The defending 2010 F1 in Schools World Championship Unitus Racing team, a collaborative effort between Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke and Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida has become the first team in the history of F1 in Schools championships to win back-to-back podium finishes. The team won the world title a year ago today in Singapore and finished in third place overall at the 2011 event which concluded wednesday at the Hilton Doubletree in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The competition is in its 11th year. The point spread was very tight for the top three spots with Unitus Racing only 7 points away from winning the first place award again. Pentagliders from Australia won the first place Bernie Ecclestone Trophy with second place awarded to Team Betagreen from Germany. A total of 24 teams represented 18 countries at the competition.
“We are really proud of our strong finish and happy to bring home another trophy to the USA,” stated PH Student Niemann Pest, Unitus Design & Manufacturing Engineer.
Unitus Racing had the 4th fastest car in time trials and the design and engineering were deemed tops by a panel of international judges. The team delivered a flawless verbal presentation and garnered top points for their pit display and printed materials.
“Never before has the same team stood on the podium two times,” said Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools. “Unitus Racing has done that two years in a row with a world championship and a third place finish among the best and brightest students in the world. They have done an outstanding job representing the USA on the world stage. These students represent the next generation of entrepreneurs and engineers.”
F1 In Schools is an international event open to middle and high school students who design and manufacture miniature, CO2-powered balsa wood F1 race cars. Unitus’ cars traveled down a 60’ track in just over a second. In addition to the design and manufacture of the cars, teams must deliver a 10 minute verbal presentation, undergo a 30-minute engineering interview and as well as design and construct a large display.
