F1 in Schools - Finding the future faces of F1

F1 in Schools, have you heard of F1's efforts to promote STEM among school students? Yes, it is like F1 Academy but for engineers, project managers, marketing and sponsorship managers and so on. It is a unique global platform for the promotion of Formula 1 and partners to a youth market.

F1 in Schools is not-for-profit and the only global multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students deploy CAD/CAM software to collaborate, design, analyse, manufacture, test, and then race miniature compressed air powered cars made from F1 model block.  

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In the first off-season episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora speaks to Andrew Denford, the Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools about the program that has been operational for over 20 years. 

F1 in Schools is present in over 60 countries and sees over 20,000 schools participating. The engineering challenge, which schools students from age 6 to 19 can participate, involves designing and building a model race car that is made from a block of wood and propelled by compressed air. 

The challenge inspires students to use IT to learn about physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership/teamwork, media skills and financial strategy, and apply them in a practical, imaginative, competitive and exciting way.  Teams must raise sponsorship and manage budgets to fund research, travel and accommodation.

This episode will shed light on how youngster can pursue a career in Formula 1...outside of the cockpit.

Tune in!

(Season 2023, Episode 64)

Follow our host on Twitter: Soumil Arora

Image courtesy: F1 in Schools

**Introduction:**

* F1 in Schools is a unique global platform that promotes Formula 1 and its partners to a youth market.
* It is a not-for-profit organization and the only global multi-disciplinary challenge where teams of students use CAD/CAM software to design, analyze, manufacture, test, and race miniature compressed-air-powered cars made from F1 model block.
* The challenge inspires students to apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts in a practical, imaginative, competitive, and exciting way.

**F1 in Schools Program:**

* Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, discusses the program's objectives and achievements over the past 23 years.
* The program has been operational for over two decades and has seen over 20,000 schools participate.
* F1 in Schools is present in over 60 countries and involves students from ages 6 to 19.
* The challenge involves designing and building a model race car from a block of wood and propelling it with compressed air.

**Key Features of F1 in Schools:**

* The program emphasizes the importance of project management, creating a business plan, securing sponsorship, and marketing.
* It provides students with hands-on experience in various disciplines, including engineering, design, manufacturing, branding, graphics, and leadership.
* Teams must raise sponsorship and manage budgets to fund research, travel, and accommodation.

**Benefits of F1 in Schools:**

* The program inspires students to pursue careers in Formula 1 and other engineering fields.
* It develops essential life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and creativity.
* F1 in Schools provides a platform for students to showcase their talents and gain recognition for their achievements.

**Global Reach and Impact:**

* F1 in Schools operates in over 60 countries and has seen over 20,000 schools participate.
* The program has reached over 28,000 schools and engaged over 500,000 students worldwide.
* The World Finals bring together the top teams from around the world to compete for the championship title.

**Alumni Success Stories:**

* Many F1 in Schools alumni have gone on to successful careers in Formula 1 and other engineering fields.
* Notable alumni include George Britton, who worked as an aero intern at Williams, and Zae Zee, who is an aero intern at Mercedes.
* Formula 1 teams recognize the value of F1 in Schools and often recruit top performers from the program.

**Challenges and Opportunities:**

* F1 in Schools faces challenges such as ensuring affordability and accessibility for all schools.
* The program is exploring regional events to provide more opportunities for students to compete.
* F1 in Schools aims to continue expanding its global reach and impact, inspiring more students to pursue careers in STEM.

**Conclusion:**

* F1 in Schools is a highly successful program that has made a significant impact on STEM education and career development worldwide.
* The program provides a unique opportunity for students to learn about engineering, design, and other essential skills while also experiencing the excitement of Formula 1.
* F1 in Schools is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of investing in the next generation of engineers and innovators. # F1 in Schools: Nurturing Future Engineers and Innovators in Formula One

**Introduction:**

In this podcast episode, host Soumil Arora engages in an insightful conversation with Andrew Denford, the Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, an innovative program dedicated to promoting STEM education among school students worldwide. F1 in Schools provides a unique platform for students to explore various disciplines related to Formula One racing, including engineering, design, marketing, and teamwork.

**F1 in Schools: A Global Platform for STEM Education:**

F1 in Schools is a not-for-profit organization that operates in over 60 countries and involves more than 20,000 schools. The program offers a multi-disciplinary challenge where students from 6 to 19 years old design and build model race cars using CAD/CAM software and compressed air power.

**Key Objectives of F1 in Schools:**

The program aims to inspire students to learn about various subjects, including physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacturing, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership, teamwork, media skills, and financial strategy. These skills are applied practically, imaginatively, competitively, and excitingly. Teams also learn to raise sponsorship and manage budgets to fund research, travel, and accommodation.

**F1 in Schools: A Pathway to Careers in Formula One:**

F1 in Schools provides a unique opportunity for students to pursue careers in Formula One beyond the cockpit. The program has established strong connections with Formula One teams, and many graduates have secured apprenticeships and jobs in the industry. F1 in Schools acts as a pipeline for talented engineers, project managers, marketing and sponsorship managers, and other professionals in the Formula One world.

**Challenges and Opportunities:**

The podcast highlights the challenges faced by F1 in Schools, particularly in expanding to new countries and regions. However, the program's success in engaging students and its positive impact on their career prospects make it an attractive initiative for schools and educational institutions worldwide.

**Conclusion:**

F1 in Schools is a commendable program that promotes STEM education and provides a pathway for students to pursue careers in Formula One. By nurturing young talent and inspiring students to explore various disciplines related to motorsports, F1 in Schools is making a significant contribution to the future of Formula One and the broader engineering and technology industries.

