WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
Nine local students are heading to the prestigious World
Finals of the F1 in Schools competition, after bringing
home the first-place trophy at the USA National
Championships in February. The winning P1NNACLE team
from Manatee County is comprised of students from three
area schools – including six competitive and three support
team members. Based out of Palmetto High School, the team
additionally includes members from Southeast High School and
the University of South Florida. They will compete for the World
Championship title in the Fall.
F1 in Schools is a global STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) competition open to teams of
three to six students between the ages of nine and nineteen.
It brings the excitement and appeal of Formula One™ racing
to students around the world. F1 in Schools has become one
The participating F1 in Schools teams must use CAD/CAM
software to design, manufacture, test, and race miniature
compressed air-powered cars made from F1 model blocks.
Teams also raise sponsorship money and manage budgets to
fund research, travel, and accommodations.
According to the F1 in Schools website: “The challenge inspires
students to use IT to learn about physics, aerodynamics, design,
manufacture, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing,
them in a practical, imaginative, competitive, and exciting way.”
the host sites are usually set to coincide with a Formula One
Grand Prix. Past locations have included Melbourne, Australia;
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; London, England; and Abu Dhabi, UAE.
In addition to winning the National Championships after three
days of competition at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas,
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