What is the project?
Our talented Mechanical Engineering students here at Uxbridge College are using the department’s advanced facilities and resources to build a sports car that will take part in the Lenovo F1 in Schools UK competition.
Our latest F1 Team is known as Thundercat and they have been busy working on an improved car design.
Since entering this competition in 2022, it has been a catalyst in creating an excellent student development programme that is supported by a dedicated teaching team. The programme provides students with the opportunity to build, race and further develop their skills in engineering.
In 2023 Uxbridge College’s Mechanical Engineering department formed a technical partnership with motorsport team Boss Racing with the intention of designing improved vehicle components to maintain a competitive edge. Boss Racing, in turn, have provided parts and equipment for our students so they can test their creativity within the super competitive world of motorsport.
The students have been working on producing a prototype chassis to try out further developments. This went on display in January 2024 at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre as part of Autosport International, the biggest motorsport show in Europe.
The previous student F1 Team, named H-Rock, took part in the 2023 regional heats held at RAF Benson, coming first in their race and gaining overall second place, before heading off to participate in the national heats.
Who is involved?
40 new students have signed up to be involved this season (2024/25) in the F1 in Schools competition and the Mechanical Engineering department are hoping to take at least three teams to the first round.
There are mechanical and electronic engineering students from across the department contributing to the development of the car, including students from our BTEC Levels 1 – 3 and T-Levels courses. These students are involved in every aspect of the engineering project including the design, manufacturing and testing of the vehicle.
As part of the design and build methodology the students focus on maximising sustainability and zero waste opportunities.
Both academic and technical staff support the project encouraging students to find new and creative ways to improve performance and speed. Our mission is to inspire and motivate the younger generations to engage in science, technology and engineering.
Rakesh Thapar (Section Manager in Mechanical Engineering) spearheads the vision for the F1 in Schools programme with support from Gary May (Project Lead) who inspires the students to further understand the complexities of specialised technical design and builds.
Partnerships
We have a technical partnership with Boss Racing who have strongly supported our students and are keen for them to excel in this programme.
We are also supported by The Office Works, who make the uniforms for our team.
What’s next?
The team are continuing race track testing of their vehicle as the next event will be the UK 2025 national finals set to take place in March 2025.
With unyielding teamwork, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering drive for excellence, we are poised to leave a lasting impact!
Want to get involved? Applications for our Engineering courses are open now! Find out more here