[00:00.000 -> 00:07.280] Before we begin, I wanted to give a huge shout out to the folks at Amazon Music for partnering
[00:07.280 -> 00:10.800] with us on this episode of the InsideLine F1 podcast.
[00:10.800 -> 00:12.500] But more on this later.
[00:12.500 -> 00:40.600] Right then, let's get right into today's episode. Welcome along folks to a very special episode of the InsideLine F1 podcast.
[00:40.600 -> 00:48.200] Now, to get into motorsport there are three main verticals that you can normally go for. You can either be a competitor, a driver, a very costly and
[00:48.200 -> 00:52.120] risky way of getting in or you could be a media person as well doing what the
[00:52.120 -> 00:55.640] kind of stuff that me and Kunal tend to do as well making a podcast, being on TV,
[00:55.640 -> 00:59.200] coordinating the broadcasts and writing for articles, journalists and all the
[00:59.200 -> 01:03.720] other stuff as well. That's two main routes. The third route is by getting
[01:03.720 -> 01:07.240] into the engineering side of the field and normally we all talk about
[01:07.440 -> 01:08.480] F1 Academy, right?
[01:08.480 -> 01:14.640] We all talk about drivers being picked off from the grassroots of the sport and us creating a ladder for them to get into Formula
[01:14.640 -> 01:21.240] 1 but we never ever talk about a ladder for engineers because every single year we've got hundreds and thousands of engineers
[01:21.580 -> 01:29.080] working in the world of Formula 1 setting up and creating these beautiful race cars that we see on track. And funnily enough, there
[01:29.080 -> 01:33.400] has been an F1 Academy of sorts running for the last 22 years. Folks, I am
[01:33.400 -> 01:36.800] talking about F1 in schools. They've been running for the last two decades
[01:36.800 -> 01:41.600] creating lots and lots of engineers who can then work on ahead in Formula One
[01:41.600 -> 01:48.940] and they really find them at the grassroots levels. We have Andrew Denford, the chairman of F1 in Schools on the podcast here today
[01:48.940 -> 01:53.640] who has been the face and the man behind it all for all these years. Andrew,
[01:53.640 -> 01:58.320] firstly a very warm welcome to the Inside Line F1 podcast. What really
[01:58.320 -> 02:03.120] drives you to do F1 in Schools because it is what it's it's thousands of lives
[02:03.120 -> 02:08.440] that you're touching every year aren't you? Yeah we definitely are I mean we've been doing it for 23 years and it
[02:08.440 -> 02:12.480] was all really about addressing in the UK back in the the day the shortage of
[02:12.480 -> 02:16.920] engineers and school students wanted to come into engineering and manufacturing
[02:16.920 -> 02:21.540] as a career. It wasn't seen as high-tech as clean and parents weren't switched on
[02:21.540 -> 02:27.780] with it and so you've got to really start by engaging the parents and getting them there accepting this as a future career
[02:27.780 -> 02:29.540] for their young children.
[02:29.540 -> 02:31.480] So what better way than using the pinnacle
[02:31.480 -> 02:33.760] of high performance engineering and motorsport,
[02:33.760 -> 02:37.140] a Formula One as the hook to get them engaged
[02:37.140 -> 02:39.340] in wanting to become an engineer.
[02:39.340 -> 02:41.480] And Andrew, I'm so curious about this.
[02:41.480 -> 02:43.760] We've all heard stories of F1 in schools.
[02:43.760 -> 02:45.200] Now for all of you folks who
[02:45.200 -> 02:50.000] aren't quite aware, it's essentially a school team program that you have at a very cross-route level
[02:50.000 -> 02:54.720] where people can compete and create small cars in itself. But the way you guys design things,
[02:54.720 -> 02:59.840] that's quite different isn't it Andrew? I mean at the moment, well it was originally back into
[02:59.840 -> 03:06.760] designing making racing and that's as simple as it it was back in 2000. Then we got into a partnership with Jaguar,
[03:06.760 -> 03:09.580] who were just into Formula One at that point in time,
[03:09.580 -> 03:11.020] that lasted four years.
[03:11.020 -> 03:13.960] But we've expanded it then from design, make, race
[03:13.960 -> 03:17.200] to project management, creating a business plan,
[03:17.200 -> 03:20.640] a sponsorship and marketing plan, doing sketching,
[03:20.640 -> 03:22.200] well, first of all, forming a team.
[03:22.200 -> 03:24.520] So you've got all team, different disciplines.
[03:24.520 -> 03:27.880] So you've got a team principal, an aerodynamicist, a
[03:27.880 -> 03:33.800] manufacturing engineer, project manager, a marketing and sponsorship person who
[03:33.800 -> 03:37.320] will take that team forward to get funding to go to regional events and
[03:37.320 -> 03:40.960] then of course they've got to come along and once they've designed the car
[03:40.960 -> 03:47.280] analyze it and we do that with ANSYS CFD software now. Then they manufacture
[03:47.280 -> 03:52.480] it and race it down the track which is done in just over a second. So there's so many
[03:52.480 -> 03:56.000] different disciplines from the original concept of F1 in schools.
[03:56.000 -> 04:00.560] I find it so amazing though, how young are the children really? I mean we're talking
[04:00.560 -> 04:02.880] about proper school kids aren't we?
[04:02.880 -> 04:05.040] Yeah, we start them as young as eight,
[04:05.040 -> 04:06.080] nine years of age.
[04:06.080 -> 04:08.320] They can build a small paper car.
[04:08.320 -> 04:11.000] You know, every F1 team has supported us
[04:11.000 -> 04:13.600] in giving their body shells, which is on our website,
[04:13.600 -> 04:16.920] and you can design your own body shell
[04:16.920 -> 04:20.360] and put it onto a paper chassis with small wheels
[04:20.360 -> 04:21.600] that will shoot it down the track
[04:21.600 -> 04:23.880] with a four gram compressed gas cylinder.
[04:23.880 -> 04:27.240] And that gets them hooked at an early age with the what we call the F1 in schools
[04:27.240 -> 04:31.760] primary class and that's a competitive thing which happens we've got about 15
[04:31.760 -> 04:35.840] regional finals in the UK but we're operating that now in over 15 countries
[04:35.840 -> 04:39.400] around the world and then they go from that into what we call our entry class
[04:39.400 -> 04:43.140] then development and of course the professional class which is the one we
[04:43.140 -> 04:48.500] use our world finals. Now wait a minute so they're going from eight years old to roughly how old are
[04:48.500 -> 04:52.840] the oldest competitors more or less? 19 years of age at the world finals so we
[04:52.840 -> 04:56.840] give them obviously a chance to do this in their final if you like a level year
[04:56.840 -> 05:00.840] and then if they qualify at the national to get to the world finals they may have
[05:00.840 -> 05:05.840] turned 19 so 9 to 19 is our age span really with F1 in schools.
[05:05.840 -> 05:11.120] And I find it amazing that you're not just teaching the basics of engineering in a way,
