This young artist has designed a mini F1 car at school! 

Mysha Tabrez is a young artist and class 11 Commerce student at Apeejay School International, Greater Noida. Inspired by her painter-mother, Ms. Sumbul Tabrez,  Mysha has been creating and selling artworks for three years now. 

She first got an opportunity to venture into car designing in 2019. This happened when her father, an official with the Indian Armed Forces, was posted to Jammu. To Mysha’s delight, she found a team of like-minded students who were preparing for the ‘F1 in Schools’ competition. An international STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) competition, ‘F1 in Schools’ is all about having students from across age groups come together to participate, design and manufacture a miniature car out of the F1 Model Block using CAD/CAM design tools. These cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and are attached to a track by a nylon wire. They are then timed and raced from the moment they are launched to when they pass the finish line by a computer. In an interview, Mysha talks about how she is soon to present her model at the international level in June, 2022. Edited excerpts:

How did you get to know about this unique competition?

My team members Saksham Sagar, Samridh Sharma, Samik J Singh, Ashmit Gupta came together in 2017 to work on the project. I joined their team, named Helios, in 2019, as we came up with the design of the car. It was at that time I learnt about the competition. We have represented the model at the national finals which were held in Delhi in August, 2021. As we are among the top three teams to qualify for the international level, we would be going to the United Kingdom in 2022. We would now be competing with students from across 50-60 countries.

What are the primary skills tested in the competition?

It judges students’ exceptional technical skills, innovative thinking and creativity. There are several rounds to the competition such as a detailed inspection process, where the race car is assessed for compliance with the ‘F1 in Schools’ technical regulations. Then comes scrutiny which is conducted within the confines of parc fermé where judges use a series of specially manufactured gauges and accurate measuring tools to check the car’s compliance. The engineering aspect focuses on the application of CAD CAM analysis, CAD data organisation, orthographic drawing, 3D render and use of CNC machining. This is followed by an informal interview where judges ask the team to demonstrate their CAD/ CAM work and query teams on what they have done. Apart from these, there is portfolio and pit display, verbal presentation and racing.

What was your role in the making of its prototype?

I am interested in automobiles and how they are designed, and so I created the basic structure of the car. I am also the marketing manager for it and my role in the team has been to seek sponsorships for the project. As our team is based in Jammu, we have relied on sponsored funds to go to Delhi and work on the necessary materials for making the car prototype, design and print. Several automobile and beverage companies have invested in our model.

How would the car race in reality as a full-fledged model?

As of now, it is a 3D-printed prototype. The car would cover a 25 metre track in two seconds. It is powered on CO2 gas cylinders which is the main mechanism behind it.

What would be your aspiration going forward?

I want to join the army. I have been dreaming and aspiring for it for a long time now. The army is becoming more and more open to women cadets and this is a welcome change. I am inspired by my father to join the armed forces because it has been a way of life I have grown up watching.