FORGET Ferraris, McLarens and Mercedes, Torfaen now has its own high-flying Formula One team.

The Year Six class at Pontnewynydd Primary School will be speeding their way to the national final of the Jaguar Primary School Challenge – Formula 1, after dazzling the judges at the South Wales finals in Swansea.

The whole class chipped in on the ambitious half-term project, which saw the children design their own F1 race car and create an entire F1 brand.

It meant the children designed the car using 3d CAD engineering computer software, testing its aerodynamic ability on an app on the class iPads, and designed and created merchandise for their Fire Tyres team, which included flaming caps, beanies and polo shirts.

They even produced and edited their own promo video.

The judges decided the team’s work was fit for Lewis Hamilton and sent them through to the national final at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry in June.

Deputy Head and Year Six class teacher Andrew Phillips, who ran the project, said: “We’re delighted with the effort the whole class has put into the project, not just the six who made the presentations in Swansea.”

Pontnewynydd’s car hit an impressive 64mph on the 30-metre track, and clocked a reaction start time of 0.2 seconds.

They are the first rookie team to make the final, and the school is hoping to kit them out in F1-style boiler suits. It is looking for new sponsors for accommodation and travel for the two-day final.

The school would like to thank sponsors Weeks Meat, Tayto Crisps, Aucom, Ebbw Vale RFC, Jenson Travel, Spray Craft and Balance Sports.