Vintius Racing, an 'F1 in Schools' team from Marist College Athlone, Co Westmeath, has achieved second place in the national finals and has qualified for the F1 in Schools World Finals in Abu Dhabi next November, writes Conor McNamara. Formula 1 in Schools is an international STEM challenge where teams of students from the age of nine to 19 use CAD 3D modelling software to design miniature Formula One cars. They are then analysed, manufactured and rigorously tested with the aim of designing the world’s fastest F1 in Schools car. [caption id="attachment_49923" align="alignright" width="300"] L-R: Marist College Athlone team members Ronan Bars, Eoghan Carroll, Conor McNamara, Michael Munnelly, Callum McKnight and Brian O'Hara Duggan.[/caption] Teams must also raise sponsorship funds from businesses to pay for team expenses. It is recognised internationally as a great introduction for students to engineering, technology and team management. Each year, the three winning teams of the national finals qualify for the world finals. This year’s Irish national finals took place on April 5 in TU Dublin. Each team had to present its project as a team, show its 'pit display', conduct interviews, and race their high-speed cars.

Engineering the F1 car

Vintius Racing consists of two engineers who are responsible for creating their miniature car. Eoghan Carroll, the design engineer, conducted a large amount of research in advanced aerodynamics. The car design is required to pass a list of the competition’s strict regulations, which are similar to the official F1 sport regulations. Their car was designed on SolidWorks, a popular CAD software. Knowledge of this software can be useful for subjects such as DCG or technology. Alexander Farrell, the manufacturing engineer, made the design a reality by collaborating with the Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) which helped 3D print and CNC mill their car. He was also responsible for choosing a lightweight yet strong material to manufacture the car. [caption id="attachment_49937" align="alignright" width="300"] A prototype F1 car being developed in CAD software.[/caption] The car is shot down the 20-metre track by a compressed C02 cartridge. Vintius Racing had the second fastest car in the competition at 1.107 seconds. The team is hoping to break the one-second-barrier on the track with more research for the world finals.

Team member roles

“Our team name comes from the Celtic God of Wind,” said Michael Munnelly, the graphic designer of Vintius Racing. "This reflects both our Irish heritage and our goal to make a fast and powerful car.” Munnelly created many of the team's promotional materials using Adobe products such as Photoshop. The team manager, Conor McNamara, worked with all team members and helped in all areas of the competition. He managed the team’s finances and inventory, as well as acquiring sponsors to raise the funds required to manufacture the car. For the world finals, the team will need to raise €30,000 to pay for expenses such as accommodation and travel. The other team members are Brian O’Hara Duggan, project manager, and Callum McKnight, marketing manager. O’Hara Duggan outlined tasks and set deadlines for each team member to follow, while McKnight was responsible for PR and building the brand. He was also in charge of sponsor relationships.

The competition

If you are in secondary school and have any interest in technology or engineering, the F1 in Schools competition can help prepare you for a future career in engineering, IT, graphic design and more. [caption id="attachment_49938" align="alignright" width="169"] Brian O'Hara Duggan preparing to race.[/caption] The team would also like to acknowledge some of their sponsors: • Advanced NDT Solutions: an advanced non-destructive testing service company with years of experience in multiple fields such as pharmaceutical chemistry; • Newell Roofing Products: a Galway-based manufacturer and distributor of commercial, industrial and agricultural roofing products; • Patrick McKnight Roofing: an established Athlone based roofing contractor, specialising in copper, zinc and silicone membrane flat roofs. Contact: Coolvuck Lower, Coolvuck, Co Westmeath. Tel: 087 613 8811. For regular updates on Vintius racing’s progress on their way to Abu Dhabi follow them on Instagram and Twitter @VintiusRacing. For more information check out the team's website at www.vintiusracing.com.