* 110 school teams across Greenpower’s IET Formula 24 and IET Formula 24+ race categories to compete in Greenpower’s 2015 International Final * Silverline Corporate Challenge and Kit Car Final to also be held at Rockingham * Entries from the USA, Poland, Portugal and UK make for full and global grids * Free to attend event, with ‘Science and Engineering Fair’ and Goblin car test-drives available to primary school children
The charity Greenpower Education Trust, working internationally to promote sustainable engineering among the next generation of engineers, hosts its 2015 International Final at Rockingham on 10-11 October.
New to the Northamptonshire based track, this is the first time Greenpower’s International Final will be contested on the 1.48 mile American-style banked oval circuit. Rockingham's oval is unique in the UK and one of only two speedways in Europe.
110 school teams across Greenpower’s IET Formula 24 (11-16 year olds) and IET Formula 24+ (16-25 year olds) race categories will compete at the International Final along with 40 Kit Car teams and a host of entrants in the Silverline Corporate Challenge. Participants come from all over the UK, with teams also entered from the USA, Poland and Portugal.
The sustainably-powered F24 and F24+ single-seaters all feature the same electric motor and 12 volt batteries supplied by Greenpower. Students put the cars together themselves as part of an enhanced STEM education programme, and design their own bodywork using Siemens Solid Edge software.
Charity patron David Richards CBE, Chairman of Aston Martin and Prodrive, will be in attendance to support the young racers, as will TV’s ‘face of technology’, Jason Bradbury, commentating on proceedings as well as hosting the International Final prize giving.
Entry to Rockingham for the International Final is charged at £5 per car for spectators. As part of the ‘Science and Engineering Fair’, hosted by Greenpower over the weekend, there will be interactive stands from various institutions and engineering companies including Siemens, McLaren Automotive, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and MIRA.
There will also be an opportunity for young guests to try out a Greenpower Goblin car, designed and built by one of the many primary schools taking part in the Greenpower Goblin entry-level race category.
Greenpower Education Trust CEO, Jeremy Way, said: “Our International Final is the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work by schools, colleges and universities who have competed in the series of Greenpower heats held throughout 2015.
“As our flagship event, it’s not only a celebration of the very best young engineering talent in our country, and from further afield, but an opportunity to show what’s possible in terms of sustainable engineering and design. We are proud to be hosting our final at Rockingham and especially look forward to the Siemens Digital Award being judged by McLaren Automotive, Red Bull Technology and Nissan.
“We also have some exciting announcements to make on-event about educational boards and institutions who will be supporting Greenpower this academic year.”
The provisional timetable for the weekend is as follows:
Saturday 10 October
08:30 Scrutineering
09:30 Practice
11:30 Lunch break
12:30 Kit Car Final (F24)
14:30 LAP RACE (F24+)
16:00 Practice
17:30 Prize giving
Sunday 11 October 08:15 Scrutineering 08:40 Team briefing 09:00 Practice laps and exhibition opens 10:10 Additional team briefing 10:30 F24 team parade 11:00 - 12:30 F24 race 1 13:00 - 14:00 F24+ and Silverline Corporate Challenge races 14:45 - 16:15 F24 race 2 16:45 Prize giving 16:45 Exhibition close
