As rewards trips go, last week’s visit to Williams Racing – the home to one of Formula 1’s most iconic teams – was amongst one of the most exciting.
Selected by their Heads of House, 40 lucky students from Years 7 to 9 got the chance to see behind the scenes of the legendary race team’s headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire and take part in a STEM enrichment experience to remember.
F1 Racing Simulators
The first stop of the day was at the Esports Lounge, where students were soon able to feel the buzz of a Formula 1 race and put their racing skills to the test behind the wheel of state-of-the-art simulators.
Nathan Roberts, from 10SC, and Quinn Hickie, from 7VE, were both hailed as champions, winning two out of their three races. Slower, more cautious ‘drivers’ were also able to show-off their talents as one of the rounds involved the careful navigation of Monaco’s infamous street circuit in wet conditions.
Heritage Museum Tour
Following the adrenaline rush of the virtual race track experience, the students stepped back in time to immerse themselves in the rich history of Williams Grand Prix engineering with a tour of the Heritage Museum.
They discovered a treasure trove of iconic racing cars, legendary drivers’ memorabilia, and interactive exhibits that brought the excitement of motorsports to life.
From vintage classics to modern marvels, the museum plotted the evolution of F1 through technological advancements and unforgettable moments that shaped the sport.
STEM Team Challenge
After a quick pit-stop to refuel, the students then took on the Williams STEM Lego Mindstorms EV3 team activity, which involved programming a robot, developing a brand and presenting their project to the group.
Team “Formula No 1” were victorious as they were the first to ensure their robot could complete a circuit of Silverstone. Henry Griffin, Ben Hirsch, Harrison Hakeman, Emily Sanderson and Oliver Winborn showed all the skills of a great pit-crew and pulled together to win first place and a limited edition Williams team baseball cap.
Head of Maths and trip organiser, Mr Hughes, said: “The Formula 1 rewards trip was a great success and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.”
“The Williams Experience Centre was very impressive and offered our younger students an immersive and engaging way to see STEM in action and spark their interest in considering a future career in this area.”
Trip Highlights
