With racing having a real moment in the spotlight - thanks to the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive and the 2026 British Touring Car Championship recently revving back into life, students have never been more tuned in to the world of motorsport.
But how many people does it actually take to get a car like Lewis Hamilton's or Alex Albon’s across the finish line? (Williams might be an odd choice, however did you know that the Williams F1 base is a 10-minute drive from the RM Tech HQ?). While the drivers get the podium, the real magic happens behind the scenes with the data analysts, software engineers and designers etc.
On 17th April, 60 Year 9 and 10 students from four schools (Fairfax Academy, Erdington Academy, Smith’s Wood Academy and Bournville School) within the Fairfax Multi Academy Trust spent the day at Donnington Park Circuit, as part of the Race Team of the Future project. Hosted by Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, MBP, HP with Intel and RM Technology, the day was designed to showcase how the classroom curriculum connects with the real-world.
The morning was a whirlwind of activity, with students split into 10 teams to explore the inner workings of a professional race team. Between exploring a real BTCC racing car and focusing on the different type of complex data teams can analyse, the students also took on the "driver protection challenge". This involved using an egg to represent a driver, getting teams to use their design and technology skills to create effective crash protection. Thankfully, we didn’t see any students cracking under the (tyre) pressure.
These hands-on sessions gave the students the context they needed for the day's big task: building their own Race Team of the Future. From naming their race teams and designing logos to deciding on their core values, every student had a key role to play. They even had to design a unique innovation that would help their team stand out from the pack. It was brilliant to see them using HP technology to bring their liveries and business plans to life, highlighting that the skills they learn in school will have a direct usage in the professional world.
The secret to keeping 60 teenagers engaged isn't just about the cars; it’s about the pace. As Michael Hartley - a massive racing fan who manages the relationship between RM Technology and Fairfax MAT - noted, the day was structured to ensure there was zero "time to be bored". By rotating through varied, high-impact tasks, every student stayed on track and on task.