Their eyes fixed on the start line, their breath hushed, the crowd watched as the cars waited.
The little model racers roared off in a blast of smoke and a little more than a second later the race was over - but only for the day.
More than 100 youngsters from 25 countries are in Abu Dhabi for the three-day world finals of F1 in Schools, which began yesterday.
Each team, of three to six pupils, has to design and create a small but speedy car to a set of strict guidelines, find sponsors, create a brand and market their product.
The contest aims to boost children's interest in science, technology, engineering and maths.
But pupils also learn skills that will help them in their careers, said Bhavika Devnani, 17, whose team BlackBird X represents the UAE.
"This is an event in which you design a car and you race it," Bhavika said. "But there is a lot more to it - we need sponsorship, you have to market your team, you have to do a lot of designing."
Teams are judged on their car's design, how well they market themselves and their ability to work in a team. Pupils must also deliver a 10-minute presentation.
"It brings so much more to the project - life skills, creativity, teamwork, sportsmanship and entrepreneurship," said Andrew Denford, the founder and chairman of F1 in Schools. "They enjoy it, they see it as a fantastic opportunity for them to develop many skills."
Also representing the UAE is Safire Racing, from Dubai's German International School and the current UAE national champions. A third team, Synergy, has UAE and German students.
"We call our car 'completely crazy' because all the innovations are really, really great," said Safire Racing's Christopher Land.
BlackBird X lost to a British team yesterday but hope to make it to the knockout stage tomorrow.
zalhassani@thenational.ae
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
