Despite only being in the first year of her course, Salford University student Gemma Wainwright is already using her design skills - to help with her career as a racing driver.

Gemma, a keen kart and car racer who is studying graphic design, has teamed up with her boyfriend and fellow racer Dean Golba - an engineering student at Salford - to work on his website deangolba.com/ and has also produced sticker kits for his racing kart.

Right now she’s saving as much money from her student loan as she can, in order to build her own car for the Mazda MX5s Championship which will be televised on Motors TV.  Races in this Championship take place at world-famous tracks such as Brands Hatch and Silverstone.

Racing has also helped Gemma with her course - she’s designed in-car videos and packaging for medicine for people with tachophobia (a fear of speed) as a project, and is always looking for a racing angle for the skills she’s learning.

“I started racing when I was six and haven’t looked back,” she said.  “Starting a design course at Salford has let me combine my studies with my racing and, though it’s early days yet, I’d like to go on to a job in car design when I graduate.

“Right now I’m desperately saving up to help build my Mazda, and of course I’m always on the look-out for sponsors - I’d be happy to design the logos!”