Michele mouton rally driver

List of female drivers women on a wrc podium driver first season final season wrc rallies wrc wins championships louise aitkenwalker 1979 1991 22 nancy almajali 2011 2011 1 leeanne barns 2005 2005 1 natalie barratt 1998 2006 44 christine beckers 1977 1977 1 charlotte berton. For world rally championship legend michele mouton, her victory at pikes peak in 1985 was truly a case of the famous mountain courses clouds turning to a red mist. Michele mouton is a 68 years old race car driver, who was born in june, in the year of the rabbit and is a cancer. She debuted in rallying as a codriver but quickly moved to the driver s seat, behind the wheel of an alpinerenault a110. Jan 17, 2004 michele mouton is famous for keeping up with the men. Plus, we take a look at her 1984 audi rally quattro a2. Pons is one of two people to have achieved world championship points as a driver and co driver, having finished ninth overall in the 1978 sanremo rally before switching to codriving. Celebrating the first world rally championship by a female driver. How an ordinary french girl became one of the most respected rally drivers in an era of dangerously fast group b machines. Michele mouton is by far the most successful woman racing driver of all time and is undoubtedly one of the biggest legends of rallying. Jan 23, 2018 michele mouton and her co driver fabrizia pons by the mid 1980s, mouton was competing the forefront of the group b era, the highest level of rallying, which featured new cars producing 600 or more horsepower and allwheel drive.

Next thing she was competing in the monte as a codriver, subsequently taking part in a few french rallies in a peugeot 304. She raced in the world rally championship between 1974 and 1986, scoring four wins and nine podiums, finishing best in the championship in the second place in 1982. For 1986, michele found a seat in the peugeot team, driving the new and even faster 205 t16. Pons is a recipient of the halda trophy for 1982, the highest honor for a co driver. Micheles birthstone is pearl, moonstone and alexandrite and birth flower is rose. In 1981 she was the first woman to win a world rally championship wrc event, at san remo, and in 1982. By rally portugal, the problem had been sorted, and mouton had begun a longterm partnership with co driver fabrizia pons. Michelle mouton rally driver and mother mouton at the start of her career motorsports most successful female competitor almost became frances first wrc champ. Juni 1951 in grasse ist eine ehemalige franzosische rallyefahrerin. Michele was a fast, capable driver who managed to outperform many male competitors and earn respect from fans.

This is a list of female drivers in the wrc, including the most successful of all, michele mouton. Rallyings most tenacious driver was a woman jalopnik. By rally portugal, the problem had been sorted, and mouton had begun a longterm partnership with codriver fabrizia pons. Audi sport, sport cars, race cars, audi gt, rally car, rally drivers, ford classic cars, top cars, car wheels. Show that motorsport is open to women in all of its aspects, whether as competitors, officials, team managers, engineers, mechanics, etc. After several races, including her first world rally championship race, the 1973 rallye monte carlo, she was persuaded by her father to try switching to the driver s seat, and thats when the legend of michele mouton was born. Born in grasse, in france, on june 23, 1951, mouton started her rallying career driving renaults and alpine renaults, and finished second in the european championship in 1977. During this period, audi was constantly the team to beat, and for a while, the great michele mouton was one of the hired guns for this legendary team, and she was total business. At the end of the year, mouton was crowned both french and european ladies champion. She is the most successful and wellknown female rally driver of all time, as well as arguably the most successful female in motor racing as a whole. Michele mouton born 23 june 1951 is a french former rally driver.

Jun 03, 2008 michele mouton at the otago classic rally in dunedin nz in 2008. I went to watch him in corsica and he didnt get on with his codriver, so he asked me, mouton recalled in an interview with. Nov 09, 2011 michele mouton is the first and so far, only woman to win a world rally championship event. By her early 20s, with that first taste of 2cv still fresh, mouton experienced rallying, initially serving as a codriver in amateur rallies, but soon assuming driving duties. She is still the last woman to compete in toplevel rallying.

Jun 05, 2019 michele mouton, president of the fias women and motorsport commission wmc, is championing the next generation of female motorsport professionals through the fias girls on track. Michele mouton, the french female world rally championship driver for audi ag, driving her audi quattro a1 in a rally in wales, u. Its not easy to be the best and i always pushed myself to be at the top. Michele mouton was born and raised in the beautiful southern french town of grasse, and from an early age excelled in everything from skiing to ballet to academia. As the most successful, and most famous, female driver of all time, mouton is the winner of four world rally championship events, and finished an agonising second in the 1982 world title race.

Pons has two children and is originally from turin. Dec 26, 2018 michele mouton was part of the audi quattro team early on, before even rohrl was ever behind the wheel of it. Of course, we are talking about michele mouton, the bravest, most skillful, and most successful woman in motorsport history. Online archive of fia world rally championship from 1973 to present day. Despite her inexperience, mouton wasted no time in learning the basics of rally navigation, and when taibi later invited her to participate as a. Michele mouton dvds, downloads, blurays and books with four world rally championship round victories to her name and having finished second overall in the championship in 1982 behind walter rohrl, michele mouton is the most successful female rally driver in wrc history and truly deserves more recognition than she usually gets. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Pons is a recipient of the halda trophy for 1982, the highest honor for a codriver.

