(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM))

ABU DHABI, 10th December, 2017 (WAM) -- The best young race teams in the UAE went head to head for a shot at glory in the 'National Finals of the F1 in Schools – The Formula One STEM Challenge'.

Held at Yas Conference Centre within Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the contest saw teams of students from schools all across the Emirates face off against each other using miniature race cars, each designed and built by the youngsters themselves.

The annual competition, created to encourage excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, challenged the students to create their own Formula 1 team and to design, build and race scale model cars at the Circuit.

A 20-metre indoor track at Yas Marina Circuit witnessed some amazing action. Racing in pairs and powered by carbon dioxide cartridges, the small wooden cars sped along the straight course at speeds of up to 80km/h.

Not only challenging for a shot at glory in the UAE National Finals, the teams were also competing for the chance to fly the UAE flag against hundreds of students from all over the world at next year's F1 in Schools World Championship finals, to be held in Singapore.

In a fantastic day of action, team Neutrino from Cambridge International School Dubai were crowned National Champions in the Professional category, with the Blu Comet Racing team from GEMS World Academy Dubai named champions in the Rookie category. Blu Comet also picked up awards for fastest car and best verbal presentation.

Paul Bray, F1 in Schools Specialist, said, "We have been hugely impressed by the quality of the entrants in this year's contest. Yas Marina Circuit is proud to support the spirit of innovation in students across the UAE and we wish the winners success at the World Championships next year."

Abdulla Al Shammari, Community Manager at Yas Marina Circuit, said, "This year's National Finals of the F1 in Schools – The Formula One STEM Challenge was bigger and better than ever with more schools competing from both the private and public sector."

WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Nour Salman

MENAFN1012201700610000ID1096213737