Our Strategy

12 steps to success

Twelve steps take a team from an idea to the start line.

  1. Form a team

    Three to six students agree roles that cover engineering, enterprise and project management.

  2. Business and sponsorship

    Set a budget, write a sponsorship plan and approach partners who can support the season.

  3. Design

    Model the car in CAD, working inside the Technical Regulations from the first sketch.

  4. Analyse

    Use virtual testing to compare ideas before anything is made.

  5. Make

    Manufacture the car body and its components, then finish and assemble them.

  6. Test

    Test the car, record the results and improve the design.

  7. Pit booth

    Design and build the display that presents the team and its work at the event.

  8. Scrutineering

    Officials measure the car against the Technical Regulations before it races.

  9. Engineering judging

    Explain the design and manufacturing decisions to the engineering judges.

  10. Verbal presentation

    Present the season to a panel of judges.

  11. Portfolios

    Submit the portfolios that document the engineering and enterprise work.

  12. Race

    Race the car on the 20 metre track.

How a team works

The work splits into three areas. Every member is expected to contribute to more than one.

  • Design and engineering

    Model, analyse, make and test the car. This group owns the Technical Regulations and the engineering portfolio.

  • Enterprise

    Raise sponsorship, manage the budget and build the team identity. This group owns the enterprise portfolio and the pit booth.

  • Project management

    Set the schedule, run team meetings, track risks and make sure every deadline is met.

What judges score

Teams are judged on the whole season, not only on the race. The STEM Racing Competition Regulations set the marks for each area.

  • Scrutineering

    The race cars are measured against the Technical Regulations.

  • Engineering

    Judges question the team on how the car was designed, analysed, made and tested.

  • Portfolios

    Written evidence of the engineering work and of how the team ran its enterprise and its project.

  • Pit booth

    The display that presents the team, its identity and its partners.

  • Verbal presentation

    A presentation of the season to a panel of judges.

  • Racing

    Performance on the 20 metre track.

Regulations and resources