2010 World Finals: F1 in Schools
Students from all around the world are putting in the final screws to their model F1 cars on the brink of the 2010 Formula 1 in Schools World Finals to be hosted in Singapore.
F1 in schools is an engineering challenge for schoolchildren from around the world and is not an ordinary event from any stretch of the imagination – It has the full support of the Formula 1 fraternity. Pooling up the most promising the stock of engineers, business minds and designers the youth has to offer. Winning the competition isn't just about the money. Participants compete for the prestigious Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy along with a chance to get a scholarship at City University, London for a chance to study Automotive and Motorsport Engineering.
Another measure of the events’ wide spread publicity and recognition would be to observe the apparent diversity of competing teams. Participants from North America, Europe, Australasia and Asia cross continental boundaries to compete against each other. The competition seeks to eliminate all academic boundaries, as there is no differentiation between students studying at independent and state owned universities – anybody between the ages 9 and 19 can participate.
Officially backed by LG, the F1 in Schools World Finals seeks out national F1 in schools champions to compete on an international level for the World Championship title. The year 2010 welcomes 18 countries out of which Saudi Arabia will make its debut.
National F1 in schools runners up are then invited to form collaboration teams, linking the runners up from different countries to compete together. This practice is nothing short of a full-fledged exchange program, with talented youth negating national boundaries and working towards a single goal together while also giving a peek of their respective countries. The 6 collaborative teams include a Singapore school joining force with a school in Portugal; Australian school teamed with a school in UAE, a school from the U.S. linked with a school in Germany, South Africa with Canada and Malaysia have coincidently merged with an English school – similar to what Lotus Racing have done in the world of Formula One.
“F1 in Schools goes from strength to strength and this year’s World Finals are expected to outperform previous years with the student teams showcasing a depth of talent and innovation which we haven’t seen before," said the founder and chairman of F1 in schools, Mr. Andrew Denford.
F1 in Schools aims to test students on research, design, test, manufacture and eventually race a mini-F1 car. The event requires hours of work leading to a successful run during the championship stage. This means there is little room for the light-hearted. Participants can only go the distance through total dedication and passion for automotive engineering.
There is however, a down side. Statistics reveal that there are very few female engineers in Formula 1 teams. According to Red Bull Racing technical chief Adrian Newey, out of the 140 engineers presently employed at RBR-Renault Formula One team, 6 engineers are female. That is a meagre 4 percent, a very small percentage. This could be down to a number of reasons. A possible explanation could be that the line of work comes with a rigorous schedule, long hours and fieldwork. While females might be excited to test their chances in the demanding field at a young age, the numbers fade away around the age 15 and subsequently, very few girls pursue engineering degrees.
However, things look bright for the international school event as it presently has a very high ratio of female competitors, round about 35%. This could be a realistic measure while forecasting global future trends.
The Red Bull Racing technical chief was realistic enough to concede how hard it is to make it as an engineer in the multi-million dollar sport.
“Don’t give up is probably the first one. It is not an easy one to get through. Be flexible. Do not set your heart on Formula 1 initially. There are other teams, even other categories, even rallying, maybe motorbikes, I don’t know,” said an animated Adrian Newey.
This also reflects the man’s recognition of the current economic depression, which sees organizations downsizing and de-layering. It is hard getting a job anywhere, let alone Formula 1. It is only sensible to keep one’s options open.
There is an added incentive for the winners of the F1 in Schools World Finals for 2010. Along with all the attractions, the winners will also get the chance of a lifetime to visit the Formula 1 paddock at the Singapore Grand Prix and meet none other than ‘THE’ Mr. Ecclestone along with many other drivers and technical managers.
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