Green Power International Finals – Goodwood 2025

For the third year in a row, the Garth Hill Blazers Greenpower Team qualified for the International Grand Finals at Goodwood Motor Circuit. The finals bring together a mix of eighty-five of the fastest cars from across the country, along with international teams from Poland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal.

This event also marked the retirement of our Year 10 student team, allowing the next group of pupils to take over for the following racing season. This team has spent the year developing the racing cars, completing alterations and upgrades, and honing their driving skills on the track.

The final is run over two races, each lasting one and a half hours. The longest distance achieved by each car in either race determines its final placement. On a grey October morning, we started 47th (our qualifying position) on the grid for race one. Our first crew of drivers, Dan, Harry and Evie drove with skill and confidence, each completing 30 minutes of racing before switching drivers. We were going well until a red flag slowed proceedings due to a crash elsewhere on the track, causing us to miss out on a final lap and drop ten places in the race.

After a lengthy break for the F24+ (post-16) teams to complete their final race, we were back on track for race two. The sun began to shine, and our second driver crew, Adam, Natalie, Zack and Josh were ready. Again, the drivers showed skill and guile on the track, working their way up the field and breaking into the top 40 positions. Towards the end of the race, as cars began to fade or fail, we pushed on, with our last driver, Josh, sneaking in a final lap to finish in an overall position of 36th place.

It was an all-round excellent performance from the team, who worked exceptionally well as both drivers and pit crew. The team has bonded strongly over the year, with everyone supporting each other, and it has been wonderful to see their confidence grow with each event.

The team now retires from racing but will begin the process of designing our new car, which we plan to take to the track for the 2027 season. We aim to be competing with the top-performing schools for higher positions in future events and finals. Any support or sponsorship that could be provided would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Mr Turnham if this is something you could potentially offer.

In the new year, we will be advertising to Year 9 students for the 2026 season’s team. Places are limited and interest is high, so we will be looking for pupils who can drive the team forward and build on past successes. See you again in 2026!