Prior to audi, though, mouton had been a very successful rally driver in smaller rally races throughout europe, driving alpines and fiat abarths in the 1970s. Jul 31, 2010 michele mouton michele in 1977 born in 1951, this french rally star is perhaps the best known of all female racing drivers, and with little doubt the most successful. Michele mouton, the french female world rally championship. From the director behind the awardwinning senna, manish pandys 111minute documentary motorsport. Despite her inexperience, mouton wasted no time in learning the basics of rally navigation, and when taibi later invited her to participate as a co driver in the 1973 monte carlo rally, she agreed. Michele mouton was part of the audi quattro team early on, before even rohrl was ever behind the wheel of it.

The little french car allowed her to conquer germany or at least, the german rally championship. How fias michele mouton is championing the next generation. Michele mouton was the first, and remains the only, woman to have won a round of the fia world rally championship. Michele mouton rally turkey interview rally turkey wrc. See more ideas about rally car, audi sport and rally. Michele mouton and her codriver fabrizia pons by the mid 1980s, mouton was competing the forefront of the group b era, the highest level of rallying, which featured new cars producing 600 or more horsepower and allwheel drive. I went to watch him in corsica and he didnt get on with his co.

She was the first and so far the only woman to win a round of the world rally championship, the rallye sanremo in 1981. After a few more rallies as a codriver, moutons father suggested a switch to driving if she wanted to continue a career in rallying, and promised to buy her a car. The pair won four rallies with the rallye sanremo in 1981 and a further three to finish second in the 1982 championship. Im sure i faced all the same difficulties and concerns every competitor did. Michele mouton, pictured at 2011 swedish rally sweden car and driver michel race cars pilot photos pictures racing sheep brian tolagson car rally photos 201019. List of female world rally championship drivers wrcpedia.

Winning six out of eight events, mouton became the first woman to win a major rally championship. Prior to audi, though, mouton had been a very successful rally driver in smaller rally races throughout europe, driving alpines and fiat abarths in. Moutons 1982 season started with a big accident at the monte carlo rally. Michele mouton fabrizia pons audi motorsport winning rallye san. Nov 09, 2011 celebrating the first world rally championship by a female driver. Were talking about a driver who competed in the 80s against some of the greatest talents the series has ever seen. Michele mouton, president of the fias women and motorsport commission wmc, is championing the next generation of female motorsport professionals through. Michele mouton is the best female driver ever and one of the best rally drivers in history. This was accomplished in 1981 at the rally of sanremo with her codriver fabrizia pons. Michele mouton born 23 june 1951 in grasse, alpesmaritimes is a former french rally driver. Frenchwoman michelle mouton featured prominently in wrcs in the early 80s. Michele mouton, heroine of rallying race cars, rally car, audi. Demonstrate that women are recognised by the highest body responsible for motor sport. What kind of difficulties did you face as a female rally driver and how did you overcome them.

For most rally fans myself included, the 80s was the most fascinating era of rallying for one pure and simple reason. She was still codriving, but thought her drivers efforts nothing special, and then on her fourth rally her father turned up and noticed that the rally car had virtually bald rear tyres. After several races, including her first world rally championship race, the 1973 rallye monte carlo, she was persuaded by her father to try switching to the drivers seat, and thats when the legend of michele mouton was born. Mouton, who is the most successful female rally driver in history, was forced to retire from what was to be her final world rally championship event in corsica while running in the top three due to a technical problem with. Competing in the world rally championship for the audi factory team, she took four victories. But the frenchwoman can easily join the maledominated roster of alltime world rally championship legends, too.

The frenchwoman claimed victory in four world championship rallies in the 1980s and was vice fia world rally champion in 1982. Michele mouton rally drivers, audi sport, rallying. Indefatigable women drivers sitting pretty on the fast lane. Rally driver michele moutons wrc win in a 1984 audi rally. She drove such monsters like killer b audi quattro s1 with 630hp, peugeot 205 t16, lancia stratos and. The women in motorsport commission was created in 2009 in order to. Belle epoque michele mouton videorally fabio cantarelli. One of those heroes is fourtime world rally championship event winner and 1982 title runnerup michele mouton, who recalls her pioneering rally career. On stage twelve in the small town brianconnet in provence, she hit a patch of ice and slid off the road, crashing into the stone wall of a large house at 110 kmh 70 mph. Michele mouton and her codriver fabrizia pons just won the sanremo round of the fia world rally championship. After seven stage wins and a careerbest fourth place finish, mouton had. Apr 27, 2018 belle epoque michele mouton videorally fabio cantarelli. Ez ido alatt otven versenyen indult, szazhatvan szakaszon lett elso, kilenc. Mar 08, 2020 the grasse natives move from law student to rally racer came by accident in 1972.