[05:11.120 -> 05:15.520] but also the project management side as well. Because when you go higher up in Formula One,
[05:15.520 -> 05:19.400] essentially that's what it eventually tends to become, right? In the case of, I mean,
[05:19.400 -> 05:23.400] even Mattia Bonotto in Ferrari as well. He was a promising engineer, but then having
[05:23.400 -> 05:25.360] to learn these things. But what's
[05:25.360 -> 05:30.560] it like actually working with the kids, Andrew? Because they're all, I'm imagining, very passionate
[05:30.560 -> 05:34.640] but very raw as well. Yeah, they're phenomenal. I mean, when he gets to the world finals,
[05:34.640 -> 05:38.640] the level of intelligence he students have because, you know, obviously, they've got to
[05:38.640 -> 05:42.720] go through the whole process of, you know, designing and to manufacturing to racing,
[05:42.720 -> 05:45.880] but they've also got to deliver at the events,
[05:45.880 -> 05:48.520] verbal presentations, they've got three portfolios
[05:48.520 -> 05:51.280] on project management, enterprise and engineering,
[05:51.280 -> 05:52.760] and those are all judged as well.
[05:52.760 -> 05:54.640] They've got to go through scrutineering,
[05:54.640 -> 05:56.480] engineering judging, and of course,
[05:56.480 -> 05:59.000] all of those are part of life skills
[05:59.000 -> 06:01.480] that they pull together before they actually get
[06:01.480 -> 06:04.760] to find out their results and if they've made it through
[06:04.760 -> 06:05.340] to the regional,
[06:05.340 -> 06:07.860] to the national or to the world finals.
[06:07.860 -> 06:11.200] So many, many skillsets they pick up on F1 in schools.
[06:11.200 -> 06:13.940] We're seen as the biggest STEM competition,
[06:13.940 -> 06:16.620] so science, technology, engineering and maths,
[06:16.620 -> 06:18.120] but we're giving all the life skills
[06:18.120 -> 06:20.180] that companies out there need from students.
[06:20.180 -> 06:22.440] So when they finish at school,
[06:22.440 -> 06:24.060] they've got F1 in schools on their CV,
[06:24.060 -> 06:29.760] companies look at them and know that they're well-rounded and they've got all the attributes that companies need.
[06:29.760 -> 06:35.920] At just the age of 10 or 12 or 14, honestly, that sounds baffling. I mean, there's so much
[06:35.920 -> 06:41.280] that eventually they could end up doing. But the cars, right, now that's generally got me curious.
[06:42.000 -> 06:46.880] When I initially heard of the concept, and there's so many other formula student kind of categories
[06:46.880 -> 06:47.880] around the world as well,
[06:47.880 -> 06:50.080] where students have to build life-sized cars,
[06:50.080 -> 06:52.680] but F1s and Tours is a little bit different to that,
[06:52.680 -> 06:53.640] isn't it?
[06:53.640 -> 06:55.440] So what sort of cars are you guys actually getting them
[06:55.440 -> 06:56.280] to build in a way?
[06:56.280 -> 06:57.600] Yeah, well, I mean, the software,
[06:57.600 -> 07:01.480] we use Autodesk Fusion 360 to design the car,
[07:01.480 -> 07:04.840] and the manufacturing is done on a CNC router,
[07:04.840 -> 07:07.960] and it's basically made out of 3D model block
[07:07.960 -> 07:11.760] and they machine the car, it's 20 centimeters long.
[07:11.760 -> 07:13.040] But the rules and regulations
[07:13.040 -> 07:15.520] are set by an international committee
[07:15.520 -> 07:18.280] headed by Gary Anderson, who you may know,
[07:18.280 -> 07:20.040] was team principal at Jordan.
[07:20.040 -> 07:23.280] He drives our team to challenge the students
[07:23.280 -> 07:24.800] without over-challenging them.
[07:24.800 -> 07:28.480] So they've got all the facets that, you know, and understanding what they've got
[07:28.480 -> 07:30.600] to have before they produce this car.
[07:30.640 -> 07:33.040] And then they've got a 3D print, the front and rear wings.
[07:33.480 -> 07:37.240] They've got to maybe make the wheel support structure, manufacture the wheels,
[07:38.000 -> 07:41.160] source the correct bearings so that the car is going to be as fast
[07:41.160 -> 07:42.680] and efficient as possible.
[07:43.160 -> 07:45.320] So, so many things they have to do.
[07:45.320 -> 07:47.040] It's quite unreal, really.
[07:47.040 -> 07:48.920] And we do want to make it easy, too, to enter.
[07:48.920 -> 07:51.120] So, the entry class is much simpler.
[07:51.120 -> 07:53.440] Just a 3D design and make,
[07:53.440 -> 07:55.280] and manufacture the wings on the cars
[07:55.280 -> 07:57.520] at the same time as you manufacture the car body.
[07:57.520 -> 07:58.960] Put the wheels on, standard wheels,
[07:58.960 -> 08:01.040] and race it at a regional final.
[08:01.040 -> 08:03.240] But moving through the process into development
[08:03.240 -> 08:08.080] and then professional, we've now got a halo on the car with a driver helmet too so all the
[08:08.080 -> 08:12.280] computational fluid dynamics have got to take that into account you know the new
[08:12.280 -> 08:15.680] wing designs the front and rear wings have been changed at the world finals
[08:15.680 -> 08:19.680] just held in Singapore but having the halo is it's kind of slowed the cars
[08:19.680 -> 08:23.840] down but made them think how to to speed the car up with you know looking at
[08:23.840 -> 08:25.000] bearing efficiencies
[08:25.000 -> 08:26.520] and wheel manufacture.
[08:26.520 -> 08:32.440] And you mentioned the size 20 centimetres. Now, when one sees it, I think it looks like
[08:32.440 -> 08:36.920] the most glorious and most spectacular Hot Wheels car you could ever see out there. But
[08:36.920 -> 08:41.280] it's so advanced as well in the aero side of things. What sort of things are they really
[08:41.280 -> 08:45.440] working on? Because in a car that small, can you really learn to do that much?
[08:45.440 -> 08:47.840] I mean, there must be so many possibilities, right?
[08:47.840 -> 08:52.080] Yeah, I mean, the ones to get to the regional and nationals, you've got to be using computational
[08:52.080 -> 08:55.000] fluid dynamics to just check the airflow of the car.
[08:55.000 -> 08:59.000] Obviously, there's rules and regulations, which you got to adhere to.
[08:59.000 -> 09:01.160] But you know, the side pods, you know, should they be narrow?
[09:01.160 -> 09:02.420] Should they be wide?
[09:02.420 -> 09:04.120] Should it be hollow underneath?
[09:04.120 -> 09:08.400] Looking at the rules and regulations, you know, you know, what about the ground effect of the car?
[09:08.400 -> 09:13.840] All of these things are analyzed in CFD and it's incredible when they talk to the judges that they
[09:13.840 -> 09:20.240] know so much. It's just like talking to a Formula One engineer. It's just F1 in schools in miniature.
[09:20.240 -> 09:25.520] And a very nerdy question comes up to my mind next, what sort of composites are they using?
[09:25.520 -> 09:27.520] Is it just like paper or?
[09:27.520 -> 09:29.520] Because these are really simple, aren't they?
[09:29.520 -> 09:33.680] Yeah, it's paper to the age of 11 and then they go into, it's called model blocks.
