ENGLAND WINS 2014 F1 IN SCHOOLS WORLD FINALS 2014 F1, Formule 1, grand prix, okruhy, závody, motor, monopost, AMG | Constructors F1 Constructors F1

Wednesday, 19th November 2014 

ENGLAND WINS 2014 F1 IN SCHOOLS WORLD FINALS 2014

The announcement of Colossus F1 as F1 in Schools World Finals 2014 World Champions was greeted with loud cheers and rapturous applause from the star-studded audience at the Awards Celebration dinner sponsored by Abu Dhabi  Cultural and Tourism Authority and the Insitution of Engineering Technology held tonight at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi . The team of five students from Robert May’s School in Odiham, Hampshire represented England at the event and raised the St. George’s flag high as they punched the air with delight in taking the title.

The F1 in Schools World Finals 2014 saw 38 teams of between three and six students from 24 countries competing for the World Champions title. Playing for high stakes with the Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy, City University London scholarships and a VIP paddock tour at the 2014 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX courtesy of Yas Marina Circuit for the World Champions, the students waited with bated breath to find out the team that had taken the crown.

Colossus F1 were the outstanding team at this year’s World Finals, setting a new F1 in Schools World Record with a time of 1.003 seconds and winning two other awards as well as the title. The Innovative Thinking Award was presented to the team for their Air Cushion Device, an innovation that caused acceleration and controversy in equal measure. With the aid of this device  and their unique water tunnel testing programme, the team smashed the  World Record of eight years’ standing, however it was declared by the judges not to be admissible for the World Finals event judging, so the team kept the record but didn’t have the fastest car in the competition.  The team’s mastery of Autodesk 3D software proved a winner too, with the team also collecting the Pressulre Challenge Award, deisgning and 3D rendering a helmet for Formula 1, all within two hours.

Vicky Waterfield, Team Manager, Colossus F1, beamed with pride as she said of Colossus F1 taking the World Champions title, “I’m speechless, I think I need to pinch  myself as I just can’t believe this has happened. We really didn’t think we’d win as there have been so many great teams competing. We have had an amazing experience and to win this has topped it. We’ve worked so hard, putting in eight hours at school and then another 8 hours afterwards, but it really paid off

The Awards Celebration Dinner hosted by Sky F1 Presenter, David Croft, featured 22 awards, with  each award being presented by local, F1 and engineering instituition personalities. Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, is the man behind the considerable success of the initiative and at this tenth World Finals said, “It has been another amazing World Finals event. We’ve had the most competitive event ever, with just a few points separating the top teams. There has also been plenty of high drama with tears of joy, frustration and disappointment along the way as the students prove just how passionate they are about F1 in Schools.

“Celebrating our tenth World Finals was a fitting occasion to see the F1 in Schools World Record broken, adds Andrew. “and Colossus F1 showed innovation in this as well as their unique R & D programme. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see these faces in the pitlane in the not too distant future.”

The F1 in Schools World Finals 2014 take place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters including Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Autodesk, City University London, Etihad Airways, Tourism and Cultural Authority Abu Dhabi, Yas Island.AE and Radisson Blu Hotel. 

About F1 in Schools

F1 in Schools challenges students to create their own Formula One team which is commissioned to design, construct and race the fastest miniature Formula One Car of the Future; a 21cm long scale model built from a block of balsa wood and powered by a compressed air cylinder. Each team of between three and six students creates a ‘pit’ display and showcases their work in developing their race car. At the World Finals each team will bring along a pit display, their cars and portfolio, as well as having prepared a verbal presentation for the judges. The cars race on a 20 metre track, with the cars covering the distance in just over one second, a speed barrier which is yet to be broken by any student team since it was set by Team FUGA from Northern Ireland at the 2007 World Finals with a time of 1.020 seconds.

F1 in Schools aims to help change perceptions of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by creating a fun and exciting learning environment for young people to develop an informed view about careers in engineering, Formula One, Science, marketing and technology. 

Picture shows: left to right: 2rd place winners, Gamma Raycing from Australia, 2014 F1 in Schools World Champions, Colossus F1 from England, 3rd place winners Boreas from Germany.