The high school has three teams - In Motion, Allium and Peregrine - competing in this year's F1 in Schools National STEM finals this week.

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Riverside STEM teacher Richard Gregory said it was the school's third year at the event and it was exceptional to have three teams off to the national finals in 2021.

"We have a lot of lunch times after school, school holidays so it's a commitment as well," he said.

"It's 20-30 minute interviews for a whole day, so they do three to four, at least three interviews.

"So live stream is going to be really interesting not having those face to face conversations."

Previously the teams would travel to the event, however, due to the changing nature of COVID-19 travel restrictions, it is a virtual event in 2021.

The challenge was established in Australia in 2003 and about 22,000 students are involved in the event each year. It mimics the world of a Formula One team with design, manufacturing and marketing elements, as students design, make and race a miniature F1 car capable of reaching 80km/h in under a second.

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Allium and Peregrine are in the first time contenders category, whereas In Motion will be in another category.

Year 9 student and In Motion's car designer Tara Stewart said after not being able to go to Singapore last year, the team was aiming for another top finish at nationals.

"This year we really just tried to improve upon all aspects to make ourselves competitive on a professional level," she said.

"Because last year we were versing all teams that it was their first time doing it, but now we're versing teams that are maybe like two or three years older than us and have more experience.

"So we really want to make ourselves competitive on that level."

In Motion is an all female team and Tara said they had been mentoring their younger counterparts and first time competitors, another all female team, Allium heading into the finals.

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