Jersey kids enter the grid and throttle their way into the world of F1

F1 Bahrain GP photo credit: Sky Sports

Secondary school children in Jersey are being given the opportunity to get involved in the world of motorsports.

Digital Jersey and Skills Jersey have collaborated with F1 in Schools to bring the initiative to the island, making it a standalone region.

The arms-length organisation has ensured Jersey has the means to build, test and race the small-scale Formula 1 cars here, enabling the 18 teams to practice ahead of the regional finals in March 2025.

Teenagers have been tapping into STEM to engineer and create the cars, as well as their graphic design skills to make the livery and team shirts.

Aside from STEM, young people are encouraged to get behind the wheel to see who the best driver is and to network to find Jersey sponsors for their teams.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris. Credit: Sky Sports

Head of Projects at Digital Jersey, Sebastian Lawson saw F1 in Schools at the Singapore Grands Prix doing the grid walk and wanted children in Jersey to have the same opportunity.

"It's given us an amazing opportunity to take part in something that not only focuses on STEM but looks at partnerships with businesses in the island and try to engage with the business community.

"It also gives them the opportunity to get exposure in graphic design and making the car look good, and actually having a tangible project they can use in their university applications and going into the industry they've got a really good example of working collaboratively in a group."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Credit: Sky Sports

The Regional Finals will take place in March 2025, with the National Finals following shortly after in the north of England.

After, the World Champions will take place, with 2024's happening in Qatar.

Sebastian saw the 2023 World Finals in Singapore, with 68 teams taking to the track for the chance to win.

"We can only hope that some of the teams from Jersey will get from the National Finals in the UK to the World Finals at some point.

"We have got some teachers, in the island, who in their career they have actually managed to get a team from the Regional Championships in their local area to the World Finals, whilst they were coaching the team so we have the pedigree to make it happen."

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