F1 in Schools ‘Team Impulse’ from Dubai College, will represent the UAE in Singapore

Eleven teams, from six schools across the UAE, competed at Yas Marina Circuit to find the UAE national champion of the F1 in Schools competition. Team Impulse’ from Dubai College, came in the first place and will have the honour to represent the UAE in the 2010 World Championships in Singapore in September –  team ‘540 Yeah’ were the runners-up,  they will get the chance to form a special collaboration team with the second-placed team in the Australian national competition in order to participate in the same World Championship event.

“I am extremely impressed by the high standard of all the entries,” said Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit, “and I cannot wait to see the outcome of today’s final.

“Our thanks go to our partner, Mubadala, for supporting the F1 in Schools programme. Having the possibility of two teams competing in this year’s World Championship in Singapore will be a huge boost to building the F1 in Schools franchise here in the UAE.”

Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director of Mubadala Aerospace, added: “We are proud to partner with Yas Marina Circuit to support F1 in Schools.  This challenge offers us the opportunity to engage UAE students in an entertaining yet educational experience to inspire them to seek out a future in high-tech industries.”

Yas Marina Circuit owns the United Arab Emirates programme for F1 in Schools, the world’s leading multi-disciplinary challenge for 9-19 year-old students.

F1 in Schools challenges students to use software to design, build and race a miniature Formula 1^TM car made from balsa wood and powered by a single compressed air cylinder. Working in teams of three to six, the students must also prepare a business plan, develop a marketing strategy, and make a presentation to a panel of judges.

Teams are awarded points for each aspect of their project and the overall winners will receive the Bernie Ecclestone F1 in Schools World Championship trophy at the world finals in Singapore. All members of the winning team will also receive a four-year university scholarship.

Past Reports –

Dated: 01/06/2010

The UAE National Final of the premier technology challenge for students will be held on June 2 in collaboration with Yas Marina Circuit

Mubadala Development Company, the development and investment company that is a catalyst for the economic diversification of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, today announced it will be the presenting partner of the F1 in Schools challenge.

Mubadala will be supporting the Yas Marina Circuit in  the organization of the UAE edition of F1 in Schools.  Held in over 30 countries, the program aims to capture student’s imaginations by appealing to the excitement of Formula 1 to foster a greater appreciation for engineering, science and technology among the younger generation.  The multi-disciplinary challenge will provide students between the ages of 9-19 with the opportunity to design and race their own replica model Formula 1 cars at the UAE National Final to be held at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on June 2.

F1 in Schools, which aims to replicate the operations of a Formula 1 team, requires students to work in groups of 3-6 individuals to collectively plan, build, and eventually race their miniature CO2 powered F1 cars, which are designed from a single block of balsa wood.  But before getting to this stage, students work alongside industry experts to create a business plan, manage a budget and source sponsorships for their venture, thus experiencing the many dimensions of the business of Formula 1 while simultaneously developing lifelong skills such as teamwork and communication that will benefit them in the future.

Mubadala’s support for the F1 in Schools challenge is in line with the company’s broader mission to diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy and ensure that the nation’s citizens are well equipped to enter into, and thrive in, the new economic sectors the investment company is creating in the UAE.

Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director of Mubadala Aerospace, said: “The F1 in Schools initiative is an exciting and unique project.  As a young nation, we need to constantly develop our citizen’s capabilities, especially in highly skilled areas such as engineering and design. F1 in Schools is a fun and interactive way for young people to be introduced to other skills too, such as teamwork and analytical thinking.”

“As an organization, an important part of our mission is to diversify the economy of Abu Dhabi, and broadening the skill set of young UAE Nationals is a critical and important part of that process. The reception by schools and students to this programme has been truly inspiring.”

Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit, added: “We are delighted to welcome Mubadala on board as a partner for our F1 in Schools programme. This partnership underlines the commitment of both Mubadala and Yas Marina Circuit to develop young, dynamic students that will benefit Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

In the UAE National Final, teams will be judged on car speed, as well as their design, presentation and general business skills.  At the conclusion of the UAE National Final, the winning team will compete internationally for the Bernie Ecclestone F1 in Schools World Championship trophy, which will be held in Singapore in September.

Dated: 20/05/2010

Yas Marina Circuit has acquired the United Arab Emirates franchise for F1 in Schools, the world’s leading multi-disciplinary challenge for 9-19 year-old students. The circuit will host an invitational national final of the competition in early June, which will see a UAE school team qualify for the world finals in Singapore in September.

Yas Marina Circuit is setting up the F1 in Schools Centre to enable visitors to the circuit to experience all aspects of the F1 in Schools challenge, making it the only Grand Prix track to have such a facility. The programme can last from a single term to a whole academic year – schools can decide their own schedule internally.

HE Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “F1 in Schools is a tremendous initiative that we are very proud to support. It gives UAE school students a genuine opportunity not only to design and create a car but also to develop an understanding of teamwork, organisation, business and finance. It is an example of how Yas Marina Circuit is becoming both a global centre of motorsport excellence and an integral part of the community year-round.”

Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit and a patron of F1 in Schools in Ireland, said: “A number of schools across the UAE have participated in the F1 in Schools project over the past two years and those who feel ready will now compete here in June for a place in the world finals. We look forward to welcoming education visits as part of our circuit tours, and we will also be opening up the concept to corporate teams to enable adults to take part.”

F1 in Schools challenges students to use software to design, build and race a miniature Formula 1^TM car made from balsa wood and powered by a single compressed air cylinder. Working in teams of three to six, the students must also prepare a business plan, develop a marketing strategy and make a presentation to a panel of judges.

Andrew Denford, Chairman of F1 in Schools, said: “F1 in Schools is delighted to have formed a partnership with Yas Marina Circuit. To have a centre of excellence for schools at one of the world’s premier Grand Prix venues, and to open up the circuit to children across the Emirates, will be a huge boost to educating all ages about the excitement of the Formula 1™ business. It will also open their minds to the many career opportunities that the industry offers in engineering and other disciplines.

“We look forward to welcoming the next UAE national champions to our World Championships in Singapore in September and one day to hosting our World Championships at this tremendous location.”