[09:33.680 -> 09:38.040] So they machine it out of model block, but then they'll 3D print in various materials.
[09:38.040 -> 09:40.920] We've even had carbon fiber front and rear wings.
[09:40.920 -> 09:45.420] They've got to machine everything on computer-aided engineering machinery
[09:45.420 -> 09:51.400] so CAD, CAM and CNC is a big part of the main body but in front of the rear wing
[09:51.400 -> 09:55.560] sorry the front of the rear the front axle and behind the rear axle you can
[09:55.560 -> 10:01.120] 3D print the front and rear wings. And in terms of costs Andrew is it really as
[10:01.120 -> 10:04.840] grassroots as it looks to be because when you talk about grassroots programs
[10:04.840 -> 10:07.560] and motorsport we're driving obviously there's a lot of initial
[10:07.560 -> 10:11.040] investment you've got to put in to build up your skill but with you folks it's
[10:11.040 -> 10:16.000] all very at the very base level right and so are the costs also representative
[10:16.000 -> 10:19.680] of the same and how much does school have to invest to get in in a way? Well
[10:19.680 -> 10:23.000] this is it I mean F1 in schools people think oh it's gonna be too expensive it's
[10:23.000 -> 10:26.080] literally eight pounds ten $10 to get involved
[10:26.080 -> 10:28.520] because that's all the cost of the model block.
[10:28.520 -> 10:30.880] So everything you do from forming a team
[10:30.880 -> 10:33.880] to putting the project management plan,
[10:33.880 -> 10:35.520] the business sponsorship marketing,
[10:35.520 -> 10:39.120] sketching, designing, analyzing is all for free.
[10:39.120 -> 10:40.480] Then you want to manufacture,
[10:40.480 -> 10:42.680] we have make centers all around the world.
[10:42.680 -> 10:44.600] In the UK, we've got various ones,
[10:44.600 -> 10:46.080] Aston University is a classic
[10:46.080 -> 10:48.360] where they'll take designs from schools,
[10:48.360 -> 10:50.540] they'll manufacture the car for them,
[10:50.540 -> 10:52.100] they'll send it back to the school,
[10:52.100 -> 10:54.240] and that might cost 25 pounds.
[10:54.240 -> 10:57.360] And then they'll put their own 3D printed wings on the cars,
[10:57.360 -> 10:58.740] which aren't very expensive either.
[10:58.740 -> 11:02.320] So, cost of getting involved, very minimal.
[11:02.320 -> 11:03.480] You don't need the equipment,
[11:03.480 -> 11:10.320] it's great if you've got a track at the school so you can test the cars time after time, but it's not essential. So it's
[11:10.320 -> 11:13.580] affordable from just about any school. So if you've got six kids in the team, it might
[11:13.580 -> 11:18.620] be a five pound contribution each to get a car to a regional final. Obviously the school's
[11:18.620 -> 11:23.220] got to provide the minibus and get the kids there. When you get to the national, you've
[11:23.220 -> 11:25.280] got two days, so you've got overnight accommodation.
[11:25.280 -> 11:29.680] But if you're a regional champion, you've got to go to local companies and say, look, can you help
[11:29.680 -> 11:37.680] us? We need £250 to get a minibus and teacher support to get to the regional. We might need
[11:37.680 -> 11:45.260] accommodation. And they go out and part of their job is to have their team identity with their shirts and looking all the same
[11:45.260 -> 11:51.380] with sponsor logos just like Formula One. So you know that's part and parcel of
[11:51.380 -> 11:55.820] Formula One in schools. That almost sounds wrong Andrew like for a cost
[11:55.820 -> 11:59.620] that's cheaper than actually watching Formula One for a season you can get
[11:59.620 -> 12:03.340] involved with something quite like this. It's kind of mind-blowing to me the
[12:03.340 -> 12:05.920] way it works out and And in a way,
[12:05.920 -> 12:10.320] you guys are enablers, aren't you? Because the learnings that they get, the CFD side
[12:10.320 -> 12:14.240] and the Aero side, it's mostly the stuff that they learn on their own, isn't it?
[12:14.240 -> 12:18.640] Yeah, yeah, they have to do that. I mean, it's not taught in the classroom. I mean,
[12:18.640 -> 12:22.560] we had a group of students went to the British High Commissioner in Singapore, went to the
[12:22.560 -> 12:25.000] residence there, and she was asking them questions.
[12:25.000 -> 12:29.900] And basically I said to them, if you had F1 in schools, a subject in the school, would
[12:29.900 -> 12:30.900] you all attend?
[12:30.900 -> 12:33.740] And they said, absolutely, every day.
[12:33.740 -> 12:37.760] It's just one of those things that gets them hooked and they just want to better themselves
[12:37.760 -> 12:40.720] and improve the car manufacturing, the presentations.
[12:40.720 -> 12:44.200] I mean, the verbal presentations are spectacular.
[12:44.200 -> 12:45.040] It's 10 minutes long
[12:45.040 -> 12:48.080] and they all contribute, they've all got confidence, they can all deliver it.
[12:48.800 -> 12:54.160] And of course that's assessed by a team of judges. Wow, so in a way we're building up the next set
[12:54.160 -> 12:57.920] of total wolves as well with the kind of presentations they have to give in. Yeah,
[12:57.920 -> 13:03.760] absolutely. And all of that is just, I mean do you see the drive in all the students? Like where do
[13:03.760 -> 13:08.200] they learn from? Do they invoke a lot of knowledge from their teachers, from the internet, or do they even
[13:08.200 -> 13:09.440] come to you for that matter?
[13:09.440 -> 13:11.840] Because you've got quite the engineering background yourself in a way.
[13:11.840 -> 13:14.960] Yeah, we've got a learning channel so they can go on there and understand what they have
[13:14.960 -> 13:15.960] to do.
[13:15.960 -> 13:19.240] They've got to look at the rules and regulations and the judging criteria.
[13:19.240 -> 13:22.040] That's the one of the most important things to look at what they're going to be judged
[13:22.040 -> 13:23.040] on.
[13:23.040 -> 13:25.640] And obviously with the verbal presentation, the, the, there's
[13:25.640 -> 13:29.160] a criteria that they've got to meet, put across that they've all got to
[13:29.160 -> 13:32.040] contribute, put across how they develop the team, how they develop the team
[13:32.040 -> 13:36.400] logo, the identity that the team was, is going to present how they got their
[13:36.400 -> 13:40.760] sponsors, how they created the design and who manufactured the car.
[13:40.840 -> 13:42.360] Where did they source the bearings from?
[13:42.360 -> 13:44.720] How, which partners did they work with in industry to help
[13:44.720 -> 13:46.880] get the cars painted perhaps.
[13:46.880 -> 13:52.560] So yeah, they've got so many things to consider, but it's a full on commitment, you know, to
[13:52.560 -> 13:56.120] get to the world finals might take two or three years.
[13:56.120 -> 14:01.360] And the teams that attended in Singapore in September clearly spent all summer producing
[14:01.360 -> 14:03.520] everything that they had to get ready for the event.
