Christine Savage: BSc Hons Mechanical and Production Engineering

Christine Thomson (née Savage)

BSc Hons Mechanical and Production Engineering, 1996

"I am now an Engineering Lecturer at Shrewsbury College as well as a semi-professional racing driver."

Christine has three great loves in her life – engineering, racing and her husband fellow racing driver and chemical engineer Neil Thompson.

“My mum used to race and I was her co-driver from about age ten so it has always been part of my life,” says Christine.

"I started learning to drive single seaters when I was 19 – baby Formula Ones – at Silverstone. I was hooked straight away; it was nice beating the boys!"

“I raced when I was at Luton too, that’s how the University came to sponsor me. I was always in the papers.”

Christine and Neil have ‘his ‘n’ hers’ saloon racing cars in the garage at their home in St Martin’ on the English/Welsh border.

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They are now gearing up for their next big events, racing at Pembrey and preparing for the 24-hour race at Snetterton.

“My one regret is that when I left Luton I never worked professionally as an engineer. Engineering is in my family, like racing. My two brothers and my parents are engineers. I now teach engineering at Shrewsbury College and I’m head of Key Skills IT.

Christine hasn’t yet given up the idea that she might be able to race professionally – and her ultimate pipe dream is to race in sports cars in the "classic" endurance races such as LeMans and Daytona.

For more information about Christine and her racing career visit her website www.girl-racer.co.uk

Interview took place in 2003 and was updated in May 2004.