Speed Sponsor
16 March 2010
Costain sponsorship helped a team of student racers power their
way to the national finals of the Formula 1 (F1) in Schools
Technology Challenge.
The competition challenges students to design, build and race a
model F1 car made from a block of balsa wood and powered by a
compressed air canister. Points are awarded not only for design and
speed but also marketing and presentation.
The car designed by Stephanie Thompson, daughter of Costain's
James Thompson, Emma Banerjee, Hannah Ward and Zoe Irwin from West
Houghton High School, Bolton covered 20 metres in just 1.137
seconds to win the north west regional heat. At the national finals
held at the NEC, Birmingham, the car went even quicker, clocking
1.124 seconds to make it third fastest of the 30 competing cars and
only 0.011 seconds behind the fastest. The students, known as Team
Wipeout, were placed fourth overall.
Costain's sponsorship helped the team develop the car and buy
materials.
Proud dad James, Aftercare Manager on the Greater Manchester
Waste Project, (a Costain contract) says the students were:
"disappointed not to win but they know that it wasn't for want of
trying - they gave it their best.
And he says they will be back on the grid next year: "This
year's performance was a massive improvement on what they did last
year. Hopefully in next year's competition, with slight
improvements to the car, they'll be able to improve even more."
ends