Six students from Southern Regional College in Newry won the Northern Ireland Champions National Cup at the STEM Racing Car UK Finals. The event occurred at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, England, from March 24 to 26.

The team members are Chloe O’Hare, 18, from Hilltown; Sophie Houston, 18, from Dromore; Ellie Magee, 20, from Warrenpoint; Harry Danks, 18, from Kilkeel; Shea Smith, 19, from Newry; and James McMullen, 18, from Armagh. They formed team SCAR and handled specialist roles in designing, building and racing a miniature Formula 1 car.

Work on the project started last September. The students study Engineering Level 3 Extended Diploma at the college's Newry campus. They used software for computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis and computer aided manufacturing, along with project management and budgeting tools.

The victory qualifies the team for the Aramco STEM World Finals in Singapore this October, ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix weekend there. Sponsors including Re-Gen, Used Cars NI and Murray Motorsport funded their UK finals trip and the upcoming global event.

Engineering lecturer Seán MacDiarmada said the win shows the students' hard work, including late evenings at college. He noted the Singapore trip offers exposure to Formula One talent spotters.

Principal and Chief Executive Lee Campbell called it an extraordinary accomplishment. She highlighted the students' talent, the strength of STEM education at the college and their role as ambassadors for Northern Ireland.