Michele Mouton - the fastest lady ever!

[RallySport Mag]

Hi all,

I recently did an interview with Michele Mouton when she was 'Down Under' for the Otago Classic Rally in New Zealand.

You can find the interview here:

http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2741&Itemid=2

She is a delightful lady. What a shame rallying hasn't had a lady driver like her since the 1980s.

Regards
Peter

[Maui J.]

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the interview link.
She's a cool lady. Great to see her and Fabrizia teamed up again.

It would be fantastic to see a new female driver mixing it with the big boys again. Would add a bit of spice (and sugar) to the championship again.

[gloomyDAY]

Great interview Peter!
Another Michele Mouton would be an awesome addition to the WRC.


What was it like racing against men in a male dominated sport?
In my mind I never tried to beat them. I tried to be at their level, and tried not to be ridiculous – because this is also another little bit of my character. I think it is this side of me that is trying to make me go fast.
Michele is not some fluff girl like Danica Patrick. :hmph:

[Leon]

very nice interview. Good job. Thanks.

I´ m waiting for Atko´ s tales update....

[RallySport Mag]

Hi Leon,

Now that Atko has a break before Finland, we should be able to get his latest happenings. He's in Queensland this weekend for the third round of the Australian Rally Championship.

Thanks for the comments re-the Michele interview.

Cheers
Peter

[Daniel]

Michele is not some fluff girl like Danica Patrick. :hmph:

Agreed. Someone who appears in SI and wins one race doesn't rate IMHO. Not because she's a woman but because she's won ONE race.....

[rx-guru]

Nice interview, Peter! However, "She is a delightful lady"… Nowadays? AFAIK the Pikes Peak organisers, competitors and spectators saw it somewhat different by then. BTW, cannot find a link to part 3 of the interview yet. Would love to see what she told about her Pikes Peak drives. Especially about the first one in 1984, when she was clocked 11 seconds slower than Norwegian Rallycross hero Martin Schanche (Ford Escort Mk3 Xtrac/Zakspeed) after 1/3 of the total distance. Only moments later Schanche was hampered by a flat right front tyre but pressed on regardless and made it to the summit on three wheels only. But of course much, much slower than Mouton and her co Pons (they drove PP together that first year).

[RallySport Mag]

BTW, cannot find a link to part 3 of the interview yet.

You'll find Part 3 of the interview HERE. (http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/)

As for what the Pikes Peak organisers thought, well, I can only go on what I found when I did the interview, and she was simply charming! She may be a little slower than in previous years, but she still has that special something.

You can also find more pics and video footage of the Otago Rally HERE (http://otagorally.co.nz).

Enjoy!

Peter

[rx-guru]

Okay, know Part 3 also now. Like the way she comments quite open on her Pikes Peak story of 1985 more than 20 years later. AFAIR she was called something like "this naughty and stubborn French (or European?) girl" by the US media that year. However, I am 99% certain that the pic of the Audi Sport quattro S1 'Pikes Peak' shows Walter Röhrl during his record drive in 1987. AFAIK Michèle Mouton never drove that 600+bhp PP S1 in a true competition…

[FAL]

Now find what Pentti wrote about her on this forum............

[Maui J.]

On the topic of fast females...just wondering what everyone else thinks about the 'Ladies Cup'.

Would it be a good thing to reintroduce it back into the WRC?
It ran for about six years in the early 90s with drivers such as Louise Aitken-Walker and Isolde Holderied taking out the title.

Personally I think it would be a bit degrading in this day and age. Rallying isn't so much about physical strength as other sports are. It's about skill.

On the other hand, would it encourage more females into the top level?
That can't be a bad thing. There are some fast ladies out there doing well at national level. It would be great to see them in the PWRC.

Only problem could be, that it may turn into who's got the most $$$, and not skill, and we may end up with a championship with Natalies!!

Interested in others' thoughts.