“A Brilliant Way To Learn About STEM and Formula 1

Year Nine pupils attended an engaging STEM experience day at Williams Racing last Thursday, which involved hands-on learning and exposure to cutting-edge technology to explore careers and concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. The report below has been written by Year Nine pupils Hayden Lessimore, Jay Reddy, and Jack Vickers:

“Our visit to Williams Racing was an amazing experience that combined fun and learning. The first activity was a STEM project where we worked in teams of five to design and build a Formula 1 nose cone. Each team had a project manager, finance manager, and designer, and we had a £100,000 budget to spend on materials and crash tests. The aim was to create two prototypes and then a final design that could perform the best in a crash test. We were judged on the crash test score, our teamwork, our presentation, and how well we managed our budget. It was so much fun working together, and it showed us how important collaboration and careful planning are in engineering. The winning team did an amazing job with their crash test score and barely spent any of their budget!

Later in the day, we split into two groups to explore two amazing experiences and then swapped so we could try both. One group started with the esports racing simulators, where we raced each other on famous tracks like Silverstone, Monaco, and Las Vegas. The simulators were incredibly realistic, with proper F1 steering wheels, pedals, and top-of-the-line monitors. The staff were very helpful, fixing any issues and guiding us through the races. Meanwhile, the other group visited the Williams Racing Museum, home to the largest collection of F1 cars in the world. We were led around by experts who explained the technology and development of cars, showing us how Formula 1 has evolved over time. Seeing the iconic cars up close and learning about their engineering was fascinating. After the first session, the groups swapped so that everyone was able to experience both activities.

At the end of the day, we were all given a ‘goody’ bag filled with Williams merchandise, which was such an exciting surprise and a great way to remember the experience. It was an unforgettable day and a brilliant way to learn about STEM and Formula 1!”