Greek team named champions at F1 in Schools World Finals

Infinite Racing from Greece picked up the prestigious Bernie Ecclestone trophy on Wednesday evening after taking top honours in the F1 in Schools World Finals in Austin. The team of students from Mandoulides School beat Australian squad Infinitude into second place, with Endeavour from Germany taking the final podium spot.

A total of 23 awards were presented at the event’s gala dinner, attended by an array of famous F1 faces, with Infinite Racing also taking the Pressure Challenge Award, the Knockout Competition Award and Team Website Award. As World Champions they win coveted City University London and UCL Engineering scholarships.

"It was an amazing night,” said Andreas Papamavros from Infinite Racing. “We were very surprised to be champions, we did everything we could and hoped for a good position, but we really didn't expect to win. Our secret to success was the teamwork and our manufacturing, which was excellent - good solid engineering and getting the best results from every team member is the key to our win. We are just amazed to be champions, it's been such a lifetime experience, we are all thrilled with our achievements."

F1 in Schools challenges students to create their own Formula One team which is commissioned to design, construct and race the fastest miniature Formula One Car of the Future; a 21cm long scale model built from the F1 in Schools model block and powered by a compressed air cylinder. Each team of between three and six students creates a ‘pit' display and showcases their work in developing their race car. At the World Finals each team brings along a pit display, their cars and portfolio, as well as having prepared a verbal presentation for the judges. The cars race on a 20 metre track, with the cars covering the distance in around one second.

Infinite Racing’s triumph brought with it another very special opportunity - to race a McLaren Racing F1 in Schools car. Two graduate engineers at the championship-winning Formula One team had taken on the tough challenge of designing and making an F1 in Schools car, as well as their own Launch Energy Recovery System (LERS). It was the Greek youngsters who just pipped the newcomers to take another win.

"It was very close racing, but we had the passion, our reaction time was good and we won, both against our Greece rivals and the Formula One team,” added Andreas Papamavros. “Our car has run superbly and has proved to be quick, both with and without LERS, we're really pleased to have won tonight."

This week’s F1 in Schools 2016 World Finals took place over three days of intense competition, featuring 39 teams from 23 countries. After all their hard work the students will be rewarded with a trip to the Circuit Of The Americas for a pit-lane walk and the opportunity to attend the 2016 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.