Welcome to our FAQs
We hope you will find the FAQ section useful! While the purpose of this page is to answer most commonly asked questions, please let us know if anything needs to be added. If you’re not finding answers to your questions here, or in the COMPETE section of the website, feel free to contact us!
ARE THERE AGE LIMITS?
F1 in Schools is open to anyone aged 9 – 19 years old. There are 3 classes of entry: The Primary Class is aimed at elementary school students competing in the classroom. The Development and Professional Classes are aimed at the 11-19 age group and are a great fit for Middle School and High School students, respectively. Visit Competition Classes to learn more.
WHERE COULD F1 IN SCHOOLS TAKE YOU?
As a team, you will register to take part in your local Regional Finals where you will compete against other teams from your area. Regional winners will go through to the US National Finals to compete again against other regional winners for the title of US National Champions. This process is repeated around the world in over 51 countries where National Champions from every country are invited to compete at the World Finals where they will go head to head to become the F1 in Schools World Champions and lift the F1 in Schools World Champions trophy.
CAN OUR SCHOOL REGISTER MORE THAN 1 TEAM?
Yes, a school or organization can register up to unlimited teams for a competition with a Platinum Membership.
DOES MY TEAM HAVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SCHOOL?
While team members do not all have to attend the same school, for registration purposes, teams must associate with one of their schools. Generally, this is the school that most of the team members attend or where your Lead Adult teaches.
HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN BE IN THE TEAM?
A team must consist of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 team members
DO WE HAVE TO COMPETE AT A REGIONAL FINAL?
Nope! All teams for the 2023/24 school year will be eligible to compete at the National Finals in April of 2024. However, teams who started at the beginning of the school year are encouraged to participate in the Regional Checkpoint to gain experience, obtain judges’ feedback, and see their car race!
DOES OUR CAR HAVE TO BE MADE FROM THE OFFICIAL F1® MODEL BLOCK?
All Professional Class teams are required to use the Official F1 Model Block for their F1 in Schools race car. Body material will be scrutinized at the regional and national level and is a technical regulation requirement.
Development Class teams may manufacture their car body via 3D printing or CNC manufacturing with the Official F1 Model Block.
WHERE DO THE WORLD FINALS TAKE PLACE?
The World Finals takes place on an annual basis at a different location each year. The locations are usually set to coincide with a Formula One™ Grand Prix. Past locations have been Melbourne, Australia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; London, England; Singapore; Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Austin, USA.
CAN OUR TEAM COMPETE AT THE WORLD FINALS?
Your team must first compete in your in-country competition. The best teams from each country will then be put forward and will have the chance to represent their country along with teams from around the world at the F1 in Schools World Finals.
I want to compete! What do I need to do to be eligible for the 2023/24 North America National Finals?
In order to be eligible to compete at the US National Finals in the 2023/24 school year, teams must first affiliate with F1 in Schools North America (check out the “Affiliation Information” page). Registering your team gets you access to the Team Portal resources and links to register for competitions - it’s that simple! For more, check out the Steps to Competition page. Affiliation is open to all US and Canadian students (no prior experience necessary)!
What if my team doesn’t want to compete this year?
You can still affiliate your team so you can gain access to the Team Portal as your team works to prepare for future competition years! Resources such as the Virtual Training Guide and occasional live informational sessions may help your team along your way. If you need any additional help along the way, just reach out.