Saudi team Lynx has claimed first place at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals in Singapore, marking the first time a Saudi team has won the global competition. The achievement highlights the progress of Saudi Arabia’s student engineering talent through a programme led by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative by Aramco.
Held from September 29 to October 7, 2026, the competition brought together 91 student teams from 36 countries. Participants were challenged to design, build and optimise model racing cars, applying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) principles to practical engineering problems.
Five Years of Progress
The victory follows five years of Saudi participation in the international competition, since the establishment of the national programme. What began with a small group of students has grown into a programme training more than 300 students across six hubs in the Kingdom.
Farah Abushullaih, Ithra Programs Manager (A), described the win as a major milestone and the culmination of the Saudi teams’ journey to the world stage.
Preparation for the finals included an intensive eight-month training programme led by 36 expert mentors. Students developed skills in aerodynamics, materials science and precision engineering, alongside project development, teamwork and other professional competencies.
Saudi Teams Earn Multiple Awards
The Saudi delegation secured its place at the global finals through a national selection process held in June 2026. Twenty teams competed, with Lynx from Dhahran, Baz from Jeddah, Anaq from Madinah and Drein from Al-Ahsa emerging as the top four teams.
Alongside winning the overall championship, Lynx received the Team Identity Award. Team Baz earned the Best Application of Project Management Award and won the Knockout Competition.
Saudi teams also received nominations in more than 15 of the competition’s 22 award categories, with multiple teams securing places in the top 10 among the 91 international participants.
STEM Racing KSA Opens Its Sixth Cycle
Following the international success, Ithra has announced the sixth cycle of STEM Racing KSA, with registrations now open and training scheduled to begin in December 2026.
Launched in 2022, STEM Racing KSA provides students in Saudi schools with opportunities to develop technical skills, gain practical engineering experience and compete internationally.
Through the programme, Ithra aims to support young talent in science and engineering while building a pipeline of skilled students equipped to pursue future opportunities in technology and innovation.
