THIRD PLACE FOR USA AT 2011 F1 IN SCHOOLS WORLD FINALS
Dated: 25/09/2011
THIRD PLACE FOR USA AT 2011 F1 IN SCHOOLS WORLD FINALS
2010 F1 in Schools™ World Champions, UNITUS
Racing, from South East High School, Bradenton, Florida and James Madison
Middle School, Roanoke, Virginia returned to defend their title at the 2011 F1
in Schools World Finals held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week. It was an
intense week of competition and the team were delighted to take third place on
the podium this time.
Amanda Clark, Mark Nanney, Niemann Pest and Tony Griffin, formed UNITUS Racing to compete in the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge in USA. Last year they won through Regional Finals in their home country, and then won the USA F1 in Schools title, to secure a place at the World Finals, where they beat the opposition to be crowned 2010 World Champions. Their national success was repeated this year, booking them a place at the World Finals for a second consecutive year.
Amanda Clark, Team Manager, Unitus Racing, reflects on the competition, “We came here as reigning World Champions and knew that it would be very difficult to keep our title and we thought it would be even tougher than last year, which it proved to be. It’s a great achievement for us to finish on the podium in the third place spot, especially as we were only 6.6 marks off Pentagliders, the new World Champions, and just 3.4 marks from the runners-up, BETAGREEN from Germany.
“There were so few marks between everyone, particularly the top five teams, so I think we did really well to get third. It’s been a different experience this year, having been before. The pressure was just as intense during the competition, but we’ve also been able to enjoy it more too. We know that it’s an experience we’ll never have again, so we’re savouring every moment and loving being in Malaysia.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, says of the team’s success, “This year’s F1 in Schools World Finals has been the most competitive in the history of the programme. The top teams were just a few marks apart, and I think UNITUS Racing should be very proud of the success they have achieved. As ambassadors for their country and of F1 in Schools, they are excellent and demonstrate just how beneficial it can be to compete in the Challenge. I’m sure they will all go on to have further success in their careers ahead.”
The Australian team, Pentagliders, were crowned 2011 F1 in Schools World Champions at yesterday’s Awards Ceremony. They fought off intense competition, beating 22 teams from Australasia, Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the Middle East to take the title, the Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy and coveted Automotive and Motorsport Engineering degree scholarships at City University London. Runner-up to the victorious Australian team were German National Champions, BETAGREEN, from Grootmoor Gymnasium, Hamburg.
The event took place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 19th – 21st September with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters including the Malaysian Ministry of Education, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, City University London, Denford Limited, Sepang International Circuit and Hilton Racing.
Each team of between three and six students brings together their work to present to a judging panel with a verbal and written presentation to support their model car, which is raced on a specially designed test track. At the World Finals each team takes along a pit display, three identical cars and portfolio, as well as having prepared a 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.
