F1 in Schools Ireland is delighted to announce a three-year title sponsor partnership with Medtronic, the leading global medical technology company based in Ireland, to grow the F1 in Schools program. As part of their STEM programme, Medtronic will sponsor the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge for three years and will also support the first ever TV broadcast of the event on TG4, bringing the excitement of F1 in Schools racing to homes across the country.

Team Quintolux, 2020 F1 in Schools Ireland National Champions
The competition, which is in its 15th year in Ireland, challenges secondary school students to design, build and race their very own miniature Formula One cars. Medtronic’s partnership with the programme will help expand the competition to include more than 1,500 annual participating students over the next three years.
Speaking about the partnership, Damien Joyce, Engineering Director and STEM Program Lead at Medtronic, commented “Medtronic is delighted to expand our partnership with F1 in Schools as this national competition focuses on developing and nurturing students’ STEM skills. Developing a pipeline of talent for Medtronic is a priority for us. We value the focus that F1 in Schools places on key competencies like manufacturing, strategy and critical thinking, while honing IT and finance skills.”
F1 in Schools is a global science and technology challenge which involves teams of 3-6 students manufacturing a 1:20 scale Formula One car using advanced engineering tools, with cars reaching speeds of over 100km/h as they race down a 20 metre track. Teams compete at a regional and national level to win the chance to represent Ireland at the F1 in Schools World Finals – scheduled to take place in Singapore in October 2021. “We look forward to working with the F1 in Schools’ team to share our employees’ skills and passions to drive school participation and compete at the World Finals,” Joyce outlined.

Team Quintolux Car, F1 in Schools Ireland National Final 2020
Aaron Hannon, National Director of F1 in Schools Ireland, emphasised the benefits of the new partnership in reaching new cohorts of students through the programme. “At F1 in Schools, one of our primary aims is to open opportunities for young people, especially those from under-represented groups in STEM, to see science and technology in a whole new light. This year, we’ve seen more female students and more students from DEIS schools participating than ever before. We strongly believe that STEM careers should be a viable pathway for any student. With a partner like Medtronic, which has such a strong culture of promoting young Irish talent to global opportunities, we increase our ability to achieve our objectives.”
The 2021 F1 in Schools National Final in association with Medtronic is due to be broadcast on TG4 television on May 23rd 2021. Registration for the 2021/22 season opens in the Autumn, with more information available at www.f1inschools.ie.
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