Ricardo, a global consultancy covering global transport, energy, and climate agendas, recently supported two South Australian schools — Brighton Secondary School and St John’s Grammar School — in their participation at the Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) South Australian State Final. The company said the students delivered a strong performance, demonstrating technical creativity, determination, and solid on-track racing with their hydrogen-powered vehicles.
The H2GP is an international STEM programme developed by Horizon Educational that challenges students to design, build, and race compact hydrogen-powered remote-controlled vehicles, the aim being to promote hands-on learning in renewable energy, engineering, and teamwork, and thereby ‘prepare students with practical skills for a sustainable future’. This event was made possible through the support of sponsors, including Ricardo, and the Australian government.
Brighton Secondary School’s hydrogen-powered vehicle ‘Phantom,’ which earned the team a second-place finish, was a custom-built front-wheel-drive model designed for endurance. It featured a carbon fibre chassis, a brushless motor, a modified hydrogen fuel cell optimised for efficiency, 3-D printed components, a quick-release fuel system, and a magnet-mounted body. The St John’s Grammar School team competed with its vehicle ‘Ka Chow,’ and was placed 16th in a highly competitive field.
Ricardo representatives — Jorge Martin Gistau, Toby Mackereth, and Joshua Sims — supported the students and were part of the judging panel. Mr Gistau said: “We were inspired by the initiative, problem-solving, and enthusiasm of the students — qualities essential for advancing sustainable engineering. Supporting both Brighton Secondary and St John’s Grammar School aligns with Ricardo’s mission to nurture education and innovation as Australia transitions toward a clean-energy future.”