the-art software programs that enable them to play around with CAD (computer-aided design) and CFD (computational fluid dynamics), just like real F1 designers. Or that they have to manage the whole project from scratch, from drawing up a business plan and raising the sponsorship, to financing it through the design and manufacturing stages, to a presentation in front of a panel of preeminent judges.
Mission
The F1 in Schools initiative was set up in 2000 as a way of raising the profile of engineering as a career option and assisting the teaching of the subject in schools and colleges.
Since that time, some two million children have taken part, and it has expanded into an international competition.
Who's backing it?
F1 in Schools’ indefatigable founder and chairman Andrew Denford landed a major coup by securing the official endorsement of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Apart from the kudos that automatically flows from Bernie’s name being linked to the project, it means Denford is able to use official F1 branding for promotional and advertising purposes.
Ecclestone’s company, Formula One Management, has granted F1 in Schools the rights to use a new specially designed livery and trademark-protected logo.
“We are delighted to be supporting F1 in Schools,” said Ecclestone. “It is extremely important to the future of our sport to encourage young people to enter the world of high-performance engineering. F1 in Schools is a truly global challenge, which meets all the objectives of our business.”
Luminaries from the political and business world have also expressed support for the program, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Digby Jones, Director General of the CBI.
ITV-F1’s lead commentator James Allen has been involved from the beginning and serves as a patron of F1 in Schools.
“I spend my whole life working in F1 where the best of the best operate,” says James. “I never thought it was possible for children to attain such high standards. This is exceptional.”
F1’s technical experts on board
While Bernie’s backing is priceless from a commercial and PR standpoint, the fact that three of F1’s leading technical directors – Ferrari’s former technical director, Ross Brawn; Sam Michael of Williams and Spyker; F1's Mike Gascoyne; Pat Symonds; Renault F1; and Adrian Newey of Red Bull Technology – have lent their support brings huge additional credibility.
Michael attended the F1 in Schools presentation at Cass Business School on Tuesday, 22 November 2006 and was impressed with what he found.
He said, “The level that they’ve gone to, looking at things like manufacturing techniques, CADs, CFD, studying levels of friction – it’s fantastic that kids of 12 years old are looking at that sort of thing. It puts the awareness of Formula 1 into schools at an early stage.”
A life-changing experience
F1 in Schools ‘graduate’ Adam Charnley testifies to the value of getting involved: “You gain a lot of skills from it, not just in designing the cars but also communication and sponsorship skills.
“You also learn how to build a car that is not only fast and efficient but also reliable and cheap to manufacture. I had started an architecture course at university and I’ve now changed courses to an engineering degree, which is what I really wanted to do in the first place, so it’s changed my life.”
