STEM Racing World Finals
Engineering World-Class SuccessAd Astra finishes seventh in the world and first in Australia.
Brighton Grammar’s Ad Astra team has returned from the 2026 Aramco STEM Racing World Finals in Singapore with an outstanding result: seventh in the world and the highest-ranked Australian team. This marked Brighton Grammar’s fourth consecutive World Finals appearance, following Lunar’s World Championship victory last year.
Representing BGS and Australia were Gianlucca S, Bill W, Jack T, Marco Z, Reggie C and Thomas Z. The six Year 10 and 11 students were accompanied by Mr Jamie Watson, Mr George Neophytou, Mr Mat Steed and Mr Jenson Galvin (OB 2023).
In a field of 91 teams at the World Finals, Ad Astra earned 773 points, improving its score by 50 points and climbing eight places from 15th in 2025. Only three countries had teams ranked ahead of the boys, a result that reflects their sustained commitment across every aspect of a competition that continues to grow more demanding each year.
STEM Racing challenges students to design, analyse, manufacture, test and race miniature cars, while also developing the sponsorship, financial management, branding and communication skills needed to run a successful team. Months of preparation culminate in detailed portfolios, technical judging, presentations, pit displays and racing under pressure.
Ad Astra’s results demonstrated this breadth of achievement. The team finished top of its streams in both Enterprise and Pit Display, and was one of just five teams nominated for the overall Best Pit Display award. On the track, the boys recorded the seventh-fastest car in knockout racing and reached the semi-finals, combining strong engineering with composure during competition.
Their contribution also extended beyond their own campaign. Ad Astra mentored the team from Mauritius during its first World Finals appearance, sharing engineering expertise and helping mill its cars. The Mauritian team went on to win the Best Newcomer Award, making this collaboration a particularly rewarding example of the international connections and generosity of spirit the program encourages.
Throughout the competition, the boys drew on their technical knowledge, solved problems together and explained their work to judges and visitors. The trip also included the Singapore Grand Prix, bringing them closer to the professional motorsport environment that inspires the competition.
Thank you to the accompanying staff, families, sponsors, industry partners and wider BGS community whose guidance and support helped make this opportunity possible.
Congratulations to Gianlucca, Bill, Jack, Marco, Reggie and Thomas. Their achievement is a proud addition to Brighton Grammar’s STEM Racing story and a powerful example of what students can accomplish through curiosity, persistence and teamwork.
Mat Steed
Head of STEM Racing