Discover
Entered the programme through sponsorship and marketing, developing an initial understanding of the competition.
DESIGN · CFD · MANUFACTURING · TEAM LEADERSHIP
FORMULA ONE IN SCHOOLS
Developing a national-final competition car through CAD, aerodynamic development, manufacturing and team leadership.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
From first involvement to leading the complete team.
My involvement in Formula One in Schools began within sponsorship and marketing before developing into a stronger interest in the technical design and manufacture of the car.
I progressed through roles in design and manufacturing before becoming Team Manager, where I combined engineering responsibilities with managing the wider team and development process.
The project developed my experience in CAD, CFD, engineering drawings, manufacturing and technical decision-making within a competitive engineering environment.
DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
Growing responsibility through the programme.
Design
Moved into CAD development and began contributing directly to the engineering of the car.
Manufacture
Developed a stronger understanding of how designs needed to change for practical manufacture.
Lead
Progressed into Team Manager while continuing to contribute technically across the vehicle.
01
VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT
National Final Car
The vehicle was developed through iterative CAD and aerodynamic analysis, with the aim of producing a competitive car while remaining within the manufacturing and competition constraints.
- Developed the vehicle geometry using CAD.
- Used aerodynamic analysis to refine the external surfaces.
- Iterated the design around competition and manufacturing constraints.
- Supported the progression of the car through to the national final.
- Achieved a drag coefficient of 0.29.
ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT
Using simulation to guide design rather than simply validate it.
02
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS
Aerodynamic Development
CFD and aerodynamic visualisation were used to investigate the airflow around the car and support design changes throughout development.
- Assessed airflow behaviour around the complete vehicle.
- Used simulation results to guide geometry refinement.
- Investigated aerodynamic performance through iterative design.
- Developed experience using STAR-CCM+ and Autodesk Flow Design.
03
TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
Engineering Drawings
Detailed drawings and assembly documentation were produced to communicate geometry, component interfaces and manufacturing information clearly.
04
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
From Sketches to CAD
The design process developed from initial sketches and component concepts into increasingly detailed CAD models and technical documentation.
- Explored multiple vehicle concepts before detailed CAD development.
- Used sketches to investigate packaging and aerodynamic ideas.
- Converted design concepts into controlled CAD geometry.
- Refined components through repeated simulation and review.
05
TEAM LEADERSHIP
Engineering & Team Management
Becoming Team Manager required the engineering programme to be considered alongside team organisation, communication and workload management.
Technical Direction
Helped guide the overall design and manufacturing direction of the vehicle.
Delegation
Distributed responsibilities while maintaining awareness of progress across the wider project.
Communication
Ensured engineering decisions and project requirements were communicated effectively within the team.
PROJECT REFLECTION
The project that started my interest in engineering.
Formula One in Schools developed my early experience in CAD, manufacturing and aerodynamic analysis while introducing me to the process of developing a complete engineering product.
Progressing into a leadership role also developed my ability to communicate technical decisions, organise work and contribute across multiple areas of a project rather than focusing on one individual component.