'Inspired by eagle shape': How 20cm-long F1 car hit 80kmph on Yas Marina track

Khaleej Times

12 hours ago

A group of students from a Dubai school are making waves ahead of the F1 in Schools™ UAE National Finals with a miniature racing machine that blends smart engineering with real-world racing inspiration.
Their car, designed and built entirely by the student team known as Team Founders, is a sleek aerodynamic marvel and it's built for one thing — speed, reaching up to 80kmph.
The team's entry, developed under the rigorous guidelines of the F1 in Schools™ competition, is powered by a single 8-gram CO₂ cartridge. When launched, it sprints down a 20m track in just over a second.
Hannan Ali, head of enterprise at Team Founders, a six-member team, shared insights into the team's design process, as they gear up for the international STEM competition.
He said, 'The dimensions of the car are about 209mm long, 61mm wide and 70mm tall in accordance with the regulations. Additionally, the car weighs 50.1g which is just above the minimum weight,' said the Year 12 student at GEMS Founders School - Al Barsha.
'The key factors that influenced our car's design were the minimisation of drag, reduction of friction in the wheel system, and overall stability. We took inspiration from nature — specifically the streamlined shape of an eagle — as well as winning F1 in Schools teams and real-world motorsports like F1 and NASCAR.'
To bring their concept to life, the team turned to professional-grade tools. The car was fully designed in Fusion 360, a powerful 3D CAD/CAM software platform widely used in the engineering industry. They then ran simulations in Ansys CFD, a leading computational fluid dynamics tool that helped them fine-tune the car's aerodynamic profile.
'Ansys gave us incredibly realistic data,' said Hannan. 'With guidance from NIO engineers, we were able to navigate complex simulations and refine our design to a professional standard.'
For fabrication, the team followed competition regulations by machining the car body out of polyurethane modeling foam. To further enhance performance, they used ceramic bearings, which offered lower rolling resistance compared to traditional options. But it's their 'Dual Bearing System' that truly sets this car apart.
'We use two different bearings per wheel — one between the axle and wheel, and another between the axle and support,' said Hannan. 'This dramatically reduces energy loss and improves race time. It's our most innovative feature to date.'
Assembly was just as meticulous as the design and fabrication stages. The team employed custom 3D-printed alignment jigs to ensure everything was perfectly placed. They also went through multiple rounds of sanding, painting, and bonding to create a car that looks as fast as it moves.
'Each step took days of refinement,' Hannan said. 'Achieving the required balance, smoothness, and regulatory compliance isn't just about aesthetics; it directly affects speed and performance.'
Testing at Yas Marina Circuit
Testing their car at the Yas Marina Circuit, the team had the rare opportunity to trial their creation on an official F1 in Schools™ racetrack. The experience not only validated their engineering work but also connected them with local experts and officials.
'Testing at Yas Marina was a highlight, not just for performance validation, but for the incredible feedback and encouragement we received.'
The journey hasn't been without its challenges. Mastering industry-standard tools, ensuring millimeter-precision, and innovating within strict competition rules demanded relentless effort and adaptability.
'Every fraction of a millimeter counts,' said Hannan. 'We had to innovate constantly to remain compliant and competitive.'