Saudi youth engineer their way to STEM Racing triumph

Arab News

17-07-2025

DHAHRAN: Cheers and confetti filled the stage at Ithra's theater in Dhahran on Wednesday night as four teams of Saudi students were crowned national champions in the 2025 STEM Racing competition.
All four teams earned the honor of representing the Kingdom at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2025, supported by Formula 1, in Singapore from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2.
The fourth edition of STEM Racing Saudi Arabia, held under the umbrella of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), brought together finalists from six cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Dammam, Al-Ahsa, and Abha.
From regional qualifiers to wind tunnel testing, digital simulations, enterprise planning, and brand building, students spent months building mini Formula 1-style race cars and pitching their ideas in front of judges and mentors.
First place nationally was claimed by Team Rimah from Dhahran, a returning competitor who missed out on a qualifying spot the previous year. Second place went to Giddam from Riyadh, followed by Sadeem from Dhahran in third, and YLA Accelerate from Jeddah in fourth.
Team Rimah member Fares Al-Garaawi said the team's experience has been all about growth. 'This wasn't my first year. I competed last year, too, but we didn't qualify. I took that lesson and came back stronger,' he said.
Fajer Al-Ameer from Giddam, who also won the Best Pit Display award, said the competition helped her to rebuild after setbacks.
'Last year, I didn't win. But I came back with a clear goal. I wanted to win — not just make memories or enjoy the events. And this time, I did both,' she said.
More than 1,000 students took part in this year's edition, with finalists selected through a series of rigorous regional qualifiers. The program blends engineering and enterprise with creative branding, public speaking, digital marketing, and sustainability.
Alongside the four winners, 14 special awards were made to recognize outstanding achievements in areas such as speed, design, sustainability, branding, and communication.
Using advanced tools such as CAD modeling, 3D printing, and wind tunnel simulations, each team was tasked with building a high-performance miniature race car powered by compressed carbon dioxide, and refined for aerodynamics, branding, and data precision.
Held under the theme 'Engineering the Future,' the final ceremony celebrated not only winners, but also resilience, creativity, and collaboration. Students shared stories of failure turned into learning, and learning turned into leadership.
The top four teams will now represent Saudi Arabia in Singapore at the F1 in Schools World Finals, where students from over 30 countries will compete. Past Saudi teams have gained global attention, and expectations are high for this year's delegation.
The initiative is part of Ithra's broader mission to empower young Saudis through experiential learning that aligns with Vision 2030. By combining technical training with soft skills and national representation, STEM Racing is turning passion into purpose.
As the lights dimmed on the ceremony, students stood smiling with their medals, trophies, and mentors. The cars may be small, but their dreams are running full speed ahead.