Holden Group is sponsoring Rolling Thunder, a team of four Year 9 students from Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form competing in the prestigious Lenovo F1 in Schools competition.
The students — Charlie Dickerson, Jacob Soanes, Oscar Odell, and Isaac Berry — are designing and building a miniature Formula 1 car to race at the regional finals in January.
Adam Ferjani, group marketing manager at Holden, praised the initiative: “We’re thrilled to support the Rolling Thunder team. The F1 in Schools competition is a fantastic opportunity for young people to develop STEM skills, learn teamwork, and engage with local businesses. We’re inspired by their drive and can’t wait to see how they perform.”
The competition immerses students in the world of Formula 1 while promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM). Using advanced CAD/CAM tools, teams design and manufacture their vehicles, which are powered by CO2 cartridges and raced on a specialised track.
Science teacher and project coordinator Alex Heard commended the students’ commitment: “This project is entirely extracurricular. The team has taken on roles mirroring a professional environment — from team management to graphic design – and have raised all their own sponsorship to compete.”
Rolling Thunder will debut at the regional finals at Sprowston High School in January, showcasing their car, engineering portfolio, and a presentation detailing their journey. Success at this stage could propel the team to national finals in March and potentially the world finals in Austin or Singapore.
Heard highlighted the project’s impact: “The students have not only honed engineering and design skills but also gained experience in business and entrepreneurship. These lessons will undoubtedly benefit them in their future careers.”
