Michele Mouton racing legend

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To kick off my women in motorsport series I have decided to feature Michele Mouton, the woman who you could argue is the most successful female of all time in motor racing.

By now most of you would have heard Michele (born June 23rd 1951 in Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes) was recently made the President of the FIA's Women and Motorsport Commission (WMC). While her achievements span long and deep over the past four decades, her strength on and off the track is nothing short of inspirational.

Michele was rallying during the 'heyday' of the sport. Everyone was pushing the boundaries to get the most from their machines, pressure was coming from every angle for results. It is said some of the cars were able to go from 0-100km/h in 2.1 seconds on gravel. Engines were producing between 450 and 800 bhp on stages they wouldn't dare use today for fear they are too dangerous.

It was in 1972 Michele had her interest sparked in the sport by a friend who wanted to compete in a Corsa rally. Following this, her friend decided he was not happy with his co driver and asked Michele to co drive with him in 1973 at the Monte Carlo rally.

Deciding the driving position was more suited to her after encouragement from her father, Michele entered her first rallying season in 1974 at the wheel of her private Alpine-Renault A110. She consistently finished in the top ten, going on to win a number of French and European Ladies Championship events during the first four years of her career, driving a number of cars including a Lancia Stratos HF and Porsche Carerra RS.

1978 saw Michele drive a Fiat 131 Abarth before joining Audi to become their official driver in 1981, coinciding with the release of Audi's revolutionary four wheel drive A1 Quattro. Michele won her first round of the FIA World Rally Championship in the same year at the Sanremo Rally – becoming the first woman to do so.

Victories continued for Michele in 1982, winning in Portugal, Greece and Brazil, before becoming the FIA World Rally Vice Champion in the same season, missing the overall Championship by only 12 points. It was not her fault, rather a reliability issue with the Audi Quattro that kept the title from her.

Achieving these results is a huge feat in itself, but to be a woman doing so, racing against men in a male dominated sport, is incredible. This alone would have been enough to leave a mark on the history of motorsport but her achievements were far from over.

Michele began to make a name for herself at Pikes Peak (Colorado, USA) in 1984. She won the rally car class and came second overall in front of numerous single seated V8 'sprint' cars. Sounds good doesn't it? The only thing you may not realise is that those cars had long dominated the event. Driven by men.

It doesn't end there. Spurred on by the stellar results of her first event, Michele returned in 1985 to Pikes Peak. Nicknamed the “Climb to the Clouds” it involved a 19.96km twisting 157 bend gravel road, elevating from 2866m to 4401m. Not only was she first overall but she broke the previous record. Amazing.

This ruffled some feathers, none more than USAC star Bobby Unser whose family had held the record for over three generations. The fact they were beaten by a 'French woman in a German car' incensed him. Not one to let this get to her, Michele is said to have quipped:

“If you have the balls you can try to race me back down as well.”

I don't know about you but I really hope she said that.

Not wanting to compete in the slower Group A cars after the Group B cars were banned following the completion of the 1985 season, Michele ended her WRC career and become the official Peugeot driver in 1986, going on to win the German Rally Championship in the same year. Becoming a mother in 1987 and being a founder and co organiser of the Race of Champions in 1988, its safe to say she isn't one for sitting idly by.

I have a feeling her new role as President of the WMC may just be one of her most poignant. We need women like her in our corner, fighting to make the world of motorsport one that offers equal opportunities for women to experience as much success as their male counterparts. While all the technicalities of that is being worked on, we can take her results, her strength of character and fighting attitude and use it to inspire ourselves, to keep trying and keep fighting for what we want to achieve.

I know I will be. Jacki Warnock Girlracer magazine

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