HPT Welcomes High Schooler for Formula 1 Tests

Published Feb 12, 2024

As part of their mission to motivate young students towards higher education in engineering, Swedish universities actively engage with high schools (gymnasieskolor) in relevant research fields. Demonstrating this commitment, HPT recently opened its doors to high school student Frida Wall from Sjölins Gymnasium Södermalm, facilitating wind tunnel tests on Formula 1 cars at a scale of 1:43 within the HPT laboratory.

Frida Wall, a passionate racing enthusiast, is currently working on her high school thesis (gymnasiearbete) about Formula 1. Intrigued by the subject, she contacted researchers from HPT and KTH Formula Student for assistance. Together, they engaged in productive discussions that led to drag and flow visualization tests in a wind tunnel at the HPT laboratory .

With guidance from HPT technicians and researchers, Frida prepared a test platform for four 1:43 scale Formula 1 cars from different eras: Senna (1990s), Häkkinen (1999), Ricciardo (2018), and Verstappen (2021). This collaborative effort, aimed at comparing the outcomes and deepening understanding of Formula 1 engineering principles, not only enriched Frida's educational journey but also the spirit of teamwork and innovation fostered at HPT, inspiring future generations of engineers.