Students drive towards Formula 1 success

TRANSITION year students at a Northside secondary school are hoping they will have the right formula for success when they take part in a major competition.

Aran Laird, Jack Wynne, Oliver Browne, Paddy O’Donnell, Sean McSweeney and Thomas Moore – students at St Fintan’s High School, Sutton – are currently preparing their entry for this year’s F1 in Schools challenge.

The global competition, which starts with regional finals, challenges the students to build a miniature Formula 1 car made out of balsa wood. The students design the car and get it manufactured in a CNC Router (computer controlled shaping machine).

This is the first year that St Fintan’s have entered a team (they have named it JAPSOT) into the prestigious competition.

Aran Laird, a member of JAPSOT, said the car must have a space at the back so a Co2 canister can fit into it to propel it along the track.

“The F1 cars weigh approximately 50-55 grams and can reach speeds up to 55mph on a 20-metre track,

? he said.

“So far, we have successfully made it through to the Leinster Regional Finals. We are currently designing the car and our main aim at the moment is to secure sponsorship for the tournament so that we can progress to the regional finals.

“It is a very expensive competition to be a part of, as we need funding for uniforms, transport, the material to build the car, printing costs and various other materials.

“We are currently contacting companies and businesses looking for sponsorship.

“We have also set up social pages on Facebook and Twitter, our name is JAPSOTracing, and we are also on the St Fintan’s High School website which is very popular.

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If any company or organisation would like to sponsor Team JAPSOT, you can contact them by emailing [email protected] or contact St Fintan’s High School on 01-8324632

Aran added:

“By the time, the regional finals take place in early March, the team will have quite a considerable amount of work completed and as a result, Team JAPSOT should excel at the regional finals.

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