- Catalyst Sterna Racing will complete a multi-year STEM Racing journey on the world stage after becoming Scottish regional champions and securing qualification for Singapore.
Catalyst Sterna Racing, a three-member team from James Gillespie’s High School, Edinburgh, is preparing to compete against the world’s leading young STEM Racing teams at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2026 in Singapore.
Catalyst Sterna Racing’s journey began with third place at the Scottish regionals in Development Class in 2023–24 and second place at the 2024 UK National Finals.
After narrowly missing national qualification the following season, the team returned in 2025–26 as Scottish regional champions, won Fastest Car regionally and secured the Scottish National Champions award at the UK National Finals to qualify for Singapore.
Its technical work includes braced wheel spokes designed to reduce wheel mass and moment of inertia, with the aim of limiting wheel slip at launch. The team has also developed a deliberately unconventional “Pods²” concept as it looks to push beyond increasingly similar car designs.
Jess Lockwood-Holmes, Team Manager for Catalyst Sterna Racing said: “We are most excited about simply competing and representing Scotland on the world stage. We are here to finish our STEM Racing journey with a bang in Singapore.”
The team is also balancing World Finals preparation with a major life transition: its members qualified only months before leaving school and are now beginning university studies. They see Singapore as the opportunity to complete their STEM Racing journey while representing Scotland.
The World Finals will bring together more than 500 students aged 13 to 19 in 90-plus teams from 34 countries across all five continents. Held on Sentosa Island alongside the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, the competition features around 200 races on a four-lane track and 540 judging sessions covering engineering, enterprise, design, project management and other disciplines.
Teams design and build a 1:25 scale model Formula 1 car, race it and present their work to judges while operating in a way that mirrors a real F1 team. Cars are checked against strict technical regulations before racing, while engineering portfolios, enterprise documents and project management plans are assessed over four days of competition.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, STEM Racing, said: “Every year, the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals showcases not only exceptional engineering talent but also the creativity, resilience and collaboration of young people from every corner of the globe.
“They don’t just design and manufacture a miniature car – they build a business with a team that has every member contributing to its success.”
The World Champions title can open doors to university scholarships, Formula 1 careers and a global network of industry connections.
The event is supported by title sponsor Aramco and partners including Denford, Autodesk, Ansys, Maaden, Singapore Grand Prix, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, UCL Mechanical Engineering, Singapore Tourism Board and the FIA.