Synopsys, Nvidia launch F1-style digital twin racetrack, changing the STEM Racing game

Synopsys, an American tech company, through its Ansys division, has partnered with Nvidia to introduce a new digital twin racetrack for STEM Racing. The platform combines Ansys Discovery with Nvidia's Omniverse to let students design, test, and optimize miniature F1-style cars entirely in a virtual environment. The full rollout is planned for the 2025–2026 STEM Racing season, with a simplified version demonstrated at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals in Singapore from September 27 to October 2.

Virtual testing instead of prototypes

Traditionally, student teams build and refine physical prototypes, a costly and time-consuming process. With the new platform, they can instead run unlimited digital test laps on a replica of the official racetrack. By simulating airflow, drag, and downforce, students gain access to the same aerodynamic insights used in professional motorsport and aerospace engineering.

At the World Finals, a simplified demo let younger participants swap elements like spoilers and car bodies, instantly seeing how changes impacted speed and performance. Advanced teams will have the option to upload detailed designs into Ansys Discovery for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, with results visualized inside Omniverse.

Scaling STEM access

As the exclusive global CFD partner for STEM Racing, Synopsys already supports more than 400,000 students in 65 countries through free access to software, training, and support. The new initiative expands this effort by lowering barriers to advanced simulation and high-performance computing, offering a scalable way to bring engineering tools into classrooms worldwide.

Industry voices

Andrew Denford, founder and chairman of STEM Racing, described digital twins as a major step forward for student creativity and performance. Tim Costa, GM of industrial and computational engineering at Nvidia, highlighted how Omniverse can help optimize cars for unique track conditions. Synopsys noted that the platform integrates “AI-driven capabilities” to prepare students for next-generation engineering careers.

A new era for STEM competitions

The collaboration marks a shift in how design validation is approached in STEM Racing. By moving testing into the digital realm, Synopsys and Nvidia are creating a system that is faster, more accessible, and more data-driven. For students, it means learning to work with the same tools that are shaping real-world industries, and for the competition, it means a leap toward the future of engineering education.