Dubai students shine at 2025 Yas in Schools National STEM Finals

Dubai: Students from Dubai delivered standout performances at the 2025 ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals – the UAE’s largest youth STEM competition – held at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The event brought together more than 1,400 students, split into 310 teams from 113 schools across the country. They competed across five national competitions: F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, 4x4 in Schools, Test Driver and Ethara Go.

Designed to reflect real-world challenges, the finals tasked students with building and racing model cars, delivering technical portfolios, and presenting sustainability and business strategies to panels of expert judges. The 2025 edition drew more than 31,000 online views – a 41 per cent increase from 2024 – across six live shows and 46 hours of coverage.

Participation on the rise

This year saw a surge in student engagement across the board.

Ethara Go recorded a 56 per cent year-on-year increase in team registrations, while Test Driver grew from 54 to 64 teams – more than half of them from Dubai.

In total, 52 winning teams were recognised across the five programmes:

F1 in Schools awarded 22 trophies in categories such as Engineering, Fastest Car, Verbal Presentation, and overall Professional and Rookie Champions.

Formula Ethara honoured 17 winning teams for design, identity, presentation, and performance.

4x4 in Schools named nine winners across Professional, Development, and University levels.

Test Driver celebrated a national top three.

Ethara Go crowned three individual champions in its solo racing format.

Hypernix to represent UAE at 2026 STEM Racing World Finals

Among the standout performers, Hypernix from Private International English School, Abu Dhabi, were crowned F1 in Schools Professional Champions. They will now represent the UAE at the 2026 STEM Racing World Finals.

Apex Racers from Jumeirah College secured Rookie Champion and Verbal Presentation awards, MENA Racing dominated in the Fastest Car and Engineering categories, Project Nova from Dubai College took home the 4x4 in Schools national title, and ERA Racing from Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai topped Formula Ethara.

A launchpad for future innovators

Ali Al Beshr, General Manager of Yas Marina Circuit, described the event as a vital “launchpad” for young UAE talent.

“Every year, we see students push the boundaries of what’s possible, and now they’re taking that momentum to the world stage,” he said. “Watching this year’s champions prepare to represent the UAE at the 2026 STEM Racing World Finals is a powerful reminder of what this programme is building toward.”

Organised by Ethara in collaboration with ADNOC, the Yas in Schools initiative aims to nurture the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators, leveraging motorsport to unlock technical skills, creativity and leadership from the classroom onward.