Michèle Mouton

Michèle Mouton, born on June twenty-third, nineteen fifty-one, is a distinguished former rally driver from France. She began her motorsport journey as a co-driver before swiftly transitioning to the driver's seat, where she made her mark in national rallies with an Alpine-Renault A110. Mouton's versatility was evident as she ventured into circuit racing, clinching victory in the two-litre prototype class at the prestigious twenty-four Hours of Le Mans in nineteen seventy-five.

In nineteen seventy-seven, Mouton joined Fiat France and showcased her talent by finishing as the runner-up to Bernard Darniche in the European Rally Championship. Her remarkable career continued to flourish as she won the nineteen seventy-eight Tour de France Automobile and consistently performed well in the World Rally Championship, particularly in her home events like the Tour de Corse and the Monte Carlo Rally.

Her partnership with Audi Sport began in nineteen eighty-one, where she made headlines with a surprise victory at the Rallye Sanremo in her first year driving the Audi Quattro. The following year, Mouton had an impressive season, finishing as the runner-up in the World Rally Championship, securing wins in Portugal, Brazil, and Greece, and contributing to Audi's first manufacturers' title.

After a part-time role in nineteen eighty-four due to a competitive team lineup, Mouton achieved a significant milestone by winning the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in nineteen eighty-five, setting a record time. She later joined Peugeot, making history as the first female driver to win a major championship in rallying by securing the German Rally Championship in nineteen eighty-six. Shortly after, she retired from rallying following the ban of Group B rally.

In nineteen eighty-eight, Mouton co-founded the Race of Champions in memory of her rival Henri Toivonen. Her contributions to motorsport continued as she became the first president of the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission in twenty-ten and later took on the role of manager in the World Rally Championship in twenty-eleven.