Motorsport scholarship takes Kirsty to Dubai

Nov 04, 2005

University of Wollongong Engineering student and self-confessed motorsport fanatic Kirsty Last has won the inaugural Women in Motorsport Scholarship presented by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

The scholarship means she will be part of the pit crew for Team Australia in the A1 Grand Prix of Nations rounds at Sydney’s Eastern Creek on 4-6 November and Dubai on 7-12 December.

Kirsty, 20, a Mechanical Engineering student who was a member of UOW’s successful Formula SAE racing team in 2003 and 2004, races competitively in Formula Vee events at Eastern Creek, Oran Park and Wakefield Park.

Being involved in international motorsport events in Sydney and Dubai is a dream come true.

“Motorsport is my life,” she said. “Every decision I have made on my future has been focused on motorsport.

“I chose to come to UOW to study Mechanical Engineering based on the fact this university had the best Formula SAE program. It has a great profile, and graduates from the Formula SAE team have gone on to jobs with some of the best race teams in Australia.”

Kirsty wants to follow in their footsteps when she graduates – if she’s not behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar by then – and the opportunity provided by the Women in Motorsport scholarship is an important step towards achieving that goal.

The Formula A1 Grand Prix series is a new series where teams representing 25 countries travel around the world competing in identical V8-powerered open-wheeler Lola racing cars.

Kirsty isn’t exactly sure what her duties with the pit crew will entail, but she is determined to get her hands dirty.

“This is a fantastic opportunity and I want to really get involved,” she said.