On October 1, cars designed by local and international school students were revving engines alongside Britain's most famous automobile brands.

Cars from Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren, Morgan, Aston Martin, BMW-MINI Motor Company and Radical gathered as part of Beijing's second annual British Motorsport Festival, an event designed to bring people together to spread the joy of the British sport to China and celebrate innovation.

And just across the track from some of the world's most powerful vehicles were electric F24 cars built by middle and high school students in Beijing. Weeks prior to the event, the teams began designing and building the battery-powered cars to prepare to race them in the Greenpower Eco Car Competition.

"These young people will become the engineers, drivers and consumers of the future of motorsports, via Greenpower both in China and the UK," BMF Founder Jim James said. "The Greenpower races at the BMF brought a youthful energy and passion to the event; not to mention laughter, smiles and healthy competition."

The Greenpower Education Trust was established in the UK 14 years ago and expanded its reach to China in April 2016. The innovative nature of the sport brings social and technical applications that engage young people and redefine the sport using e-technology rather than combustible engines.

"These are the testing grounds for the cars which will eventually be on the roads in China," James explained.

Two international schools in Beijing took part in the race – Harrow and Western Academy of Beijing. At WAB, students joined a brand new after-school activity to form their race team, The Flying Tigers. They explored aerodynamics and mechanical engineering techniques, using fiberglass and recycled bamboo sheets to maximize the car's efficiency.

"The students are inspired to continue learning about state-of-the-art engineering and design techniques and their real-life applications," Paul Balthazor, a WAB design technology teacher and club supervisor, said.

WAB's Flying Tigers began work on their F24 electric car in August, and efforts paid off on October 1 at the festival, where they accepted an award for the best car and finished second in a timed race.

The students showed their enthusiasm throughout the construction process and on the day of the race, working to meet complex regulations and solving problems that arose immediately prior to the competition.

"It was an unforgettable experience for all of us involved, both teachers and students," Min Song, the Flying Tigers' student leader, said. "We're already looking forward to begin preparations for next year's British Motorsport Festival."

The students are not the only ones looking forward to the next race. James said the future of Greenpower races in China looks very promising in terms of innovation, education and cultural exchange.

"It is a superb platform for collaboration and education, and I am delighted that the British Motorsport Festival could play host to this phenomenon," James said. "For me it was a wonderful vindication of my belief that we should combine children's racing with adult cars, but also that Greenpower resonates on many levels both in the UK and in China."

Stay tuned to Greenpower and the British Motorsport Festival to hear about what's happening next.