In the world of miniature motorsports, precision engineering meets youthful ambition. Few examples illustrate that better than the journey of Vulcan GP – a dynamic student-led team from CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, which won the Regional Finals and progressed into Nationals of STEM Racing, a global competition endorsed by Formula One.
Vulcan GP is a team of six students, united by a passion for racing, engineering, and innovation. STEM Racing, the competition they participated in, challenges students to design, manufacture, and race miniature cars powered by compressed air. It combines Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to give young minds a real taste of motorsport, design, and teamwork. Securing sponsorships from lucrative brands was also part of the initiative. The contributions helped them manufacture the car with precision, develop marketing materials, and prepare professionally for competition.

Vulcan GP is more than an innovative racing team; it is a testament to the
spirit of innovation nurtured within CHIREC’s Innovation Hub, the school’s flagship initiative which encourages students to expand their critical thinking and devise innovative solutions to global challenges.

The Vulcan GP team comprises of Arnav Kaul as Team Principal, Adityesh Chandrayan as Technical Director, Arahant Veerareddy as Manufacturing Engineer and Marketing Head, Agastya Nadella as Design Engineer, Sanjaay Rajkumar as Technology Head, and Aadya Pochampally as Graphic Designer. Together, they transformed Vulcan GP from just an idea into a Regional Finals winning team.

Says Adityesh, “Designing our car was where the journey began. We spent weeks understanding aerodynamics, testing different wing angles, and reducing drag to make our car as fast and stable as possible. With each simulation, we learnt something new – from how air flows around a wing to how wheel design can reduce rotational inertia and improve speed.”Clubs and participation in competitions at a national and international level empowers students with hands-on exposure to robotics and 3D design. Exposure to national & international competitions such as “School of the Future” conference, organised by Cognita group of schools (of which CHIREC is a part), encourage development of skills such as ideation.
But their success was not limited to engineering alone. They built a strong
digital identity through their website inspired by the Roman god of fire and metalwork. Their website became the hub for showcasing their journey and technical innovations.

Inspiring others, was also part of the journey. This was done by conducting STEM sessions, thus inspiring hundreds of students to explore STEM Racing and engineering. Managing tight academic schedules, last minute challenges, tested their patience, teamwork and resilience – a quality CHIREC seeks to instill through it’s social-emotional curriculum.

Winning the Regional Finals was their proudest achievement. Yet, beyond the trophy, the biggest reward has been their growth – as engineers, leaders, and communicators. Looking ahead, the team plans to refine the car with new aerodynamic concepts. Says Arnav, “By conducting sessions in underrepresented schools we hope to spark curiosity and confidence in students.”

Team Vulcan GP believes that racing is more than just speed on track. It is about teamwork, problem-solving, and the courage to push boundaries – skills that will fuel their journeys wherever they go next.

Also read: Coding a Better Tomorrow: Nihar Jain’s AI Journey at CHIREC