[14:03.520 -> 14:08.000] I mean, the 10 page portfolios are just as good as anything that would be producing
[14:08.000 -> 14:13.760] industry and again the judging of that is quite quite a commitment too. We
[14:13.760 -> 14:19.040] had 80 judges in Singapore which is you know all volunteered by the way.
[14:19.040 -> 14:22.720] And what sort of scale are you guys operating on? I mean how many how many
[14:22.720 -> 14:25.520] teams compete on a global level every
[14:25.520 -> 14:28.480] year? Yeah, we've got 28,000 schools every year.
[14:28.480 -> 14:34.040] Over the time we compete, you know, primary, secondary. We have 60 countries we're operating
[14:34.040 -> 14:39.840] in and we have what we call in-country coordinators that make this happen. They put on the events
[14:39.840 -> 14:45.560] in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, USA, and they manage the events.
[14:48.640 -> 14:48.880] We're just halfway through a season of regional finals in Australia.
[14:50.120 -> 14:50.680] They call them state finals.
[14:53.560 -> 14:55.640] And the winners from there will go to their national final in March next year, just before the Grand Prix.
[14:55.640 -> 15:00.520] So, yeah, the commitment from everybody is off the scale, really.
[15:01.080 -> 15:06.040] It does need always partners and sponsors to get the cash to put on a regional final.
[15:06.040 -> 15:11.040] You know, you've got to hire a venue, you've got to put pit displays up for them to decorate
[15:11.040 -> 15:16.580] because they've got to show off their identity in a pit display. And, you know, just food
[15:16.580 -> 15:21.360] and drink, you know, all costs money over. We've got 25 regional finals in the UK, including
[15:21.360 -> 15:25.380] primary and big commitment. yeah we need we need
[15:25.380 -> 15:30.320] support from as many organizations as possible to make it happen. Now I want to
[15:30.320 -> 15:34.400] talk about the past examples of the students who have graduated from F1 in
[15:34.400 -> 15:38.960] schools and gone on to do bigger and better things. I just saw the case study
[15:38.960 -> 15:43.160] list on the F1 in schools website as well and clearly so many of them have
[15:43.160 -> 15:48.220] such great insights and they've also been working in Formula One. I mean the biggest example we've got
[15:48.220 -> 15:51.560] on the website immediately the one that's most evident I know Zae Zee from
[15:51.560 -> 15:56.360] Malaysia working as an aero intern at Mercedes she must be one of thousands
[15:56.360 -> 16:01.840] right you guys have developed and got into Formula One? Yeah we have got an
[16:01.840 -> 16:06.960] enormous amount of alumni that are working in F1, but not just F1, Airbus,
[16:06.960 -> 16:14.120] you know, BA Systems, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes, you know, they literally are using F1 in schools
[16:14.120 -> 16:20.600] to give them all the background knowledge and I suppose experience to apply for jobs
[16:20.600 -> 16:26.320] and you know, give them that opportunity to go for the high-rise jobs.
[16:26.320 -> 16:31.040] So, we've got George Britton, he's just left Williams,
[16:31.040 -> 16:33.160] he was in the Williams Academy in 2015,
[16:33.160 -> 16:36.120] became world champion, three Americans, three Germans,
[16:36.120 -> 16:38.720] and he got a job, as did his brother at Williams.
[16:38.720 -> 16:42.360] Williams recruited the best 10 from our four world finals
[16:42.360 -> 16:44.760] from 2015 to 2019 before COVID hit.
[16:44.760 -> 16:46.400] But, Formula One teams will tell you that if you put F1 the best 10 from our four world finals from 2015 to 2019 before COVID hit. But you know,
[16:46.400 -> 16:51.120] Formula One teams will tell you that if you put F1 in schools on your CV, you'll get to the next
[16:51.120 -> 16:56.800] stage before they look at, you know, final interviews. So, you know, it really does open
[16:56.800 -> 17:02.000] doors for the students. And in terms of the partnership with Formula One, do the team
[17:02.000 -> 17:10.480] specifically support you folks as well? And does F1 do their part as well in building it up? Because surely this sort of ladder is something that's in the best interest of
[17:10.480 -> 17:15.000] everyone in the sport, right? Yeah, Formula One are fabulous. They obviously, you know, back in
[17:15.880 -> 17:20.400] 2005 when Bernie Eccleston gave us the logo, which obviously is a new logo now.
[17:21.560 -> 17:25.960] Formula One help us immensely with obviously things that we do. I mean, we've got students
[17:25.960 -> 17:32.440] that will be attending the Grand Prix in Las Vegas, USA champions will be there. World
[17:32.440 -> 17:37.040] finals, we get the world champions on the podium with Stefano Di Menecali presenting
[17:37.040 -> 17:45.800] the world champions trophy. All the Formula One team supporters give us their logo, give us their body shells for primary.
[17:45.800 -> 17:50.600] They give us goody bags and trophies at the world finals
[17:50.600 -> 17:52.760] and send the senior team principal
[17:52.760 -> 17:55.760] or senior race engineer to the event
[17:55.760 -> 17:57.120] to present their trophies.
[17:57.120 -> 17:59.960] And then they get garage tours and factory tours.
[17:59.960 -> 18:02.520] And obviously, a first step, if you like,
[18:02.520 -> 18:07.480] into maybe an open day or maybe a work placement.
[18:07.600 -> 18:11.240] So they've got so many opportunities, our students after doing F1 in schools.
[18:11.280 -> 18:16.440] Wait, and can they ask some really stupid questions to the engineers? Because that's where the learnings really come from.
[18:17.080 -> 18:27.080] Yeah, absolutely. In fact, the Williams Academy, they had a mentor. So they kind of work with the mentor, you know, week in week out to make sure they were learning all the time as they were getting through the process.
[18:27.080 -> 18:28.080] Wow.
[18:28.080 -> 18:32.200] And how much do you guys support them after F1 schools?
[18:32.200 -> 18:35.440] Is there like a program of sorts where you can also check back in on their career?
[18:35.440 -> 18:37.840] Like, hey, are you guys doing well?
[18:37.840 -> 18:39.880] Is there something that you guys can support them on?
[18:39.880 -> 18:44.960] Because surely if one engineer does well, I think that inspires 15, 20 engineers around
[18:44.960 -> 18:45.360] them to probably get in there as well. Yeah. Yeah. We've got an alumni group. surely if one engineer does well, I think that inspires 15-20 engineers around them
[18:45.360 -> 18:50.160] to probably get in there as well. Yeah, we've got an alumni group, we keep building that,
[18:50.160 -> 18:57.200] but we also link the F1 in school students, the alumni to the Formula 1 heads of HR so that
[18:57.760 -> 19:01.840] you know, they're all looking for jobs, they want to know how to connect, how to engage with people,
[19:01.840 -> 19:08.560] so that's what we do. Yeah, and that's for us, one of the biggest thrills, if we can get them engaged with
