Fairholme College Teams Shine at H2GP Qualifier and Advance to World Finals

The H2GP program challenges students to design, build and race hydrogen-powered radio-controlled vehicles in a four-hour test of endurance and fuel efficiency. The race itself is judged on the total number of laps each team can complete within the allocated time. Students also present their vehicles and race strategies to a panel of industry judges, who evaluate their technical creativity and understanding of the energy and mechanics behind their car’s build.

The Toowoomba competition is one of seven Australian H2GP qualifiers, with similar events taking place in West Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and North Queensland. The world finals will take place 20-27 August 2025 in Germany.

With 17 cars vying for space, the first few laps play out more like a destruction derby than an endurance race. Vehicles are flipped, dislodged wheels bounce across the track and Fairholme’s Team xCelerate somehow manage to complete a full lap with their hydrogen power source dragging behind their racer! As the race matures over the next 30 minutes, the cars begin to space out and impacts become far less frequent.

Throughout, the pit area remains a flurry of activity. Most issues can be resolved with electrical tape and zip ties, though as the race grinds on, deeper issues with the vehicles’ wiring and the mechanics can force teams to retire from the contest early. Typically, only half of the cars will remain by the race’s conclusion – mostly due to exhausting their team’s 18 hydrogen stick allowance.

Team H2Fxlcon employed the same slow-and-steady tactic that yielded results in 2024, maintaining a healthy middle-of-the-board position early on, then systematically clawing past competitors at the top end of the leaderboard in the back half of the race.

Team xCelerate’s debut was unfortunately met with significant adversity. Though performing well initially, a major technical issue saw their car sidelined in the pit for over 40 minutes. Refusing to quit, the team rallied and successfully returned to the track, adding to their total laps and making it to the finishing flag.

When all was said and done, the race was won by Kingaroy State High School who achieved an impressive 550 laps. However, Fairholme College claimed 2^nd place and took home a combined haul of four trophies!

Team H2Fxlcon notched up 452 laps, comfortably claiming second place overall. Crucially, they once again proved to be one of Australia’s top-performing all-female team, earning the Women in STEM award and a place at the 2025 H2GP World Finals in Germany.

Despite their turmoil, Team xCelerate earned 11^th place overall with 258 laps. Their determination didn’t go unnoticed; they were awarded the Team Spirit trophy (as voted by their fellow competitors) and also won the Fastest Pitstop award with a lightning-fast 5.06 second hydrogen stick change – officially the fastest pitstop in all of Australia! 

Fairholme College’s decision to field two teams in this year’s H2GP competition is the result of a phenomenal debut in 2024. During that first season, the school’s H2Fxlcon team exceeded all expectations, not only claiming bronze in their regional qualifier, but also securing a wildcard spot at the world finals in California as Australia’s top performing all-female team. A very excited team made their way to Anaheim where they valiantly placed 13^th from a field of the world’s top 28 teams. They even made it onto US television in an interview with the local FOX 11 News! 

Buoyed by this success and a growing student interest in STEM, Fairholme College not only added a Year 11 squad which would become Team xCelerate, but also introduced a new engineering subject to their 2025 curriculum. The school’s expanding H2GP program also gave its year 12 Team H2Fxlcon students an opportunity to share their knowledge and mentor the younger participants.

Both teams took a tech-savvy approach this year, 3D printing their own chassis and fine-tuning their fuel efficiency using diagnostic software. They favoured a lean weight over fewer pitstops, operating on a single hydrostik to deliver more overall running time.

Brunel Director ANZ Querida Swinnerton like the Hydrogen Grand Prix are crucial to inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals.

“As Fairholme College’s H2GP sponsor, Brunel has been overwhelmed by the teams’ incredible results and the passion of the students involved,” Ms Swinnerton said.

“It’s clear to see that the girls aren’t just capable of engaging in scientific and engineering challenges, they excel at them. And when they’re given the opportunity to explore those spaces, it draws even more students into STEM.”

Currently, women make up just 37% of university STEM enrolments and 15% of the STEM‑qualified workforce in Australia.

Student teams from across the globe will converge in Chemnitz, Germany for the 2025 H2GP World Finals from August 20 - 27 for the 2025.