CAMILLE DU GAST: Stopped to Save Teammate, Then Banned by Cowards

September 23, 2026

• CAMILLE DU GAST placed 8th in the 1903 Paris-Madrid before stopping to assist her crashed teammate, ultimately finishing 78th after waiting for medical help.
• The ACF banned DU GAST from competition in 1904, citing women as ‘too nervous’ to drive—a decision based purely on gender discrimination, not performance.
• DU GAST raced before modern grids existed, pioneering women’s participation in motorsport during an era when female competitors faced institutional barriers to entry.

acf, early motorsport history, paris-madrid