[19:08.560 -> 19:14.160] with Formula One teams and get jobs in F1, we know it works. And the Formula One teams know that too
[19:14.160 -> 19:18.880] as well. Andrew, I want to talk about some past stories from F1 in schools. Have there been any
[19:18.880 -> 19:23.120] particular group of students that have really blown your mind with what they've come up with?
[19:23.120 -> 19:27.520] Surely, right? There must be because there's so many students every year that there must be so many different
[19:27.520 -> 19:30.320] ideas every year as well in terms of the cards that they've made.
[19:30.320 -> 19:36.360] Yeah, there's no bounds to testing them. You know, we changed the regulations. We had a
[19:36.360 -> 19:42.920] nose cone challenge. They changed the nose cone in 1.8 seconds, I think it was in Singapore.
[19:42.920 -> 19:46.000] It's not a marked test. it's just a bit of fun,
[19:46.000 -> 19:49.000] but just to think that we threw that at them and they did it.
[19:49.000 -> 19:53.000] But, you know, sustainability is a big part of Formula 1 in schools,
[19:53.000 -> 19:58.000] so we give them a chance to explain their sustainability process
[19:58.000 -> 20:01.000] and what they've thought about and how to, you know,
[20:01.000 -> 20:05.280] promote sustainability through their Formula1 in Schools challenge.
[20:05.280 -> 20:09.280] So we had a team this year that, when you machine the model block,
[20:09.280 -> 20:13.760] there's dust that comes off that, they gather the dust and they gave it to mealworms.
[20:14.520 -> 20:19.880] Another team had a pit display that when they returned it back to the school,
[20:19.880 -> 20:21.080] it turned into furniture.
[20:22.280 -> 20:27.040] They're thinking, I mean, they never stop amazing us with things that
[20:27.040 -> 20:34.120] they come up with. It's just for them, it's a mission to help them all get big and better
[20:34.120 -> 20:36.720] opportunities in life.
[20:36.720 -> 20:42.360] It's quite the platform in a way for what you can do in the future all the way through.
[20:42.360 -> 20:50.040] And I also want to discuss how it's been growing because obviously we now see Formula One become a bigger sport in a
[20:50.040 -> 20:53.340] way at least commercially more people are interested than ever before and it
[20:53.340 -> 20:57.300] helps to have more marketing around it but the engineering side has there has
[20:57.300 -> 21:01.360] there been a constant flow and demand of engineers all the way through because
[21:01.360 -> 21:06.120] I've noticed that at least in India after Drive to Survive came in there are more people willing to go in the
[21:06.120 -> 21:09.040] engineering side as well I mean there have been motorsport academies popping
[21:09.040 -> 21:14.320] up and students what as early as in grade 11 or grade 12 they really want to
[21:14.320 -> 21:17.480] learn how they can get in have you also witnessed something similar in the last
[21:17.480 -> 21:21.480] few years? Yeah it's a huge amount of interest in F1 in schools and you know
[21:21.480 -> 21:29.860] so many teams want to come to the World Fin. I mean we can only put on so many spaces and make them available. I mean we had 68 which
[21:29.860 -> 21:36.140] is a record for us in Singapore. You know 28 countries. If we carry on growing like
[21:36.140 -> 21:40.620] that, A, we're not going to find the space that's affordable. An accommodation you
[21:40.620 -> 21:45.000] know next to a Grand Prix weekend, it's expensive.
[21:45.300 -> 21:47.780] So we've got to try and work out how we can make it affordable,
[21:47.780 -> 21:48.860] how we can keep growing it.
[21:48.860 -> 21:50.320] And one of the things we're looking at now
[21:50.320 -> 21:51.940] is doing regional events.
[21:51.940 -> 21:55.200] So, you know, maybe an Asia Cup, America's Cup,
[21:55.200 -> 21:56.360] perhaps one in the Middle East,
[21:56.360 -> 21:59.280] and allow students to travel,
[21:59.280 -> 22:01.700] which is what a lot of schools want to do.
[22:01.700 -> 22:03.900] Maybe not at the world finals level,
[22:03.900 -> 22:09.240] but, you know, at least competing with 30-40 different teams around their region so they can
[22:09.240 -> 22:12.840] have that experience and become you know Asia Cup champions which is not like the
[22:12.840 -> 22:15.960] world champions but it's still a good three or four days out of school
[22:15.960 -> 22:21.400] having fun. Hey also on that I've noticed at these engineering events
[22:21.400 -> 22:24.680] right I've also witnessed a couple of them in person but the camaraderie
[22:24.680 -> 22:28.000] between the students is quite something I mean normally in a
[22:28.000 -> 22:32.200] competition like this I expected them to be very tight-lipped like not sharing
[22:32.200 -> 22:35.200] anything about their designs or their structure of what they've learned but I
[22:35.200 -> 22:39.400] was amazed to see that the students are generally very open have you also
[22:39.400 -> 22:43.880] witnessed that in F1N schools? Yeah I mean the pit displays you know the 68
[22:43.880 -> 22:48.160] displays in Singapore they're all looking at where they are, you know, how close to the
[22:48.160 -> 22:51.920] entrance, you know, how close to the stage and then they look around and see
[22:51.920 -> 22:55.520] who's next to them and you know what, they help each other put the pit
[22:55.520 -> 22:58.840] displays up, they talk about the things that they've done with their car design
[22:58.840 -> 23:02.720] and they're all thinking and learning about what they can do if they need to
[23:02.720 -> 23:11.040] come back next year and compete. So it's just fantastic to think that they all come together, you know, 400 students in Singapore,
[23:11.040 -> 23:15.040] have the best time of their lives, they meet friends that will last forever. I mean, they're
[23:15.040 -> 23:20.240] all in the pool having a great time when there's downtime, there's an after party at the end of the
[23:20.240 -> 23:26.000] eight-day process and that is incredible to see them all and you know I think we've got
[23:26.000 -> 23:31.200] girlfriends and boyfriends over the years and hopefully still together. Yeah for 23 years,
[23:31.200 -> 23:37.600] maybe some have got married but it is, it's a great team atmosphere. That's more like it,
[23:37.600 -> 23:45.360] that's more like it and I'm so amazed that you guys are able to take you to so many countries. What, 23 to be precise,
[23:45.360 -> 23:52.480] if I'm not mistaken? Well, 23 years. We just had our 18th World Finals. We have to look at a period
[23:52.480 -> 23:58.160] of the calendar year from September to the end of November where we can host the World Finals.
[23:58.160 -> 24:04.000] And as you know, Formula One's growing, demand's growing, costs are going up. So we've got to look
[24:04.000 -> 24:05.360] at where is it affordable? Where can students afford to stay for the Friday, Saturday's growing, costs are going up. So we've got to look at where is it affordable,
