Greenpower International Finals 2021: Billingshurst students celebrate electric racing win at Goodwood

The event saw 80 teams of young people aged 11-25 from across the country race electric cars that they had designed and built themselves.

Children aged 11-16 from secondary schools and youth groups competed in the IET Formula 24, which consists of two 90-minute endurance races requiring three drivers, while sixth forms, colleges, universities, and apprentices took part in the one-hour IET Formula 24+ race.

Students from The Weald Community School, in Billingshurst, took first place in the IET Formula 24 scratch build category, winning by just 64 metres.

Other Sussex cars in the scratch build category included Lightning 1 from Slindon College, HWM Aston Martin from the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre in Petworth, Tri-fast (Fluffy DiceVIII) from Uckfield Community Technology College, and Bourne Stannah from Bourne Community College in Southbourne.

The Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre also had two cars in the IET Formula 24 kit car race – SBC1 and SBC2 – alongside two entries from The Regis School in Bognor Regis – Regis Red and Regis Blue – and Greased Lightning from Worthing High School.

Slindon College’s Lightning 1 also entered the IET Formula 24+ race.

Paul van Veggel, chief executive of Greenpower Education Trust, said: “It was great to see so many teams here today to give the 2021 season a brilliant finale.

“With our HQ just down the road from the circuit, Goodwood is Greenpower’s spiritual home, so there was no better place to hold our final this year.

“The fact that we had 80 teams in attendance after the difficulties schools have faced recently is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teachers and team leaders, as well as the young people.

“We now look forward to 2022 with the hopes of running a full, unrestricted year of electric racing.”

Over 750 teams competed in the Greenpower Education Trust’s design-build-race a car challenge – a unique, hands-on initiative that aims to spark an interest in STEM in young people.