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British rally driver Catie Munnings made history at 18 by becoming the first Brit to win a European Rally title in 49 years, and she’s been racing against legends like Sebastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz ever since—all while driving everything from traditional rally cars to 2-tonne electric SUVs powered by hydrogen fuel cells.[1][2][4]

EARLY YEARS

Growing up on a family farm in Britain with a rally driver for a dad meant Catie Munnings was never going to have a normal childhood—and she didn’t want one anyway. Her father, former rally driver Chris Munnings, regularly took her to his workplace, and by the time she was 13, she was executing perfect handbrake turns on a circuit he’d built on the family property.[2] While other kids her age were figuring out what “revs” meant, she was already teaching her friends how to drive on that same farm track.[2]

At 14, Munnings started testing in grass autocross at her local motor club, which led directly to rallying—the sport that had captured her imagination from those early visits to her father’s workplace.[6] Her dad didn’t just inspire her; he became her instructor and co-driver for early club events, guiding her through six rallies across Wales and Norfolk so she could qualify for her international licence.[2] It was a family affair in the best possible way: practical, hands-on, and completely focused on getting her where she wanted to go.

The fact that she originally wanted to become a vet shows just how serious she was about having options—she even sat her A-Level exams while competing in the 2016 European Rally Championship.[2][4] But once rallying had her, it wasn’t letting go.

OTHER INTERESTS

While tearing up rally stages, Munnings also found time to present her own full-time BBC kids TV show during her Junior World Rally Championship days—a gig that required media training from Eurosport and probably made her one of the most camera-ready drivers on the circuit.[2][4] It’s not your typical side hustle for a teenage rally driver, but then again, nothing about her path has been typical.

EARLY SUCCESS

Munnings’ early rally career was a crash course in both literal and figurative terms. After qualifying for her international licence through those six club events, she jumped straight into the European Rally Championship, starting with Rallye Açores—where she promptly retired on stage five after an accident.[2] The 2017 season brought more learning experiences: a 68th-place overall finish at Rally Islas Canarias and another retirement at Rajd Rzeszowski due to an accident.[2] These weren’t the results anyone dreams about, but they were the foundation.

Then 2016 happened. At just 18 years old, Munnings won the ERC Ladies Championship—becoming the first British driver to win a European Rally title in 49 years.[1][2][3][4][5][7] It was the kind of achievement that gets you noticed, and she was. Red Bull came calling, making her the UK’s first female motorsports athlete to sign with the energy drink giant.[1] Peugeot noticed too, bringing her into their Rally Academy in 2018, where she finished 4th overall in the ERC two-wheel drive category and eventually became a Peugeot Brand Ambassador.[1]

Her father had coached her through those early club rallies, but by this point she was also working with former rally driver Urmo Aava, building the skills that would take her from promising youngster to legitimate contender.[2]

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2016: Won ERC Ladies Championship at age 18, first Brit to win European Rally title in 49 years[1][2][3][4][5][7]
• 2018: Finished 4th overall in ERC two-wheel drive category with Peugeot Rally Academy[1]
• 2020: Competed in selected rounds of Junior WRC driving a Ford Fiesta R2[1][2][4]
• 2021: Won first-ever Arctic X-Prix in Greenland with Andretti United in Extreme E’s inaugural season; finished on every step of the podium that year[1]
• 2021: Brought her car home in 4th place at the Desert X-Prix qualifying—on three wheels[1]
• 2023-2024: Competed in FIA electric Rallycross with Team Hansen RX2e[1]
• 2024: Secured three podium finishes as pilot for E1 Team Brazil in the E1 Series[1][4]
• Won first heat in Sardinia competing in Extreme E[6]

INSPIRATIONS

Munnings grew up watching the drivers she’d eventually compete against—Carlos Sainz, Sebastien Loeb, and Jenson Button were her childhood heroes, the names she knew before she could properly reach the pedals.[4][6] “Just being offered the opportunity to race against people that I grew up watching such as Sebastien Loeb and Carlos Sainz has been amazing, especially when you have strong performances against them,” she said.[6]

But the biggest influence was always her father, Chris Munnings, who didn’t just introduce her to rallying—he built her an entire practice circuit and became her co-driver, turning family time into racing education.[2]

REPUTATION

Munnings has built a reputation as a driver with serious instinct—the kind who thrives when conditions change and everything goes sideways. “I think the offroad element initially attracted me because that’s what I found fun,” she explained. “I loved the changing conditions, I loved the instinct that you have to have as a driver to react in the moment.”[5] That philosophy has served her well across multiple disciplines, from traditional rally to the cutting-edge world of Extreme E, where she’s racing 2-tonne electric SUVs powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology.[4]

She’s also become known for her performances under pressure—like that time she told a story about her co-driver warning her to take it easy around a section near a volcano at Rallye Açores. “Literally about five kilometres into the stage… I clipped a bank and span—luckily the right way, and not into the volcano,” she recounted with the kind of humor that only comes from surviving your own close calls.[5]

Beyond her driving, Munnings is recognized as being at the forefront of both gender equality and green racing initiatives in motorsport.[4][6] She’s noted the increasing number of women entering the sport—not just as drivers, but as engineers and mechanics—and her presence in series like Extreme E puts her squarely in the conversation about motorsport’s sustainable future.[6]

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2024, Munnings continues to drive for Andretti Altawkilat XE in Extreme E and serves as pilot for Team AlUla in the E1 Series—a team championed by LeBron James.[1][2] She’s made it clear she’s hunting for victories: “We’re looking in strong shape and I do believe we have another good chance to take victory this year… it’s just about putting it all together on the day,” she said heading into the 2024 season.[6] “I can’t wait for all of the remaining races through the season… we can have a really solid year.”[6]

With partnerships continuing through Red Bull, Peugeot, and teams like Andretti and Hansen, plus her three podiums in the 2024 E1 Series, she’s positioned herself exactly where she wants to be: competing at the highest levels of emerging motorsport technology while still chasing that top step.[1][6]

References:

GP Sports Management – Catie Munnings
Wikipedia – Catie Munnings
Red Bull – Catie Munnings Athlete Profile
The Soho Agency – Catie Munnings Speaker Bio
Apex Custodian Club – Catie Munnings Interview
Females in Motorsport – Catie Munnings
Hansen Motorsport – Catie Munnings Team Profile