[24:05.360 -> 24:10.240] you know, where can students afford to stay for the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
[24:10.240 -> 24:14.720] Wednesday, where our event is before the Grand Prix weekend. But then if they want to stay for
[24:14.720 -> 24:20.800] the race, where are they going to stay? Because it's, you know, prices quadruple over the weekend
[24:20.800 -> 24:31.040] and it is difficult for them to afford those costs. So we're always looking at having that in mind. But yeah, I mean, that's the popularity of Formula One, drive to survive
[24:31.040 -> 24:36.880] had a big impact on that. But you know, it's made it more popular to do F1 in schools, which is good
[24:36.880 -> 24:42.880] for us. And also, what sort of countries are competing? I've heard India, I mean, I know
[24:42.880 -> 24:49.280] there's a personal bias when I bring it up. but I've heard that lots of Indian schools are also going up there and there's like many hundreds
[24:49.280 -> 24:53.680] and thousands of students, including in fact, one of my aunts, I remember her putting out a
[24:53.680 -> 24:57.760] Facebook post when I was eight years old, saying, hey, we've got F-100 schools in our school, and
[24:57.760 -> 25:04.000] they were just so proud about it. But India being one, what other major countries are generally
[25:04.000 -> 25:05.720] very, very involved in F1 in schools largely?
[25:05.720 -> 25:09.360] Yeah, there's thousands of schools in India now doing it, which is fantastic, you know
[25:10.080 -> 25:14.680] Obviously COVID had an effect globally, but they're all bouncing back
[25:14.680 -> 25:21.040] So, I mean obviously China is a big country for us. They've not had a Grand Prix for five years. They're coming up next year. So
[25:22.200 -> 25:25.840] You name it. We've got it involved in most countries, you know, we've got Chile and Colombia just joining next year. So you name it, we've got it involved in most countries.
[25:25.960 -> 25:28.600] You know, we've got Chile and Columbia
[25:28.600 -> 25:31.160] just joining next year, Costa Rica.
[25:31.160 -> 25:34.520] So countries that you wouldn't expect are coming on board.
[25:34.520 -> 25:36.320] Obviously North America is a big market
[25:36.320 -> 25:39.120] for Formula One and for F1 in schools.
[25:39.120 -> 25:42.960] So we just gotta keep adding more and more countries.
[25:42.960 -> 25:46.200] And you know, there's no, if we could travel around the world
[25:46.200 -> 25:48.820] to help create and develop more countries that we would do,
[25:48.820 -> 25:52.060] but they keep coming to us and say, how do we get involved?
[25:52.060 -> 25:54.280] One of the countries we'd really like to get engaged more
[25:54.280 -> 25:56.440] is Holland because of Max Verstappen.
[25:57.600 -> 25:59.640] But it's how many hours in the day have we got
[25:59.640 -> 26:01.520] and how many days in the week we've got to go out
[26:01.520 -> 26:04.040] and meet these people to get the process started.
[26:04.040 -> 26:11.120] You know, they do come to us and it's quite an interesting exercise to get registered as an F1 in schools
[26:11.120 -> 26:15.920] in-country coordinator. But once you start, the kids just love it. They can't get enough of it.
[26:15.920 -> 26:20.720] Hang on. So has there been more growth in America as well in the last few years? Because I'm sure
[26:20.720 -> 26:25.620] the popularity must have skyrocketed after the enormous marketing effort that's gone behind.
[26:25.620 -> 26:27.020] Yeah, there's a lot of interest now.
[26:27.020 -> 26:31.540] COVID had a real slowdown on things in North America,
[26:31.540 -> 26:33.180] but we're getting back on track now.
[26:33.180 -> 26:35.340] We're having a national final next year,
[26:35.340 -> 26:38.380] but we've had a presence in Austin, in Miami,
[26:38.380 -> 26:40.460] and we've got teams going into Las Vegas
[26:40.460 -> 26:42.820] to have a look at F1 in schools.
[26:42.820 -> 26:44.500] We're at Autodesk University,
[26:44.500 -> 26:48.800] which is taking place three days before before where our USA national champions will be
[26:48.800 -> 26:53.320] exhibiting what they did in Singapore. Yeah North America is about to explode.
[26:53.320 -> 26:58.000] And Andrew I have a question on the current happenings of Formula One. Now
[26:58.000 -> 27:01.440] we've just heard that the FIA has allowed an 11th team to come into
[27:01.440 -> 27:09.280] Formula One but Formula One really aren't very keen about it but it would ideally be better for everyone right if we had more teams
[27:09.280 -> 27:13.200] more engineers having spaces is that something that you folks are a little
[27:13.200 -> 27:17.160] vocal about because ideally I know the end goal isn't just Formula One but
[27:17.160 -> 27:20.440] wouldn't it be great to have more spaces on the grid for more engineers as well
[27:20.440 -> 27:25.480] to develop more cars? Well I mean an 11th team is fine with us, I guess
[27:25.480 -> 27:29.600] there's a limit to how many they can accommodate at a Grand Prix circuit. I
[27:29.600 -> 27:34.440] mean I know the the 11th team has actually taken on one of our alumni that
[27:34.440 -> 27:38.120] has just graduated which is fantastic, he just sent us an email a couple of weeks
[27:38.120 -> 27:42.560] ago saying I've been hired even though it's not actually set in stone yet that
[27:42.560 -> 27:49.200] they've got that 11th place but they've got to start recruiting. Yeah, the more, I mean, if you look at how many people
[27:49.200 -> 27:55.120] in a factory, in a Mercedes, they must have over a thousand people. So, they want to recruit,
[27:55.120 -> 28:02.000] they need the best engineers. We've got well over a handful of engineers in Mercedes,
[28:02.000 -> 28:05.000] a high-performance engine or the F1 factory.
[28:05.320 -> 28:08.840] And the same will apply in a lot of the Formula 1 teams too.
[28:08.840 -> 28:10.400] So yeah, bring it on.
[28:10.400 -> 28:13.560] If America's got a factory there that needs engineers,
[28:13.560 -> 28:16.520] we've got a pipeline, we can supply them.
[28:16.520 -> 28:17.360] Love it.
[28:17.360 -> 28:19.400] And the one last thing I really wanted to ask to you,
[28:19.400 -> 28:21.620] Andrew, was about other teams as well.
[28:21.620 -> 28:23.680] Is there like a direct structure of sorts?
[28:23.680 -> 28:29.120] And are you guys often in contact with Formula 1 teams like Mercedes to create that pipeline in a way and
[28:29.120 -> 28:33.840] are you constantly like in touch to try to make sure that your students are also getting in there?
[28:33.840 -> 28:38.640] Yeah we are in fact last week we well the last two weeks we've had Aston Martin, Williams,
[28:38.640 -> 28:46.320] McLaren having discussions with their HR people about our students that want to come in and how can we get
[28:46.320 -> 28:53.920] them into the factory. They're as keen as we are to recruit the best. So we're doing that for them.
[28:53.920 -> 28:59.360] So we're sifting through all the applications. Imagine they put a job on for an apprentice
