One of the fastest cars in North America is a lot smaller than you might expect.
A team of high school students from Brandon, Manitoba built a scaled-down Formula One car and took home top honours, winning best marketing and sponsorship, as well as the fastest car at national championships in Brooklyn, Michigan this May.
The six students include Savannah Wedgewood, Lee Gorowski, Jason Klimack, Delton Kreller, Reece Pennell and Dylan Williamson are racing under the team name Aurora. They all currently attend Crocus Plains Secondary School in Brandon.
As part of the school’s drafting curriculum, students learn to create scale Formula One cars.
"As much as people think it's just the car that goes into this competition, we put countless hours into finding sponsors, into just not only designing the car but building and figuring out materials that work,” graphic designer Savannah Wedgewood said.
Now, Aurora is on track to compete against more than 40 countries in the world finals this November in Abu Dhabi. It’s the fourth time a team from Crocus Plains will represent Canada.
They stand to win $1.6 million dollars in scholarships, split among members, to City University in London, England.
"We hope to come there and be almost a surprise and challenge the other teams,” Wedgewood said.
With just months left to prepare, the team is working on a detailed business model, budget, and marketing campaign to raise funds for the trip.
And while Aurora eyes the top prize, team members say the real goal is to get other students in Canada on track with the Formula One program.
"To make sure that Canada, over the upcoming years, can keep bringing competitive teams, as well as even bringing teams at all,” team manager Lee Borowski said.
To learn more about the team, visit auroraf1.com.
