Michèle Mouton
Rally racing // Grasse, France
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Michele Mouton is not a former French rally driver, she’s a legend. She didn’t break the mold she shattered it as the first woman to win a World Rally Championship event. The first Queen of rally.
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I remember it began to rain, I had a lot of fun out there. My pit crew told me to stop but I carried on and passed even some of the big cars!
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FULL BIO: Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton is a pioneering French rally driver who became the first woman to win a round of the World Rally Championship and finished as runner-up in the 1982 drivers’ world championship.
EARLY YEARS
Born on June 23, 1951, in Grasse, France, Michèle grew up on her family’s property where they cultivated roses and jasmine for the local perfume industry. At just 14 years old, she began driving her father’s Citroën 2CV, though her serious interest in rallying only emerged in 1972 when a friend invited her to practice for the Tour de Corse. Initially pursuing law studies after high school, she soon abandoned this path when her father encouraged her racing ambitions, promising to buy her a car if she proved herself in the sport.
EARLY SUCCESS
After co-driving at the inaugural World Rally Championship event at the 1973 Rallye Monte Carlo, Michèle took the wheel herself in 1974, competing in the Rallye Paris–Saint-Raphaël Féminin and finishing 12th overall at Tour de Corse in an Alpine A110. Her breakthrough came in 1975 when she won the 2-liter prototype class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with an all-female team, attracting sponsorship from French oil company Elf. These early achievements laid the foundation for her professional career with Fiat France and eventually Audi, where she would make motorsport history.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 1975: Won the two-litre prototype class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- 1978: Won the Tour de France Automobile.
- 1981: Took victory at the Rallye Sanremo with the Audi Quattro.
- 1982: Won the Rallye de Portugal, Acropolis Rally of Greece, and Rally of Brazil.
- 1982: Finished runner-up in the drivers’ world championship.
REPUTATION
Known as “The Queen of Speed,” Michèle earned respect through her fearless driving style and ability to compete directly against male counterparts in an era when women were rare in motorsport. Her tenacity was legendary, particularly during the 1982 season when she continued competing even after her father’s death during the Ivory Coast Rally. Despite facing skepticism, she consistently proved her exceptional talent behind the wheel of the revolutionary Audi Quattro, becoming one of the most successful female drivers in rally history and inspiring generations of women to pursue careers in racing.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Michèle’s influence continues through initiatives like Iron Dames, which has announced a historic rally program for 2025 including participation in the World Rally Championship, furthering her legacy of supporting women in motorsport.
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