Students from a school in Odiham have emerged victorious at a regional Formula 1 engineering competition.

Robert May’s School in Odiham took the top spot at the Lenovo F1 in Schools West Midlands Regional Final, securing a place in the Professional Class of the 2023 National Finals of the global STEM challenge.

The team, known as Eternal, overcame tough competition from Blitz Tachyon of Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith, and Conqueror Racing from Battle Abbey School to clinch the top spot.

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Speaking after their win, 15-year-old Ben, who was the manager of Eternal Team, said: “It’s a good feeling to have won the regional. For the nationals we need to focus on our front and back wings attachment and make sure they fit in the rules.

“We also need to review our portfolios. We want to go all the way to the world finals so there’s more work to do. The competition has really helped us with our career choices too.”

Flow from Simon Langton Boys School in Canterbury claimed the top spot in the development class, followed by H-Rock from Uxbridge College in second and Phantom Racing from Wilmington Grammar School for Boys in third, earning all three teams a chance to compete in the development class at the 2023 Lenovo F1 in Schools National Finals.

In the entry class for younger students, Advancium from Simon Langton Boys School in Canterbury emerged as the winner, also picking up best engineered car and fastest car class awards.

The competition took place at RAF Benson in Wallingford, with over 15 teams presenting their engineering designs and marketing plans to an expert judging panel.

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The event featured three classes of competition, with the entry class offering a low-cost, time-efficient competition, the development class taking students to the next level, and the professional class designed for more experienced students.

The next stage of the race will be the Lenovo F1 in Schools National Finals later this year, where the winning teams will battle it out for the chance to represent the UK at the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals, held annually alongside an international Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Tom Milner, UK National Project Manager for F1 in Schools said: “This regional final has shown that the appetite for STEM learning is thriving and with the appeal of Formula 1, we’re getting students engaged with STEM at an early age.

“It’s great to see the students put so much work and energy into their car design and team presentations, I’ve seen so many new ideas and so much passion from these students and I know they’ve all benefited from taking part.

"I’m sure F1 in Schools is unearthing future generations of race car designers and STEM specialists, with our competition bringing classroom learning to life, giving students new practical and life skills along the way. We look forward to seeing our winners at the National Finals.”

The event was made possible by partners and supporters including Lenovo, Denford, Autodesk, PMIEF, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.