Compete

Note. In 2024 the competition was rebranded from F1 in Schools to STEM Racing. The legacy f1inschools.com FAQ remains live and is the first-party source used here; the new brand's own site (reported as stemracing.com) was not reachable from this audit and should be link-checked before relying on it. National organisers may still use the old name.

Engineering Business

STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools)

STEM Racing, formerly the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge

Design, manufacture and race a miniature air-powered car, and run the team like a racing outfit. Rebranded from F1 in Schools to STEM Racing in 2024.

Run by STEM Racing (F1 in Schools), with national organisers

Official website Reviews and tips

Key facts

Eligible grades
Not confirmed. Check the organiser's rules before entering.
The organiser defines eligibility by age, not grade. Not converted.
Official divisions
Three classes: Entry Class for ages 11 to 14, then Development and Professional Classes for ages 11 to 19.
Based on the organiser's own divisions.
Eligible ages
Ages 11 to 19
Three classes: Entry Class for ages 11 to 14; Development and Professional Classes for ages 11 to 19. Age classes are set by each national organiser and may differ from the UK FAQ used here.
Source, checked 2026-09-01
Individual or team
Team · Not confirmed
Where it runs
In person · International
Entry cost
Several hundred to a few thousand dollars, often sponsor-fundedSet by each national organiser. Not stated on the official FAQ checked.
Registration deadline
Set locally, not published as a single national date Set by each national organiser. 2026-27 dates not confirmed.
Competition dates
Regional and national finals through the school year, world finals typically alongside a Formula 1 race weekend.
Difficulty
CompetitiveSerious preparation over a season. Advancing past the first round separates prepared students from unprepared ones.
Prizes
National titles, world finals qualification and scholarshipsNot stated on the official pages checked.

What STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools) is

F1 in Schools asks teams to design a miniature car in CAD, manufacture it from a standard balsa block, and race it down a twenty-metre track powered by a compressed air canister. The engineering is only half of it: teams also produce a design portfolio, secure sponsorship, build a brand and pit display, and present to judges. It runs in dozens of countries with a world final.

How the competition works

Teams design, analyse, manufacture, test and race miniature air-powered cars using professional CAD software. Cars may only be manufactured from the official F1 Model Block, which is checked at scrutineering.

Eligibility notes

National organisers run age classes. Check your country's organiser, since class boundaries and rules differ.

Is STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools) right for you?

Experience needed
None required, though CAD experience helps. Teams routinely start from zero.
Time commitment
A school year, with a few hours a week rising near competition.
What you actually do
Half engineering and half business. You will spend as much time on the portfolio, the sponsorship deck and the pit display as on the car itself, and the scoring reflects that.

A good fit if

  • You want a team with genuinely different roles rather than everyone doing the same thing
  • You are interested in motorsport, manufacturing or marketing
  • You want an internationally recognised competition outside the United States

Probably not for you if

  • Students who only want to build and not present
  • Teams unwilling to do the portfolio work, which carries a large share of the points

Compare this against competitions matched to you

Common mistakes

  • Treating the race time as the competition. It is typically a minority of the total score.
  • Leaving the portfolio to the end. It is a substantial document and judges read it closely.
  • Ignoring scrutineering rules. Cars are measured against the regulations and non-compliant cars are penalised or excluded.

How to register

  1. Find your national organiser through the international site, since everything below the world final runs nationally.
  2. Form a team and assign the required roles explicitly. The role structure is part of the judging.
  3. Get the current technical regulations. The car dimensions and materials are tightly specified and cars are scrutineered.
  4. Approach sponsors early. Fundraising is scored, not just practical.

Register on the official site

What skills you need

  • CAD design
  • Computational fluid dynamics
  • CNC manufacturing
  • Project management
  • Marketing and sponsorship
  • Verbal presentation

Recommended resources

Past problems and materials

Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

Is it available in my country?

F1 in Schools runs in dozens of countries through national organisers. Find yours through the international site; the national organiser sets rules, classes, fees and dates.

Do we need a CNC machine?

Cars are machined from a regulated block, and national organisers or partner schools commonly provide machining access. Ask your national organiser how manufacturing is handled in your region before assuming you need equipment.

Reviews, tips and resources from other students

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