Kirkcudbright Academy has reinforced its remarkable Formula 1 heritage by racing to success in a national model car competition.
Pupils competed in the internationally-run F1 in Schools project which tests out entrants’ design and construction skills acquired through learning in the four STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths.
Two Kirkcudbright teams took the honours following live races of their F1 model cars in the Scottish finals – Galloway Engines (research and development) and Stewartry Racers (best engineered car).
Depute rector Raymond Henry guided the young Kirkcudbright designers from the grid to the chequered flag.
He said: “Students at the academy entered six teams, of between three and six members, into a school based competition that required them to market, design and construct a model F1 car which was then raced along a 25-metre track.
“The top two entry level teams and two development teams then progressed to the Scottish finals.”
Kirkcudbright is believed to be the only school in the world to have had two former students as Formula 1 race winners, David Coulthard and Innes Ireland.
Coulthard won 13 grand prix overall and finished runner-up in the 2001 World Drivers Championship while Ireland amassed four GP wins and claimed fourth place in the 1960 championship.
F1 in Schools is the only educational programme that raises awareness of STEM and Formula 1 among young students across the world.
The challenge involves using IT to learn about physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding, graphics, sponsorship and marketing.
Mr Henry said: “Each team had to develop a marketing strategy which required them to seek sponsorship for the running of the team, design the race car using industrial standard CAD software, analyse the aerodynamics using both virtual and real time wind tunnels and manufacture the car using both 3D printing techniques and CNC router.
“The academy and students would like to thank all those involved in providing support, through sponsorship and financial donations – Digital Extra and Solway Community Partnership who provided the funding for the equipment required to run the competition, and David Coulthard, Kirkcudbright Rotary, Paul Tebay, Selkirk Arms Hotel, William Paul Motor Engineering, WC in Fields, MW Engineering and Manufacturing, Gallovidia Books, Pleat, Amalgam Collection, Station House Cookery School, Lipton-Chaney Architects
for their sponsorship of individual teams.”
