Last flying out to be first!
NSW Formula Vee driver and University of Wollongong student,
Kirsty Last has been offered an opportunity that most people
can only dream of. A chance to drive a racing car at Nürburgring
circuit in Germany. And not just in any race, but a race of
nations.
Hoping to take some inspiration from the Socceroos success
in Germany, Kirsty will be representing Australia in a “World
Cup” race against drivers from Great Britain, Ireland,
South Africa and mainland Europe. The race is being put on
to help celebrate 40 years of Formula Vee (Formel V) in Germany,
and caps off the celebrations world wide for the open wheeler
category.
This experience alone would be enough, but Kirsty has also
been offered the opportunity to drive a touring car in a separate
event, the international guests will also tour racing facilities
and car manufacturing plants such as Porsche as part of the
activities. As a young and upcoming engineer and driver in
the industry, this is the perfect opportunity for her to make
contacts and learn from the best in the world.
Kirsty was selected by Harry Ohs and Jürgen Bußmann
of the German Formula Vee Association, for her willingness
to learn and eagerness to be a part of the motor racing industry.
This is the perfect follow up to her Women in Motorsport scholarship,
in which Kirsty worked with the Australian A1GP team at Eastern
Creek in NSW and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 2005.
Kirsty is also working on Racecar development in her studies
as a Mechanical Engineer at the University of Wollongong in
NSW, she will be presenting to her international counterparts
the “Australian News "about Formula Vee and its
future.
“I am still finding it hard to believe I am going. When
someone contacts you out of the blue and says ‘Hey,
we have heard of you, come drive a race car at Nürburgring’
you are naturally hesitant to accept it as real! But the German
Association and Harry and Jürgen have been so enthusiastic
about an Australian coming over, that it has helped me come
to terms with the shock!” Said Kirsty on the announcement
of the opportunity.
The car she currently drives in the NSW State championships
is a 1984 Elfin with a 1200cc engine from a Volkswagen Bug.
The German Formel V Association will be providing her with
a Golf powered Vee with wings! The Nürburgring is the
most famous motorsport race track in Germany. It features
several track configurations. The shorter, modern version
called GP-Strecke, will be used for the 40th Anniversary Formula
Vee event with the older, much longer version of the Ring
called the Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), being
used for the proposed touring car event. Nicknamed The Green
Hell by Sir Jackie Stewart, it is widely considered the toughest
and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world.
Racing for the 40th Anniversary is between the 6th and 8th
of October.
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