Science, Skill and the Thrill of the Race Come Together as UAE Teams Prepare for F1 in Schools World Finals
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 23, October, 2012: Teams “Blackbird X”, “Safire Racing” and “Synergy” are putting the final touches to their F1 scale model cars, rehearsing their presentations and finishing their portfolios ahead of the eighth F1 in Schools World Finals, which takes place in Abu Dhabi this month.
Two of the teams “Blackbird X” from The Indian High School, Dubai, and “Safire Racing” from the German International School in Dubai will represent the UAE, while team “Synergy” is a collaboration between the Dubai College and a German team.
The competition, which will be jointly hosted by Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Marina Circuit, will see 33 teams of F1 in Schools World finalists from 22 countries congregate in the UAE capital from 29th to 31st October.
The annual event, being held ahead of the 2012 Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, will be a life-changing experience for all the students, many of whom will be making their first-ever overseas trip to participate in the competition. Countries competing at the World Finals for the first time include Greece, Austria, Mexico and Jordan.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, said: “We’re a few days away from staging our eighth F1 in Schools World Finals and I’m sure all the teams are getting very excited about their trip to Abu Dhabi. The goal for every team competing will be to lift the Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy above their heads and I know it will be the toughest race to the chequered flag for all these students. Their journey, whether they win or lose, will be an enriching experience, learning from the peers they will meet from different cultures, religions, and lifestyles, as well as the life-skills they will acquire from working closely in a team and pushing themselves to the limit in their efforts to win.”
“F1 in Schools at its heart is designed to engage students in the key learning areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) which are valuable assets for future careers in many sectors of industry,” he added.
The spectacular space-frame structure of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will form the setting for three days of intense competitive racing, with the F1 in Schools World Finals forming a part of the Park’s speed-driven 10-day entertainment extravaganza Speed Week, taking place from October 26th to November 4th.
“Hosting the students while they race their mini F1 models and present their projects will add a great buzz to the Park atmosphere during Speed Week with visitors able to view and cheer on all the on-track action. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s great race-inspired setting and exciting speed-inspired activities will enhance the spirit of the F1 in Schools World Finals and offer the students an amazing competitive atmosphere,” said Andy Keeling, Park Manager, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will also sponsor the energetic and much-anticipated “Knock Out Competition” round of the F1 in Schools World Finals, in addition to hosting the final awards ceremony on October 31st which will see the winning team walk away with the Bernie Ecclestone F1 in Schools World Champions trophy and City University London scholarships.
Following the three days of the competition, Yas Marina Circuit will host teams for a bus tour on the circuit and a Formula One pit lane walk. The students will be visiting the circuit at a very exciting time as it prepares to host the 2012 Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will run 2nd to 4th November, 2012.
As the official administrative body of F1 in Schools in the UAE, Yas Marina Circuit has managed the participation of more than 1300 UAE students since launching the programme in 2010. Abdulla Yousef Al Shammari, manager of the F1 in Schools programme at Yas Marina Circuit, said that the quality of the UAE teams competing in the World Finals is testament to the programme’s success in the UAE: “Yas Marina Circuit is proud to assist in the development of the UAE’s next generation of home-grown designers, engineers and motorsport managers. Judging from the quality of this year’s UAE contestants, Blackbird X, Safire Racing and Synergy, it’s clear that UAE students and schools have enthusiastically embraced F1 in Schools.”
“We will be following the progress of the three UAE teams, Blackbird X, Safire Racing and Synergy closely during the World Finals and wish them the very best in the competition,” added Al Shammari.
F1 in Schools is one of the largest and most successful educational initiatives in the world, with 40 countries operating the programme, from Kenya to Kuwait, Kazakhstan to Vietnam and many more. The power of Formula 1 and the challenge of designing, building, testing, and racing a miniature F1 car of the future has reached more than 20 million students, with more than one million involved each year from more than 20,000 schools.
The F1 in Schools World Finals take place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters including Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways, Pirelli, Hexagon Metrology, The IET, and City University London.
For information on participating teams, please see below:
F1 in Schools World Finals Fact Sheet
The F1 in Schools World Finals teams, with three to six members in each, have won through from their National Final and in many countries, they will have had to win a Regional Final along the way, to represent their county at this international event. Six of the teams will be collaborations, with two teams from different countries combining their skills and presenting themselves as one team to compete with other collaborations and national champions, an opportunity offered to each National Finals’ runners-up team. The collaboration teams communicate by virtual technologies such as CISCO WebEx before finally meeting each other for the first time when they arrive in Abu Dhabi.
2012 F1 IN SCHOOLS WORLD FINAL ENTRANTS
Australia Cold Fusion Brighton, Adelaide
Australia Team Spectra Kew & Kyabram
Austria The Red Cheetah Judenburg
Bahrain Team 7th Gear Isa Town
Canada Bob-CAD Blazing Arrow Toronto
Czech Republic Blood Elites Kolin
England Rush Odiham
Germany AERO GP Hamburg
Greece Ground Force Project Athens
Ireland Team Quasar Tipperary
Jordan Sabeg La7eg Amman
Kenya PTK02 – Duma Racing Molo
Malaysia Panthera F1 Penang
Malaysia Aeromach F1 Selangor
Mexico Chilango Racing Team Mexico City
Portugal Legacy Braga
Portugal PIXEL MONSTER F1 Braga
Scotland Aeroflux 2.0 Aberdeen
Singapore AeroPhoenix Central Singapore
South Africa Flatline Sandton
South Africa Accelero Maritzburg
UAE Blackbird X Dubai
UAE Safire Racing Dubai
UK Team Ignite Potters Bar
USA Team Shift Cobb
Wales Team Fast Lane Racing Bangor
Wales Motion Racing Haverfordwest
Collaboration Teams
Australia & Germany Rapid Motion Sydney/Reinbek
Canada & USA Velox F1 Toronto/Manatee
Canada & Korea CanroK Brandon/Seoul
England & USA* Venator F1 Devonport/Elizabethtown
Ireland & Singapore Aptus Racing Carlow/River Valley
UAE & Germany Synergy Dubai/Einhard
*USA team members will not be travelling to Abu Dhabi