Tayside played host to the exciting Scottish Regional Finals of F1 in Schools at the Innovation Hub MSIP, with more than 90 school children from across Scotland competing to see whose miniature F1 car could take the title and win a place on the F1 in Schools podium.
Following a successful funding bid from Michelin Community Support, Angus Council's Angus Virtual School collaborated with F1 in Schools to introduce the project to our secondary school curriculum, resulting in a new regional final in Tayside.
The event saw school children from across Scotland including teams from Angus, Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh take to the racetrack to compete against each other after designing and building their own miniature F1 cars over the last few months.
F1 in schools is an innovative STEM competition that challenges children to run their own F1 team. From concept to completion, school children take on various roles such as team manager, design engineer, manufacturing engineer, social media and marketing manager, finance and resource manager and graphic designer. Their task: to design, build, test and race their own miniature F1 race car, combining creativity and technical skills in a highly engaging project. This exciting initiative will spark a passion for engineering, design and enterprise among young people across the region.
By participating in F1 in schools, students also become eligible for the Young STEM Leader Level 4 Award, recognising their leadership and contribution to STEM activities within their communities.
Tom Milner, UK and I National Project Manager F1 in Schools said:
“F1 in Schools is delighted to host an event in partnership with Angus Council in the Tayside region at the Michelin Innovation Hub. We are excited to have an extra regional final in a different area of Scotland to get more schools and young people involved in an amazing competition.
“Today all the teams did a fantastic job and we’re proud of the work and effort the young people put into their projects. The schools will be delighted to continue the growth of F1 in Schools in Angus and Tayside, getting more schools and young people involved in STEM education and we look forward to hosting the event in 2025/26.”
Angus Council’s Convener of Family, Education and Justice, Cllr Lynne Devine, said:
“We are delighted to see the F1 in Schools Scottish Regional Finals come to Tayside. This initiative not only introduces young people to the exciting world of engineering and design but also fosters essential life skills like teamwork, problem-solving and leadership – and all in such a fun way!”
“It was great to see so many Angus teams make these finals and perform exceptionally well. I hope everyone had a great time and take away memories and lessons that will inspire them in the future.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Tay Cities Engineering Partnership, Michelin Community Support and our own schools team who have worked with F1 in Schools to bring the Scottish Regional Finals to Tayside. A big thank you for making it such a success.”
Gill Simpson, Marketing and Innovation Director at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc said:
“We are thrilled to host the Angus F1 in Schools STEM Challenge, an exceptional program that ignites passion for STEM in young minds through creativity, teamwork, and hands-on engineering. By giving students, the chance to design, build, and race their own miniature F1 cars, we’re not only sparking their curiosity in science, technology, engineering, and maths but also providing a unique pathway toward future innovation. Supporting an event like this aligns perfectly with our mission to foster creativity, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving, and we can’t wait to see the energy these young innovators bring to the track!”