Career
Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals 2024: The winners, the prizes, and how to get involved
by Samarth Kanal
6min read
Prestigious STEM competition F1 in Schools crowned its latest winner at the Dhahran Expo in Saudi Arabia after months of preparation plus regional and national events.
Fifty-five teams competed to be crowned Aramco F1 in Schools 2024 World Champions in this year’s event - and German team ‘evolut1on’ from Karl-Maybach-Gymnasium came out the winner in this year’s Aramco World Finals.
The team of four students aged 16 to 17 claimed the title after three days of competition against 54 other teams from 25 countries.
Here’s what happened in the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals, plus a guide to how F1 in Schools works - and how students from around the world can get involved with this global programme.
Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals winner evo1ution captured its victory with a selfie
What is F1 in Schools?
F1 in Schools is an international initiative that introduces students aged nine to 19 to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects through the creation of a miniature Formula 1 car.
Teams deploy Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to collaborate, design, analyse, manufacturer, test, and then race mini F1 cars powered by compressed air.
Teams also raise their own sponsorship and manage budgets to fund research, travel and accommodation; F1 in Schools takes a holistic approach to teaching STEM students about motorsport and adjacent industries.
Students therefore immerse themselves within the physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding, graphics sponsorship, marketing, leadership, media skills and finance of running a race team.
The first step to joining F1 in Schools is by visiting the international section of the official website.
From there, you will be able to choose your country and find further details on how to get involved and register a team for your regional finals - and hopefully make it to the world finals.
Students aged nine to 19 across the globe compete in this competition that gives unrivalled insight into the world of F1, motorsport, engineering, marketing, and much more.
55 teams from 25 countries competed in the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals
The journey to the 2024 Aramco World Finals - and the prize
More than 450 students attended the 2024 Aramco in Schools World Finals in Saudi Arabia after months of regional and national competitions. The top-performing teams from the regional competitions progressed to national competitions and the national winners were invited to the Aramco World Finals.
This year’s three-day contest included more than 140 races and the event was livestreamed online to viewers around the world. These races are drag races - straight line contests across a 20-metre track that tests the top speed, downforce, and aerodynamics of the miniature cars.
After elimination rounds on the first two days, 16 teams faced off on the final day of action in a tournament format that left two teams standing.
Portuguese team Triton won the knockout final with an average speed of 19.4 metres per second, beating Australian squad Lunar by just 0.4m/s.
Triton’s award was presented by Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team driver and two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso, awarding a miniature Pirelli Pole Position Award, mirroring those given to F1 grand prix drivers who set pole position.
Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team driver Fernando Alonso signs autographs for F1 in Schools participants
A new initiative for the next generation
Williams Racing has also launched a new programme, the Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy, for promising STEM students, providing - along with title sponsor Komatsu - valuable mentorship and support to 10 prize winners.
In 2025, this programme will offer 10 STEM students aged 16 and over access to work experience, mentorship and more. Thirty-five students were shortlisted for this initiative and all 10 winners were invited to receive their award and welcomed into the programme by the sporting director for Williams Racing, Sven Smeets.
The programme gives students:
- Access to work experience, internships, apprenticeships, and graduate roles across Williams and Komatsu
- Quarterly sessions with a Williams F1 engineer offering personalised guidance and industry insight
- Access to educational modules and tasks related to F1 to provide foundational knowledge in engineering
- Exclusive community building, learning, and networking opportunities across Williams and Komatsu
Williams Racing and Komatsu have collaborated with F1 in Schools to provide first-hand support, experience and mentorship for 10 students
This initiative was last run in 2019 - due to the subsequent global pandemic - and students received industrial placement opportunities at Williams, with two students being offered graduate roles within the vehicle design department at the F1 team in 2025.
Williams also runs a STEM education programme which has previously invited 5,000 schoolchildren to the team’s headquarters in Oxfordshire, UK, to introduce them to STEM careers in motorsport.
Williams team principal James Vowles said: “I’m pleased that we’re launching the Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy because discovering and developing the brightest and best talent regardless of background is something I hold close to my heart.
“We have a duty and responsibility to invest in future generations and support them to succeed. I know how powerful that can be as someone who was given a chance at the start of my career.
“This Academy will help both Williams and Komatsu find the future talent that will form the bedrock of our organisations, and is another demonstration of the beliefs we both share.”