Are you ready to design, build and race? F1 in Schools is a competition, open to all secondary schools, to design and manufacture compressed air-powered racing cars. Student teams compete against each other in Regional and National Finals of an annual Championship to determine the best-engineered and fastest car in Ireland. Competitors will have an exciting educational experience, expressing their creativity, skills and teamworking ability in a fun and positive way.

2. 32 countries…
6 million students…
1 experience of
a lifetime!

3.  Have you got the makings of an F1 team?
 Can your team develop a plan that demonstrates why they should qualify for
the manufacturing and Regional Final stage?
 Can they finish and test a model to the limit to create the fastest compressed
air-powered car possible?
 Can they work together to develop a brand identity for their car and promote
their project with a portfolio that demonstrates why their car is so special?
 Can your team take that car to the F1 in Schools Regional, National or even
International Finals and bring home one of the fantastic prizes that are on
offer?

4.  International competition for secondary school students
 Design, manufacture and race a model Formula 1 car powered by
compressed air canisters and made of balsa wood.
 Student teams compete in a Qualifying Stage, Regional, National and
International competitions
 Exciting educational experience – opportunity to express your creativity,
skills and team-working ability in a fun and positive way.

5. The following is a brief overview of
the F1 in Schools Challenge.
It is important to visit
www.F1inSchools.ie and become
familiar with the rules and regulations
of this competition

6.  You are the Formula One Team
commissioned to design, construct and
race the fastest Formula One Car of the Future, driven
by compressed air powerplants.
 Use 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to
design your car.

7.  Your car design is then
manufactured by 3rd level
out of very light wood
 Race your car against
other schools/teams.

8. 01 / PLAN Develop a plan with initial ideas that explains why your team should be selected to have
your car manufactured. If your bid is accepted, proceed to stage 2.
02 / DESIGN Using 3D CAD software design a Formula One™ car of the future.
03 / ANALYSE Analyse your design and aerodynamics for drag coefficiency in a virtual reality wind tunnel
using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
04 / MAKE Submit your design to your twinned 3rd level college to have your car manufactured using
3D CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) software
05 / FINISH Kit your car out in a high quality paint finish, including your team colours, logo, sponsorship
and graphics.
06 / RACE Race at regional/national/international level testing the speed and engineering quality of your
model F1 car .

9.  There are 2 levels of entry:
◦ Junior Cycle
D-Type
 D-Type car design
◦ Senior Cycle
 Formula One™ car design

10.  Each team must have between three and six students
 Each school can enter as many teams as they wish, for the
Qualifying Stage (five page plan) but only a maximum of two
from each category (Junior or Senior Cycle) will progress
through to the Regional Final stage.
 Each team member should be assigned one or more of the
following roles:
Team Manager Manufacturing Resources
Engineer Manager
Design Engineer Graphic Marketing &
Designer Communications
Manager

11.  Racing & speed of car – 1/3 of marks!
 Verbal presentation
 Portfolio
 Display
 Website

12. Cars race on 20 meter straights.
Compressed air canister in the back of the car is
pierced by the starting system and this propels your
car down the track.
Cars race at scale speeds of 350km/hr!!!

13. The Prizes
Opportunity to represent Ireland at World Finals at a different location each year
Overall winners receive €2,000 for their school
And much more!

14.  “Possibly the coolest school project I’ve ever heard of” Aidan Power,
TTV, RTE2
 “It was great craic. Everyone should try it!” Holly Fennelly, Team
Veloce, Carlow Vocational School, Co. Carlow
 “Learning the skills, seeing the car, which we put so much work into,
glide down the track…It is an exciting and innovative competition!”
Nathan Dunne, Team Blink, St Ailbe’s School, Tipperary
 “The best bit was racing the lads…and beating them!” Team Purple
Fire, Mount St. Michael, Claremorris, Co. Mayo

15. How do I find out more?
For more information visit:
www.F1inSchools.ie
Or any questions email f1@ics.ie
The best way to explain F1 in Schools is to see it in
action so visit the Gallery section of www.F1inSchools.ie
.