Here Head of Product Design, Mrs Louise Ryan, talks about their recent experiences at the final heat of the 2023/24 season and a hands-on engineering session.
The F24 team at Norwich High School for Girls is a group of students dedicated to designing, building, and racing an electric vehicle.
F24 Heat – East Anglia 2024 at Lotus Hethel Test Track
On Sunday 22nd September, the F24 team travelled to Lotus for the final heat of the season. With new members from Year 9 joining, the team worked well together to prepare the car for the day. Each student had the opportunity to drive at least one practice lap, providing valuable experience for our younger members. Our senior drivers then took part in two races.
Race one allowed us to assess the car’s performance and gain practice in the pit lane. Unfortunately, the rain came down at the end of the race, leaving our final driver a bit soggy upon returning to the pit! Under the gazebo, the team quickly changed batteries and prepared for the second race.
In race two, our final three drivers took to the track with a confident and well-practised pit crew. It was encouraging to see such effective communication and independence among the team. While we didn’t place in the top ten this time, the new team members learned a great deal and are eager to tackle the challenges of next season.
Baseline Testing at Specialist Control Systems
Following the track day, the team was fortunate to be invited to Specialist Control Systems for baseline testing of the car. On Sunday 6th October, eight team members visited Weston Longville for a hands-on engineering morning. They learned how to string the car and tested various aspects, including friction, camber, caster, corner weight and aerodynamics. A highlight was the aero testing, which involved a smoke machine and extraction tube to investigate airflow around the car. The team also had fun testing the car on the dynamometer to explore speed adjustments.
This experience provided a fantastic opportunity for the team to engage in real-life engineering and they approached each task with enthusiasm. We are grateful to Simon from Specialist Control Systems for his support; the team had a brilliant morning and are excited to start to tackle their extensive ‘to-do’ list during the F24 club sessions at school.
Additionally, the team has been hard at work securing sponsorship for the upcoming season. We extend our sincere thanks to Specialist Control Systems, Electric Wheels in Watton, and UK Power Networks for their support this year. The 2025 season promises to be an exciting one!
