Holden-Backed Thorpe Students Win at F1 in Schools

Holden Group is proud to celebrate the success of four talented Year 9 students from Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form, who have secured two prestigious awards at the Lenovo F1 in Schools competition. The regional finals, held on Wednesday, 29th January 2025, saw Team Rolling Thunder claim victory as Best Engineered Car winners and East Anglia Entry Class Champions.

The team – Charlie Dickerson, Jacob Soanes, Oscar Odell, and Isaac Berry – designed and built a miniature Formula 1 racing car to compete against schools from across the region. Their hard work and dedication paid off as they showcased their engineering prowess and teamwork in the international competition.

Their science teacher and F1 in Schools project coordinator, Mr. Alex Heard, said: “Charlie, Jacob, Oscar, and Isaac should be very proud of themselves. They have spent all their own time working on this as an extra-curricular project and thoroughly deserved to win. At the regional finals, they raced their car, which they designed themselves, against cars from other schools. They also had to give a verbal presentation of their design and engineering portfolio.”

F1 in Schools is a globally recognised initiative that promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. The competition challenges students to design a vehicle using CAD/CAM technology, manufacture it from an official F1 Model Block, and test its performance. The cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and run along a specially designed track.

An integral part of the competition is industry collaboration, where students seek sponsorship and develop a budget to support their project. Team Rolling Thunder contacted Holden Group and put together a presentation to gain sponsorship, enabling them to refine their design and compete at the highest level.

Mr. Heard added, “We’re all really grateful for the support we’ve had from our sponsors. Without Holden Group and our other sponsors, this success would not have been possible. This project has challenged the students to develop skills in engineering design, business, and entrepreneurship. Participating in F1 in Schools gives these students a massive boost, as they gain key STEM skills and business experience which will benefit them in further education and their future careers.”

The team’s victory at the regional finals means they will now advance to the Development Class, where they will compete against top teams from across the country. Should they continue their winning streak, there is a chance they could qualify for the world finals in Austin or Singapore.

Adam Ferjani, Group Marketing Manager at Holden Group, said: “We’re so pleased that the team came home with a win from their first competition. We’re very happy to be supporting them in the F1 in Schools competition. It’s such a good initiative. We look forward to seeing them progress in the Development Class.”

Holden Group is honoured to support young talent in STEM and looks forward to following Team Rolling Thunder’s journey as they continue to excel in the F1 in Schools competition.