[28:59.360 -> 29:04.400] engineer, they get inundated, but we can provide them with the cream of the crop so they can take
[29:04.400 -> 29:06.040] the best, which they never struggle to do, of we can provide them with the cream of the crop so they can take the best,
[29:06.040 -> 29:07.920] which they never struggle to do, of course.
[29:07.920 -> 29:10.160] And that applies not just across apprenticeships,
[29:10.160 -> 29:11.400] but at a degree level,
[29:11.400 -> 29:12.920] students have done F1 in schools,
[29:12.920 -> 29:14.480] they've got that practical experience,
[29:14.480 -> 29:16.640] so they're ready to just jump straight
[29:16.640 -> 29:19.160] into a Formula One factory and take on, you know,
[29:19.160 -> 29:22.280] a role of just like George Britten did of race engineer.
[29:22.280 -> 29:24.640] Okay, wait, one more question's popped up in my mind.
[29:24.640 -> 29:28.880] What's in it for you guys? Like, why did you even begin in the first place? And I'm talking
[29:28.880 -> 29:34.160] about you on a personal level, Andrew, because the initiative broadly sounds great, but when did you
[29:34.160 -> 29:40.560] get the idea to begin F1 in schools initially? Well, going back to 2000, 3D software was made
[29:40.560 -> 29:46.880] available to all schools. So I worked with the Department for Education to make sure that software was not too daunting
[29:46.880 -> 29:48.240] for school children.
[29:48.240 -> 29:49.680] In fact, it wasn't, it was fine.
[29:49.680 -> 29:51.180] It was the teachers that needed training.
[29:51.180 -> 29:53.640] So we help train the teachers.
[29:53.640 -> 29:55.560] But F1 in Schools is not for profit.
[29:55.560 -> 29:57.600] So on the for-profit side of our business,
[29:57.600 -> 30:00.680] we had the machines that manufacture the cars
[30:00.680 -> 30:01.520] and the racetracks.
[30:01.520 -> 30:03.920] We build those to supply to schools.
[30:03.920 -> 30:08.460] So obviously we needed that to be successful to fund F1 in schools.
[30:08.460 -> 30:13.460] So that's why we started it initially to help try and sell more CNC routers.
[30:13.460 -> 30:16.000] But since then it's grown into two separate entities.
[30:16.000 -> 30:18.920] So F1 in schools is a ring fence, not for profit.
[30:18.920 -> 30:26.640] And then the manufacturing side of the cars, the tracks, the consumables, smoke tunnels, those are what the schools need. So it's
[30:26.640 -> 30:31.360] just like Mercedes do Formula One, but they obviously sell road cars, you know, the two go
[30:31.360 -> 30:37.280] hand in glove, don't they? So it's the same kind of thing. So that's what drove us, because we could
[30:37.280 -> 30:52.440] see so many schools around the world taking on the free 3D software opportunity to design anything in 3D. So designing a phone case or a camera or whatever it might be in 3D sounds great.
[30:52.440 -> 30:57.480] But if you had a product that you could actually compete and race against other schools, F1
[30:57.480 -> 30:59.880] in schools was born from that very concept.
[30:59.880 -> 31:02.840] And what's the next logical step for you folks?
[31:02.840 -> 31:04.080] Where do you go from here?
[31:04.080 -> 31:05.640] More countries, as you mentioned, sounds like a very tricky idea. But what could be the next big step for you folks? Where do you go from here? More countries, as you mentioned,
[31:05.640 -> 31:07.440] sounds like a very tricky idea,
[31:07.440 -> 31:09.640] but what could be the next big step for you guys?
[31:09.640 -> 31:11.080] Well, I mean, people keep saying,
[31:11.080 -> 31:13.200] could we make an oval track?
[31:13.200 -> 31:15.320] You could have chicanes.
[31:15.320 -> 31:17.240] At the end of the day, every year,
[31:17.240 -> 31:19.760] more and more students get involved with F1 in schools
[31:19.760 -> 31:21.400] because they just love the whole concept
[31:21.400 -> 31:24.000] of all the disciplines that we teach,
[31:24.000 -> 31:26.360] but racing down a 20 meter track
[31:26.360 -> 31:28.920] as fast as possible, trying to break the one second barrier
[31:28.920 -> 31:31.520] every year, which is what they try to do,
[31:31.520 -> 31:34.360] is a challenge for every school and every student
[31:34.360 -> 31:35.680] in the world that wants to do it.
[31:35.680 -> 31:38.640] They move on then to other careers and education
[31:38.640 -> 31:41.800] and maybe form a student at university.
[31:41.800 -> 31:44.640] But why fix what isn't broken?
[31:44.640 -> 31:47.920] Why challenge them to do more when they don't want to do more?
[31:47.920 -> 31:50.880] They want to learn all the skill sets that F1 in schools gives them.
[31:51.280 -> 31:55.240] And then from there on, they can go into other, you know, other career opportunities.
[31:55.240 -> 32:00.600] So what we want to do is give more and more schools all around the world that opportunity.
[32:00.840 -> 32:04.240] So more and more countries is what we strive to achieve.
[32:04.640 -> 32:05.880] And more and more regional finals like we strive to achieve and more and more
[32:05.880 -> 32:10.780] regional finals like the Asia Cup, America's Cup or whatever you might call it. So school
[32:10.780 -> 32:16.240] students can travel, meet other school students from different parts of the world, create
[32:16.240 -> 32:20.760] friendships and learn from those friendships and also then get all the skills that they
[32:20.760 -> 32:26.320] need to get on in life and enter jobs that obviously they're keen
[32:26.320 -> 32:27.720] to get involved in.
[32:27.720 -> 32:32.160] And fingers crossed you guys succeed on that journey as well over the years with time to
[32:32.160 -> 32:37.120] come. But Andrew, it's been amazing to speak to you over the course of the last few minutes.
[32:37.120 -> 32:40.560] Thank you for taking out your time and being on the InsideLine F1 podcast.
[32:40.560 -> 32:44.800] No problem. It's been a pleasure and yeah, please keep in touch and hope it goes well.
[32:44.800 -> 32:48.320] Absolutely. And folks, if in case you do want to keep in touch with F1 in schools,
[32:48.320 -> 32:53.160] please do check out their podcast as well. It's called the Mainstreet and you can get to know a
[32:53.160 -> 32:58.640] lot more about how it works, how you can learn to be someone competing in F1 in schools and also
[32:58.640 -> 33:03.040] the broader benefit of having this as well. But generally, thank you, thank you for your time
[33:03.040 -> 33:08.720] Andrew and we shall see you very very shortly. Folks, thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for listening,
[33:08.720 -> 33:13.680] folks. We'll be back on the Insideline F1 podcast very, very shortly. Keep subscribing,
[33:13.680 -> 33:43.000] keep listening to the Ins Inside Line F1 podcast.
[33:43.000 -> 33:46.960] Before we ended, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Amazon Music
[33:46.960 -> 33:50.420] once again for partnering with us on this episode of the podcast.