Four teenagers from Mirani State High School in northern Queensland are about to enter the world of Formula 1 after having designed and built their own miniature F1 race car.
Sam Argue, Josh Zarb, Tristan Kronk and Nic Stevenson are “Ace Pace Racing” and they, along with more than 30,000 other students Australia wide, compete in the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge operated by not for profit organisation, Re-Engineering Australia Foundation.
Ace Pace Racing are a part of Team Australia 2011 which will soon fly to Malaysia to the F1 in Schools World Finals.
Not only have the young Queenslanders mastered space age software technology and industry standard manufacturing equipment, they have developed university level engineering skills.
They have created a miniature powered F1 car which reaches speeds of 80 km/h, prepared a highly detailed technical portfolio which will be judged by professional engineers, conducted simulated and physical aerodynamic testing, designed and built a 2-metre by 1-metre pit display and prepared a multi-media presentation.
What makes their story all the more incredible is that is was done in collaboration with three students in another country.
Mirani State High School has created history by becoming the first school to form a Trans Tasman F1 race team partnering with Auckland Grammar School.
This is also a “first” for New Zealand which has never sent a team to the World Finals before.
Ace Pace Racing is entered in the International Collaboration category. Last year, another Queensland team won this category and finished second outright at the World Finals behind the USA.
The four Queensland and three Kiwi teenagers will be up against teams from over 20 nations.
The winning teams will receive trophies from the Formula1 teams and get to spend time in the pits and meeting the drivers at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The F1 in Schools World Finals is in Kuala Lumpur from September 19-21.