AMRC Training Centre hosts ‘F1 in Schools regional final 2016

On 3 February, the AMRC Training Centre played host to the ‘F1 in Schools Yorkshire and Humberside regional final.

F1 in Schools is a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students are given the opportunity to develop key skills such as communication, team work and use of CAD and CFD software.

The student teams, which had come to the Training Centre from local schools and colleges, follow the same processes real Formula 1 (F1) teams to design their own car to race, from the initial business plan through to manufacturing the car themselves.

The teams had to work to get ‘sponsorship and create their F1 cars using AutoCAD and Denford machines. The cars were then raced on a 20m track to see who designed and manufactured the fastest car.

They were put through their paces by experienced judges, who looked at their designs, engineering skills, displays and verbal presentations and the different teams were scored on their race times, design innovations and enterprise.

The day was a fantastic opportunity to see the students supported by their educational staff and that the required skills exhibited are promoted within their schools learning programmes.

Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, Andrew Denford, presented the first prize to team “STORMFORCE” from Prince Henrys Grammar School. Other prizes were given by Wendy Miller the AMRC Training Centres Educational Outreach Coordinator for the fastest time, design, branding and best rookie team.

Wendy said: “I am very impressed, by not only by the competitors designs, but also for their behaviour and attitude to work whilst in at the Training Centre during the competition.”

“I would like to congratulate all the schools for taking part including Bradfield, UTC Sheffield, Yorkshire Coast College, Lincoln UTC and Beckfoot Upper Heaton.”

Apprentices at the AMRC were very impressed with the competition and lent a hand by showing the competitors around the Training Centre and speaking to them about what life was like to earn and learn as an engineering apprentice.

After the event, the three main winners and the rookie team will be going through to the next race day at Silverstone Circuit competing for the chance to get through to the F1 in Schools world finals, which this year will be held in the United States in Texas.