Bardahl Racing from St David’s Holy Faith Secondary School in Greystones, Co Wicklow, has won the Best Engineered Car Award at the recent F1 in Schools World Finals held in Austin, Texas. The team comprises of Patrick Flaherty, Conor Darcy, Christopher Lynch and Joseph Moran. Bardahl Racing, who are the current national champions, also won the award for Young ICT Person of the Year for their achievements in the F1 in Schools competition. F1 in Schools challenges secondary-level students to create their own Formula One team, which is commissioned to design, engineer, manufacture and race the ‘Formula One Car of the Future’. Each team creates a 210mm-long scale model designed using 3D solid modelling software and machined from a block of balsa wood, incorporating 3D print technology in its rear and front wings. At the World Finals, each team brought along a pit display, their cars and portfolio, as well as having prepared a verbal presentation for the judges – one of whom was Gary Anderson, former technical director at Jordan Grand Prix. “I’m always blown away by the professionalism, innovation, engineering capabilities and overall dedication shown by the World Finals teams. This year, there was an incredibly high standard of work and it made it very difficult to judge,” said Andrew Denford, founder and chair of F1 in Schools. The Bardahl Team also got the chance to visit the McLaren F1 garage ahead of the United States Grand Prix, before returning to Ireland and back to the daily grind of the classroom. Another St David’s Team, the Koni Kats, won the top prize at F1 in Schools with their car in 2009.