A LOVE of speed has driven Kirsty Jeffrey to the brink of achieving her dream. Kirsty, 21, of Swithuns Way, Sandy, is determined to become a racing driver and compete in the new Women s Formula racing programme. She is one of the 4,000 hopefuls who applie

A LOVE of speed has driven Kirsty Jeffrey to the brink of achieving her dream.

Kirsty, 21, of Swithuns Way, Sandy, is determined to become a racing driver and compete in the new Women's Formula racing programme.

She is one of the 4,000 hopefuls who applied to join the scheme. Through hard work and dedication she has made it through to the final 100 and at the end of the month is off to a special boot camp to test her fitness even further.

There she will discover whether she has what it takes to race and hopefully claim one of the last 12 places available.

But for Kirsty there is no glamour associated with her sport, unlike the champagne lifestyles of men on the Formula 1 circuit.

At the moment she is trying to raise the £34,000 needed to keep her dream of earning a living from speed alive through promises and sponsorship.

"I need the backing from promises and pledges. If I get chosen for the few places that are left then I will be on the grid when the series starts in the summer," said Kirsty.

"I have worked very hard and just love speed and I am optimistic I will achieve my dream."

Kirsty currently works for Palmer Sport, run by former F1 racing driver and commentator Dr Jonathan Palmer. It is where she picked up the bug for motor racing.

"When I left school I worked in an office and hated the job," said Kirsty.

"I went to work for Jonathan Palmer and this gave me a great job and the chance to race.

"I have already had some success driving a Caterham which will be used in the Formula Women series.

"It has been hard work to get to the boot camp where 50 will be sent home after the first day.

"But I am determined to get one of the final dozen places and have got really fit working hard in the gym and running."

If you would like to support Kirsty, contact The Comet newsdesk on 01438 866200.