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Team Safire to represent UAE at F1 in Schools

As the chequered flag fell on the Formula One Airtel Indian Grand Prix in New Delhi, India, it signalled the start of the F1 fever in Abu Dhabi.

Before the F1 heavyweights fly into the UAE capital for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Yas Marina Circuit and Ferrari World will witness the F1 in Schools World Finals.

Over 250 students from around the world will battle it out in the eighth edition of the F1 in Schools World Finals. The Finals begins on Monday and runs till Wednesday. The students have qualified after winning the National Finals in their home country.

Representing the UAE will be Team Safire Racing, a five-member team from the German International School in Dubai. They were named the UAE Senior Champions 2012. They won after a series of competitions that included team presentations, a team pit stop display, and head to head racing. In addition to the overall champion title, the team, a first year entry into the competition, also won awards for Best Senior Rookie Team, Best Overall Reaction Time and Best Senior Engineered Car.

Also joining Safire Racing at the F1 in Schools World Finals will be team Blackbird X from the Indian High School in Dubai, who won the title of UAE Senior Second Place 2012. The team will compete at the international competition through forming a collaboration team with another second place team from different country.

“We feel amazing. It just proves that hard work does pay off. There are so many aspects of F1, from the technical, to design, to communications that we learned about. We also had a lot of fun in the process,” 16-year-old Chris Land, Head of IT and Communications for Safire Racing, said.

Formed in early 2011, Safire Racing had an exciting journey to the podium, a journey that has included securing a major sponsorship with Mercedes Benz Middle East and a meet and greet with Shanghai GP 2012 winner Nico Rosberg.

TEAM SAFIRE


> Team Manager: Laurenz Bissada, 14, Germany

> Technical Designer: Till Blaha, 
14 of Germany

> Resources Manager: Cara Bissada, 16 of Germany

> Head of IT and Communications: Chris Land, 16 of Germany

> Graphic Designer: Dalia Abdelrahman, 15 of Egypt

Supported by teacher Dr. Milan Dlabal