Goodwood Motor Circuit will host inaugural International Final of Greenpower Education Trust championships on Sunday October 12
Free to enter event also marks Greenpower’s 16th National Finals for UK entrants
Greenpower Education Trust’s championships provide young people with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in environmentally-sustainable engineering and technology
The Greenpower Education Trust charity (www.greenpower.co.uk) will hold its first ever International Final at Goodwood Motor Circuit on Sunday, October 12.
More than 100 teams of aspiring young engineers – ranging from secondary school level to graduates from all over the globe – will compete in three of Greenpower’s race categories in the 16th running of the charity’s season finale, which is free to visit.
With 87,000 new engineers a year required to sustain the UK industry to 2020, Greenpower runs a series of learning-based activities designed to get young people inspired to consider engineering as a career. Currently working with 500 schools, colleges and universities and 9,000 students in the UK, Greenpower aims to double domestic participation by 2020, while also expanding globally.
Patrons David Richards CBE, Chairman of Aston Martin and Prodrive, and the Earl of March, whose Goodwood Festival of Speed has become the premier motor show in Britain, will be on hand on October 12 to see students compete for the overall crown in Greenpower’s IET Formula 24 (11-16 year olds), IET Formula 24+ (16-25 year olds) and Silverline Corporate Challenge categories.
Leading the international charge will be the newly-formed Team USA, a project backed by engineering and electronics giant, Siemens, a long-time partner and supporter of Greenpower’s work. Further competing teams will come from South Africa, Poland, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland.
Greenpower CEO, Jeremy Way, said: “The International Final is the culmination of the last year of competition across our various classes. This year, the event is going to be bigger and better than ever, with the National Final for UK entrants being joined by teams coming from outside the UK for the first time.
“There will be a host of exciting attractions off track too, which will make it a real family day out as well as the climax of our race championships.
“We are keen to show as many students, teachers, schools and colleges as possible what Greenpower is all about so I hope lots of people who might be interested in incorporating Greenpower into their curriculum come along to check us out.”
The Greenpower initiative was named as the official education partner to the new-for-2014 FIA Formula E Championship earlier this year; Greenpower will work with schools in each of the cities visited by Formula E between January and June 2015, running support races at each round and giving it a truly global platform from which to expand internationally.
The Formula E support race car will be on display at the International Final as part of a ‘Science and Engineering Fair’, which will host interactive stands from various institutions and engineering companies, including Siemens and Nissan.
In keeping with the core sustainable engineering theme of Greenpower, Nissan will exhibit its pioneering, all-electric LEAF Nismo RC racing car and TV’s ‘face of technology’, Jason Bradbury, will commentate on proceedings as well as presenting the trophies at the end of the on-track competition.
There will be an opportunity for the youngest guests to try out a Greenpower Goblin category car, designed and built by one of the many primary schools taking part in the Greenpower ‘ladder’ of championships and a presentation will be given for schools interested in participating next season.
For more information about Greenpower or the International Final, please visit www.greenpower.co.uk.
