Ben: So Will, before joining our team, have you had any experience in the F1 in Schools competition?

Will: Last year I completed my first season in the competition; competing in the Development Class team, Seido. We competed in two rounds of the competition, the first of these being the Victorian State Finals. There I gained experience as Seido’s Manufacturing Manager, whilst also lending a hand with the Enterprise side of the team. Our hard work paid off and we were awarded Development Class State Champions, as well as a ticket to the National Finals. Following a role reassignment, I became the team’s Enterprise Manager and assisted with the portfolios, pit display and verbal presentation. Once again, we were rewarded for our efforts and became National Development Class Champions. After the National Finals, I joined Hydron in the hope of becoming part of a team with a history of success and friendship.

Ben: Before you experienced success in your Development Class team, what got you into F1 in Schools in the first place?

Will: For me, seeing the older boys at Trinity participating in the competition inspired me to initially sign up. They exposed me to the competition, particularly at events like the Design and Technology exhibition, where they would race cars and set up their pit displays. The incredible skill development which the program offers was another driving factor for my involvement, as I wanted to participate in something that would teach me valuable, career-applicable skills.

Ben: Will, would you like to explain what your role in our team is and how it suits your skillset.

Will: My role in Hydron is the team’s Quality Control Manager. This gives me the responsibility of overseeing various deliverables and ensuring that they reach an excellent standard. The linguistic skills that I developed in my first season have become a strength of mine, and as such, I also aid with the production of our folios. I oversee our team’s pit display as well as the scrutineering of our cars. This role suits me, as it plays to the skillset which I developed while in the Development Class.

Ben: So you’ve had over a year’s worth of experience in the competition, what do you hope to achieve through your time competing?

Will: To me, F1 in Schools provides a wide array of opportunities to its participants. Personally, I hope to achieve my goals of becoming an engineer with the skills I have learnt from competing. As such, I am aiming to develop my skills in this area of the competition in the coming seasons, so that I am better prepared when looking to start my career. Of course, we all want to win and although it may be clichéd, the skills I have developed through my time in the competition are far more valuable than any amount of awards we many win.