The women of the '24 Heures du Mans'
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The women of the '24 Heures du Mans'

The '24 Heures du Mans' women

In addition showing the merits of a certain brand of tyres, this film shows the role of women in the world of motorsport. Just like Miss Nichols, some of them have already made history at Le Mans. (commentary in French).

History records that on Saturday the 22nd of June 1930, Odette Siko and Marguerite Mareuse were the first women to take the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The next day, they finished seventh driving a Bugatti Type 40. In the automobile as in aviation, this was the beginning of an important era for the feminist movement. In 1935, there were 10 female competitors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a figure that has remained unmatched since! That year, the official MG Midget team entered 3 cars with 100% female crews, which finished in 24th, 25th and 26th places.

In the post-war era it took two decades until a young (29) woman took on the Le Mans 24 Hours (1971). Although she did not appear on the winners roster, Marie-Claude Beaumont made an impression by controlling the monster 7-litre Corvette. With six consecutive appearances, she also opened the way for others, including Yvette Fontaine, the first to win her class (2 litre prototype) in 1974.

1974 also marked the first of a record 10 participations of Annie Charlotte Vemey who finished sixth in 1981.

More recently, 2010 saw the return of a 100% female crew (also 100% Swiss). The highly publicized trio of Frey, Allemann and Gachnang retired with mechanical failure. In 2012 the only woman involved, Keiko Ihara, suffered the same fate.

The women of the '24 Heures du Mans', also includes engineers (Leena Gade, Myriam Verschuure).

Women at the '24 Heures du Mans':
• 56 since 1930.
• 10 in 1935.
• None from 1951 to 1971.
• Best finish : Odette Siko, 4th in 1932.
• Most starts : Annie-Charlotte Verney, 10 participations.

Julien Hergault

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