Ithra Announces Awards and Finalist Nominations of Saudi Teams at the 2023 International ‘F1® in Schools’ Competition
(Al-Dhahran – September 13, 2023) Winners and nominees have been announced for the 2023 F1® in Schools international competition in Singapore. It is the second consecutive year that Saudi teams have participated with the support of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) with sponsorship by Saudi Aramco. The teams went to Singapore after completing nine months of training and qualification stages including local, regional and semi-final contests. Three Saudi teams – Shaheen, Oryx and Abiya – qualified for the international finals along with 68 other teams representing 29 countries from around the world. All three Saudi teams placed as finalists in the 2023 competition.
Ithra is proud to announce that the Saudi Oryx team won the Innovation Thinking Award. This award involves many aspects of the F1® in Schools program, including enterprise, management, engineering achievement and verbal presentation, qualities that add to a team’s overall performance in terms of innovation and their skill in portraying ideas.
Saudi teams were honored as finalists for the following awards:
- FIA Women in Motorsport Award – Abiya team
- Identity Award – Shaheen team
- Digital Media Award – Oryx team
- Sponsorship and Marketing Award – Oryx team
- Project Management Award – Oryx team
- Pit Display Award – Oryx team
The international competition requirements included the creation of an F1® model car capable of reaching a baseline speed and meeting a weight requirement.
Of this success, Hassan Kamal, Acting Director of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, says: “After rising to the top of local and national competitions, this group of students were ultimately named the best team in innovative thinking in the world. This is a source of pride for the Kingdom, which is keen to support youth creative energies. Still, the Oryx team’s international victory is only part of the competition’s goals. Hosting F1® in Schools annually is an aspect of Ithra’s mission of promoting talent among Saudi youth, refining and honing skills, expanding human intelligence and stimulating innovation in the cultural, creative and scientific sectors.”
The Center also recognizes the role played by Aramco in sponsoring the competition at the local and international levels, noting its efforts in supporting youth to unleash their potential and participate in international events. “High level competitions,” notes Kamal, “can be exciting motivators. F1® in Schools is a supreme example.”
The Saudi students were highly motivated to benefit from all stages of training connected with the local and regional competitions as well as face international teams. The three Saudi teams particularly commended the emotional support of the Prince of the Eastern Province, HRH Saud Bin Nayef Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who encouraged and motivated the students and empowered them by sharing the spirit of positivity. This boosted their sense of responsibility, their passion for creativity and, because of their sense of belonging and love of Saudi, the desire to excel in the competition to leave the Kingdom’s mark in this prestigious international event.
