CAMILLE DU GAST: Banned After Paris-Madrid Heroics, Not Rule Violations

September 23, 2026

• CAMILLE DU GAST placed 8th in 1903 Paris-Madrid before stopping to aid crashed teammate, ultimately finishing 78th while demonstrating sportsmanship over competition results.
• ACF banned her entirely in 1904, citing women being “too nervous” to drive—not for performance issues or safety violations, pure gender discrimination.
• Du Gast raced before modern grid systems existed, her legacy preserved by Women on the Grid to honor pre-organizational era female competitors.

acf, early motorsport history, paris-madrid race