Led by Irvine student Charles Wu, Team SW1FT represented the United States at the 2025 STEM Racing World Finals, earning four major nominations and capturing the Sponsorship & Marketing Award — bringing home a trophy and global pride for both America and the Asian American community.
Over four intense days, Team SW1FT won a top award, earned three more nominations, and toured the MoneyGram Hass F1 Team pit lane for a firsthand look at world-class engineering.
Rising to Glory Asian Americans Shine
Co-hosted by Formula 1 and Aramco, the 2025 STEM Racing World Finals took place at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, bringing together 83 teams from 34 countries and 672 student competitors.
The awards ceremony drew a crowd of over 1,000 guests, Team SW1FT impressed both judges and audiences with their creativity, branding, and professionalism.
“This was by far the most competitive and inspiring finals we’ve ever seen,” said Andrew Denford, Founder and CEO of STEM Racing.
“Every team showed impressive effort and innovation, and the level of talent from students worldwide was truly stunning.”
According to organizers, 90 expert judges from STEM, motorsports, education, and business sectors evaluated the teams across multiple categories—including engineering design, project management, verbal presentations, innovation, and on-track performance.
Notably, Australia’s Lunar team took home the championship, followed by Germany’s Blue Wolves and the U.K.’s SBA Unity Racing.
The fastest lap of the event—an incredible 1.073 seconds—was set by Spain’s LYNX team, drawing cheers from the entire arena.
While Team SW1FT didn't clock the fastest race time, they emerged as the only U.S. team to break into the global Top 32 for Knockout Race competition.
Their creativity, branding, and strategic execution earned them more special award nominations than any other American team—showcasing the ingenuity and drive of Chinese American youth on the world stage.
Innovation Leads Precision Wins
In STEM Racing, each team must design, build, and race a 22cm miniature Formula 1 car, powered by compressed air and constructed using official standardized materials.
Teams are also required to submit detailed engineering portfolios, business presentations, and sustainability reports, making it one of the most comprehensive STEM evaluations for students.
Representing the U.S., Team SW1FT included Charles Wu (Team Manager), Victoria Chen, and Luna Zhang.
After winning the West Coast Regionals and placing third at the North American Finals, the team also brought home the Best Digital Media Award and Best Newcomer Award, earning their ticket to the global stage in Singapore.
“Being on the world stage, I finally understood what real elite competition looks like,” said Charles Wu.
Top-tier teams had launch reaction times under 0.15 seconds—Team SW1FT ’s was around 0.2 seconds.
“That moment taught me: the smallest details—and intense training—make all the difference. That’s where we’ll level up.”
He added that other countries' teams showcased jaw-dropping innovation: “Some used exotic materials, others fine-tuned aerodynamics to perfection.
Every car was a blend of tech and art. It was mind-blowing.”
Connecting Worlds Reaching Higher
“This competition wasn’t just about speed—it was a masterclass in creativity and global thinking,” said Charles Wu.
Throughout the event, Wu connected with students from around the world, exchanging insights on car design and technical strategy.
One of the highlights was a private tour of the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, where team principal Ayao Komatsu personally welcomed them, offering a behind-the-scenes look at elite motorsport engineering and teamwork.
“I’m Coming Back Stronger Next Year” With determination in his voice, Wu declared.
Team SW1FT lead Eva thanked South Coast Chinese Cultural Center CEO Yulan Chung for providing a nonprofit donation platform, which helped secure key sponsors like Roland DGA.
Chung praised the students for bringing pride to the Asian American community and encouraged them to “keep pushing higher and aim beyond the summit.”
All photos courtesy of the STEM Racing organizers