This October, Mission 44 was in Austin for the United States Grand Prix. Alongside our partners, Girlstart and Breakthrough Central Texas, we welcomed local students to the Formula 1 racetrack for a STEM Experience Day powered by AWS.
The weekend offered young Texans unique access and memorable insight into the technology, teamwork and engineering in motorsport, opening up new perspectives on STEM and the careers it can lead to.
Here, we'll look back at the highlights of the weekend and the opportunities that helped these 14-18-year-olds explore new possibilities for futures in motorsport, including a special visit with Lewis Hamilton around the Scuderia Ferrari HP garage.
On Monday, we visited our new partner, Breakthrough Central Texas, an Austin-based non-profit that empowers students to earn a college degree through long-term academic support.
On Tuesday, students from our Texas-based partner, Girlstart – a non-profit that empowers girls through STEM education – met with Scuderia Ferrari HP's Alba Larsen for a Q&A about STEM and careers in motorsport.
Thursday marked our STEM Experience Day, where the students put their problem-solving skills to the test in a hackathon competition led by AWS.
After the hackathon, we headed to the Circuit of The Americas, where the winning hackathon team enjoyed a special tour of the Scuderia Ferrari HP garage with Lewis Hamilton.
Then, for the first time, F1 teams from across the grid opened their doors to the students, with exclusive tours of their garages. Thank you to TGR Haas F1 Team, Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, and Oracle Red Bull Racing.
It was a busy weekend for the young students, who then learnt about tyre degradation and engineering with Pirelli. It was a unique opportunity for them to explore careers in motorsport that they might never previously have considered.
They also went behind-the-scenes at the F1 Academy paddock to meet the drivers and further explore the circuit.
Finally, the young women discussed their dream, aspirations, plans for the future, and how a visit to the United States Grand Prix helped to broaden their horizons and open up new possibilities.
"My dream is to become a Formula 1 race engineer."
Local Texas Student
Thanks to our partners who made the day so special: Formula 1, F1 Academy, Girlstart, Breakthrough Central Texas, AWS, Scuderia Ferrari HP, TGR Haas F1 Team, Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Oracle Red Bull Racing, and Pirelli.
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