Students Display Design and Engineering Excellence at International Challenge - F1 in Schools Hong Kong Finals 2022 concluded on a high note with 3 Hong Kong winning teams entering the World Finals 2023

(Hong Kong, 17 December 2022) The F1 in Schools Hong Kong Finals 2022 hosted by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today brought together young and bright STEM talents in the city to compete for the regional champion title. A total of 72 secondary school students in Hong Kong participated in the final rounds of the regional competition and showcased their engineering brilliance and perseverance. The top 3 winning teams Baptist Wing Lung Secondary School – Lion Rock, Lingnan Dr Chung Wing Kwong Memorial Secondary School – CWKAccurateTeam, and Ju Ching Chu Secondary School (Yuen Long) - JTCU will represent Hong Kong, China at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2023, a five-day event at a Grand Prix venue next year.

Established in 1999 in the United Kingdom, the programme has involved over 26,000 schools across 50 regions. The 2022 World Final was held at the Wing International Conference and Exhibition Centre in Silverstone, UK, attracting 53 teams from 25 countries to compete.

F1 in Schools is a non-profit international programme and challenge which aims to provide systematic workshops to improve students’ STEM expertise, project management skills, and the ability to collaborate through engaging and practical means. Participants have to go through multiple trainings on using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) tools to create compressed air-powered miniature race cars for their own team, which are their key instruments to compete in the F1 in Schools challenge. This year, it is launched in Hong Kong for the first time.

Supported by the General Support Programme of the Innovation and Technology Fund of the HKSAR Government, HKPC has conducted a series of F1 in Schools Hong Kong workshops and competitions for secondary academia over the past five months. Students can then apply what they have learnt in the workshops by participating in the Hong Kong competition with the goal of entering and winning the World Finals. HKPC is committed not only to supporting Hong Kong enterprises with world-class advanced technologies and innovative service offerings, but also nurturing STEAM talents with technology education and training courses, thus maintaining Hong Kong’s overall competitiveness. It has been working alongside the Hong Kong coordinator of the programme, Yondar Limited (Yondar), to establish the first F1 in Schools research and manufacturing centre in Hong Kong, providing a miniature racing car manufacturing and analysis laboratory for schools in Hong Kong that intend to implement F1 in Schools programme, with the aim of cultivating the next generation of engineers and promoting the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong for a better future.

The F1 in Schools Hong Kong challenge consists of two racing classes - Development Class (Preliminary rounds), and Professional Class (Finals). Since September this year, 126 secondary school students have participated in the F1 in Schools Hong Kong challenge. Participants have competed in teams, while each team represents a secondary school. Following the preliminary rounds in November, 12 teams qualified for the Hong Kong Finals today. Ultimately, the following 3 winning teams will represent Hong Kong at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2023:

1. Baptist Wing Lung Secondary School - Lion Rock (Champion)
2. Lingnan Dr Chung Wing Kwong Memorial Secondary School - CWKAccurateTeam (1st Runner-Up)
3. Ju Ching Chu Secondary School (Yuen Long) - JTCU (Second Runner-Up)

Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC, said, “HKPC is very honoured to welcome F1 in Schools courses and competition to Hong Kong, and play host to the programme. We are also very grateful to the Innovation and Technology Commission for funding this event to take place in Hong Kong. It is really encouraging to see there has been active participation in this F1 in Schools event. To promote and support the continuous development of this programme in Hong Kong, HKPC also takes advantage of today’s event to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hong Kong Automobile Association (HKAA) and the Hong Kong coordinator of F1 in Schools, Yondar, pledging to jointly promote and hold F1 in Schools activity in Hong Kong, so that more local students will have the opportunity to take part in this international STEM learning programme.”

Under the collaboration, HKPC, HKAA and Yondar will join forces to organise three “Development Class” and one “Professional Class” competitions each year, and expand F1 in Schools programme to primary and secondary schools and the STEAM education community in Hong Kong.

With the objective of cultivating engineers of the future, F1 in Schools Hong Kong will continue to make learning experience more interactive and fun through collaborative sessions, technical engineering processes, and exciting competitions.

- Ends -

Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC (right), took part in a friendly race at F1 in Schools Hong Kong Finals 2022

Witnessed by Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC (back row, right), and Dr Ringo LEE, President of the Hong Kong Automobile Association (HKAA) (back row, left), Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC (front row, centre), Mr Owen CHAN, Chief Executive of HKAA (front row, right), and Mr Kelvin SHEK, International Director of Yondar & Coordinator of F1 in Schools Hong Kong (front row, left) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to promote and hold F1 in Schools activities in Hong Kong

The champion, 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up of F1 in Schools Hong Kong Finals 2022 posed for a photo with the awards presenters

Group photo of F1 in Schools Hong Kong Finals 2022 participants and awards presenters