Julie Amblard is a French rally co-driver who started her motorsport journey at just 16 years old sitting beside her father Jacques, and has since become a two-time French Rally Champion with driver Sarah Rumeau—part of an all-female crew now making history on the world stage.

EARLY YEARS

Motorsport wasn’t just a hobby in the Amblard household—it was lifeblood. Julie’s father, Jacques Amblard, was a passionate rally enthusiast, and in 2010, at just 16 years old, she began competing as his co-driver. The Rallye Lyon-Charbonnières Rhône became familiar territory early on, a stage she’d return to many times throughout her career. Those formative years weren’t just about learning pace notes and reading terrain—they were about understanding what it meant to trust your partner completely when the road ahead is blind and fast. Jacques passed away in December 2021, but his influence on Julie’s career remains woven into everything she does in a rally car.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the intensity of rally stages, Julie has embraced the business side of the sport. In March 2024, she established her own enterprise based in La Ciotat, a coastal town in the south of France where she now lives. The move reflects not just her commitment to rallying as a career, but her determination to build something sustainable in a sport that doesn’t always make that easy—especially for women.

EARLY SUCCESS

After her father’s death, Julie faced the challenge many co-drivers encounter: finding a new driver to trust. In 2018, she competed in nine rallies and took time to rebuild her confidence. A podium finish at the Rallye de l’Ardèche with driver Jérôme Del Bianco late that season helped her find her footing again. But it was her partnership with Sarah Rumeau, beginning in 2021, that truly launched her career into a new stratosphere. The duo clicked immediately. Rumeau was a rising talent making her rally debut, and Julie brought years of experience and calm under pressure. Together, they won the French Rally Championship in their very first season—a feat that announced them as a pairing to watch. In 2018, Julie also won the prestigious Rallye Jeunes selection for co-drivers, a national competition designed to identify and nurture the next generation of French rally talent. It was validation that her skills went far beyond just reading pace notes—she had the tactical mind and composure that separates good co-drivers from great ones.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2018: Winner of the Rallye Jeunes co-driver selection.
• 2021: French Rally Champion (Women’s category) with Sarah Rumeau in their debut season together.
• 2023: Became the first all-female crew to finish on the podium of the French Rally Championship since its creation, with a third-place finish at the Rallye du Mont-Blanc.
• 2024: Two-time French Rally Champion (Women’s category) with Sarah Rumeau; part of the first all-female team in 35 years to finish in the top five of the overall French Rally Championship standings.
• 2025: Made WRC2 debut at Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo with Sarah Rumeau under the Iron Dames banner.

INSPIRATIONS

Julie’s biggest inspiration was undoubtedly her father, Jacques. He gave her the gift of motorsport and the foundation of skills she still uses today. His memory continues to drive her forward, especially when she returns to rallies like the Rallye Lyon-Charbonnières Rhône, where they competed together. Her partnership with Sarah Rumeau has also been built on mutual respect and shared ambition—two women determined to prove that gender has nothing to do with speed, precision, or guts.

REPUTATION

In the tight-knit world of French rallying, Julie is known as a steady, highly skilled co-driver who doesn’t rattle under pressure. She’s respected not just for her technical abilities but for her professionalism and work ethic. The partnership with Rumeau has brought her into the spotlight in a way few co-drivers experience, but she handles it with grace. Sponsors like NTN-SNR have backed the duo, recognizing their competitiveness and the growing visibility of women in motorsport. Julie is also known for embracing modern tools—she’s been featured discussing digital pace note systems, showing she’s as comfortable with innovation as she is with tradition. Living in La Ciotat and racing under the ASAC du Var, she’s become a recognizable figure in the rally community, particularly in southern France.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Julie and Sarah Rumeau are entering their most ambitious season yet in 2025 as part of the Iron Dames rally program—a groundbreaking, all-female initiative. They’re competing in seven rounds of the WRC2 Championship, the fiercely competitive support category of the World Rally Championship. Their calendar includes iconic events like Rallye Monte-Carlo, Vodafone Rally de Portugal, and Rally Finland. They’re also continuing to compete in select French national rallies, including the Rallye Castine Terre d’Occitanie. The goal isn’t just participation—it’s to prove they belong at the highest level and to inspire the next generation of female rally talent. With backing from NTN Europe and the Iron Dames organization, Julie is positioned to make 2025 a landmark year—not just for her career, but for women in rallying.

REFERENCES

Charbo 2024 : Julie Amblard, une double championne de France des rallyes comme chez elle – Le Progrès
Interview de Julie Amblard – Rallye-Passion France
Amblard Julie – eWRC-results.com
Sponsoring Rallye : équipe Amblard et Rumeau WRC – NTN-SNR
Cette Varoise repère les pièges du Rallye Monte-Carlo pour Sébastien Ogier – Nice Matin
Première fois pour Sarah Rumeau et Julie Amblard en WRC – YouTube
Les engagés français au Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025 – FFSA
Julie Amblard – Iron Dames
Julie Amblard : « C’est une belle mise en lumière des féminines » – AutoHebdo
Rallye : Rumeau et Amblard, un podium pour l’histoire au Mont-Blanc – MFE Live
NTN Europe soutient le duo Rumeau-Amblard pour la saison 2025 – NTN-SNR
Iron Dames Unveil Historic Rally Programme for 2025 – Iron Dames
Hommage à Jacques Amblard – Rallye-Passion France