Ithra Announces the Participation of Three Saudi Teams in the F1 in Schools Competition

With the participation of 29 countries in Singapore

Ithra Announces the Participation of Three Saudi Teams in the F1 in Schools Competition

(Al-Dhahran – 10 September 2023) The F1 in Schools international competition kicked off in Singapore on Sunday morning. It is the second consecutive year that a Saudi team participated with the support of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and sponsorship by Saudi Aramco. The team went to Singapore after completing the training and qualification stages which consisted of eight months of local, regional and semi-final contests, leading up to the final stage in which three teams – Shaheen, Oryx and the Abiya team – were able to qualify for the international competition with 68 other teams representing 29 countries from all around the world.

Ithra announced the plan that was prepared for students before leaving the Kingdom, and the stages of preparation after they fulfilled many of the international competition requirements, including the creation of an F1 model car which could reach a speed of 0.159 and with a weight of 50g. The Center has also recognized the role played by Aramco in sponsoring the competition at the local and international levels, noting its efforts in supporting the youth to unleash their potential and participate in international events, emphasizing Ithra’s mission to nurture and develop young talents and hone their scientific skills, as well as to spread the culture of community engagement and achieve partnerships among different sectors. This is embodied by the agreement signed by the Center and the Ministry of Education to motivate and support students by spreading the spirit of competition among them.

The students have also expressed their readiness to face international teams and their willingness to benefit from all stages of training as well as local and regional competitions. They have also commended the emotional support endowed upon them by the Prince of the Eastern Province, HRH Saud Bin Nayef Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who encouraged and motivated the students and empowered them by spreading the spirit of positivity. This has boosted their sense of responsibility and their desire to achieve the competition’s objective of leaving the Kingdom’s footprint in all international activities and events, driven by the passion for creativity, as well as their sense of belonging and love of Saudi.

Nourh Al Zamil, manager of programs at Ithra, has also stated that: “The students’ participation in the F1 in Schools competition in Singapore affirms the Center’s vision and mission to support the youth, to help elevate their skills in engineering and mathematics, emphasizing the program’s STEM approach that develops students’ creativity and intellectual prowess, and foresees a promising pioneering future.” Al Zamil also emphasized that the program’s approach supports the youths’ entry into technical and engineering domains with high-level scientific design.

It is worth noting that the local competition consisted of 200 students who represented 50 schools from five Saudi cities. It comprised many rounds until only three teams consisting of 18 students remained based on the predefined criteria; and they were chosen by a jury consisting of local and international experts. The training was conducted by 25 professionals over the course of eight months, in the presence of accredited experts and jury members. The program targeted the Eastern Province, and in its current version, it includes five Saudi cities.

- The End -