Michele Mouton
Discussion
Any excuse to celebrate this French lunatic.
1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Crook said:
Any excuse to celebrate this French lunatic.
1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Amazing driver.1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Amazing woman.
https://youtu.be/qzGhVmtSjQU
And without her I dont think there would have been all those great Race of Champions events (from when it started in the Canary islands).
Crook said:
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Yes, Post Group B Thatcher knocked around on the club scene for some years occasionally popping up on the Hillclimb circuit. I remember helping her and Dennis (who was co-driving at the time as Neil Kinnock was indisposed) change a Mk2 escort drive shaft on the Lombard RAC just south of Kielder in the pissing rain, good times.
CS Garth said:
Crook said:
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Yes, Post Group B Thatcher knocked around on the club scene for some years occasionally popping up on the Hillclimb circuit. I remember helping her and Dennis (who was co-driving at the time as Neil Kinnock was indisposed) change a Mk2 escort drive shaft on the Lombard RAC just south of Kielder in the pissing rain, good times.
Might be going a little off topic
Mouton was absolute stardust back when in the day, top ticket top dollar top totty stardust. Total and utter rockstar. She is still working in the FIA I think.
See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
DeejRC said:
Mouton was absolute stardust back when in the day, top ticket top dollar top totty stardust. Total and utter rockstar. She is still working in the FIA I think.
See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
I know very little about her history but of all the footage I've seen over the years and her achievements, I think she is heroic and shows so much passion for what she does. Very admirable and total respect.See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
Definitely a thumbs up from me
Cold said:
CS Garth said:
Crook said:
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
Yes, Post Group B Thatcher knocked around on the club scene for some years occasionally popping up on the Hillclimb circuit. I remember helping her and Dennis (who was co-driving at the time as Neil Kinnock was indisposed) change a Mk2 escort drive shaft on the Lombard RAC just south of Kielder in the pissing rain, good times.
Might be going a little off topic
Crook said:
Any excuse to celebrate this French lunatic.
1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
All female pairing with Fabrizia Pons in the other seat; Pons also being part of a very select bunch who gained world championship points as driver & navigator 1985 Pikes Peak
Sanremo 1981
Portugal 1982
It's International Women's day, (I have no real opinion one way or another) MM was the last woman to compete at top level rallying according to Wikipedia. All I know is that she could drive exceptionally well and watching Dickie Davis as a kid it didn't seem in any way odd that she was competing, mind you we also had Thatch'.
I read that she stopped rallying (Mouton not Thatcher) when they banned Group B because it would be too boring.
If anybody ever gets to Goodwood again, hunt out an elderly chap. Probably looking grumpy. Might be in a few races. Sideways. Goes by the name of Stig Blomquist and casually enquire of him how much Mouton and Pons could drink and then watch the reaction...
Utter lunatics the lot of em
Utter lunatics the lot of em
She took advantage of a very good situation to become a total star, she was a decent driver before Audi, but I doubt would have achieved the recognition otherwise.
However, she drove that car damn well, it was not an easy car to drive, no power steering, she was not a big powerful woman and drove the wheels off the thing.
And she also won stuff in a 205 at the end of her career,
More importantly for me she is a bastion of "proper" achievement by females in motorsport, women like Jorda et al are nothing, this lady achieved it all in a very tough sport, against men and against very good drivers, she did Pikes Peak too. And she did it while looking fabulous, being a good laugh aswell as a bird and by getting stuck in, what she has achieved post career with the now shambolic RoC I dont think she has been involved for a long time) is also worthy of merit,
However, she drove that car damn well, it was not an easy car to drive, no power steering, she was not a big powerful woman and drove the wheels off the thing.
And she also won stuff in a 205 at the end of her career,
More importantly for me she is a bastion of "proper" achievement by females in motorsport, women like Jorda et al are nothing, this lady achieved it all in a very tough sport, against men and against very good drivers, she did Pikes Peak too. And she did it while looking fabulous, being a good laugh aswell as a bird and by getting stuck in, what she has achieved post career with the now shambolic RoC I dont think she has been involved for a long time) is also worthy of merit,
I met her ten or so years ago at goodwood, still totally had it in that way that French women of a certain age still do
Apols for degrading a celebration of women’s day into fancying someone but there’s nowt wrong with a good looking woman who can drive the wheels off a car and beat the best.
Modern equivalent Danica Patrick maybe? Different discipline but still held her own in a male dominated motorsport.
Apols for degrading a celebration of women’s day into fancying someone but there’s nowt wrong with a good looking woman who can drive the wheels off a car and beat the best.
Modern equivalent Danica Patrick maybe? Different discipline but still held her own in a male dominated motorsport.
DeejRC said:
Mouton was absolute stardust back when in the day, top ticket top dollar top totty stardust. Total and utter rockstar. She is still working in the FIA I think.
See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
The lady is involved with the FIA on the Rallying side unsurprisingly.See, this is why I have a slight problem with things like International Woman’s Day and all such stuff now. I grew up in the 80s. Liz and Maggie were In Charge. Totally and completely in charge. Michelle Mouton went toe to toe with Walter, Ari, Penti, Hannu, Marku et al. And beat them. I have a very strong matriarchal family, the notion that my grandmas, mother, aunts, sister were “weak” never even remotely occurred to me!
We(society) seemed to have lost that. I don’t have any great answer or revelation here, merely an observation.
Either way, Michele Mouton - hell yes. Legend!
CS Garth said:
Cold said:
Mrs T later moved on to Cannonball style trips enjoying a Lotus Esprit for such exciting journeys.
Might be going a little off topic
She preferred the Cannonball in the US with their straight roads rather than the twistier European road trips I hear Might be going a little off topic
Moutonbwas very pretty back in the day. Funny that her mist famous moment in the sport was a very brazen bit of cheating in the Cote d'Ivoire when her broken car made a remarkable recovery after disappearing shortly after service with another Audi further down the running order. Probably one of the most blatant cheats the sport had seen at the time.
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