Yorkshire talent on show as Scarborough UTC shines at national STEM Racing finals

There was a real home advantage in South Yorkshire last week as some of the UK’s brightest young engineers gathered in Sheffield for the STEM Racing UK National Finals — and Yorkshire students made their mark on the national stage.

Held at the iconic Magna Science Adventure Centre on 25–26 March, the record-breaking event brought together 70 of the best teams from across the UK. While the overall title went to a team from Surrey, it was Scarborough University Technical College (UTC) that delivered one of the standout performances for Yorkshire.

Scarborough UTC claims national recognition

Among the long list of awards handed out across the two-day competition, Scarborough UTC secured a major national accolade in the Professional Class Portfolio Award.

Their team, competing as SBA Ancor, impressed judges with a detailed and highly professional enterprise portfolio — a key part of the competition that goes far beyond engineering.

This category recognises how well students can think like a real motorsport team business, covering:

• Sponsorship strategy and funding plans

• Project management and delivery timelines

• Branding, identity and team presentation

• Commercial awareness and communication

For a Yorkshire-based team to stand out in this area highlights not just technical ability, but the kind of real-world skills that employers are actively looking for.

A national final with a Yorkshire backdrop

There was added significance this year, with the national finals taking place right in Yorkshire. The Sheffield event was the largest in the competition’s history, with:

• Over 6,000 students taking part nationwide

• 30+ regional finals held across the UK

• A 15% increase in participation year-on-year

For local students and schools, it meant competing at the highest level on home soil — and proving Yorkshire can compete with the very best.

More than just building a fast car

STEM Racing UK challenges students to operate like a full Formula One team. That means designing, manufacturing and racing miniature F1-style cars powered by compressed air — but that’s only part of the story.

Teams are judged across five key areas:

• Engineering performance

• Enterprise and sponsorship strategy

• Project management

• Brand identity

• Verbal presentation

It’s this combination of technical, creative and commercial skills that makes the competition such a powerful launchpad for future careers.

Inspiring the next generation in Yorkshire

While the headline win went to Atomic from Surrey, the strong showing from Yorkshire-based students — led by Scarborough UTC — underlines the region’s growing reputation for STEM education.

Events like this don’t just crown winners; they showcase the depth of talent coming through schools and colleges across Yorkshire, from coastal towns to major cities.

With industry judges drawn from Formula One teams and leading engineering firms, students are getting exposure to real-world expectations early — and Yorkshire’s young innovators are clearly rising to the challenge.

Looking ahead

The national champions will now go on to represent the UK at the STEM Racing World Finals in Singapore later this year, but for Yorkshire, the story is already a strong one.

From Scarborough to Sheffield, the region proved it has both the facilities and the talent to play a central role in the future of UK engineering.

And if this year’s finals are anything to go by, Yorkshire students won’t just be taking part — they’ll be competing at the very top.