Women Drivers at The 24 Hours of Le Mans (5 / 6)

 The 24 Hours of Le Mans, Official Program 1953, Bibliothèque municipale du Mans

From the driving license to the race track

Anne de Mortemart, Duchess of Uzès, won fame by being the first woman to obtain her driving license. It was in springtime, in 1898 and she then drove a Delahaye wagon car. The news appeared on May 15, 1898, in La Vie au Grand Air, an illustrated sports newspaper of that time, and was received with big astonishment:

The Duchess of Uzès got the patent! God yes, and a car driver again! This is true, indeed, and a surprise for dozens of people"

La duchesse d'Uzès at La Celle-lès-Bordes, Agence Rol, 1926 

A militant woman, race driver, mother of four children, and sculptor, famous for her hunts with hounds, the Duchess of Uzès founded the Automobile Club Feminine de France (ACFF) in 1926, as a counterpart of the very masculine ACF (Automobile Club de France), which does not receive women among its members. She also founded and presided over the Revue officielle de l’Automobile Club féminin, a publication that combines elegance, passion for cars, and information on past and future competitions. She launched, starting in 1927, at Montlhery race track a rally dedicated exclusively to female drivers. To conclude with a "Women's Autodrome Day".

The duchesse d'Uzès at Women's Autodrome day of de Montlhéry, 12 juin 1927, Agence Rol

Another great female name in motorsport is Camille du Gast, the first French woman to become a professional race driver. She took part in several international races, such as Paris-Berlin in 1901, where she finished 33rd out of 122, driving her Panhard, or the Paris-Viena in 1902. In 1903, she also took part in the Paris-Madrid race, finishing 77th out of 207 competitors. The race is shaken up by a few accidents, like the fatal crash of Louis Renault (founder of the Renault brand) near Poitiers. Amid the crash of Phil Stead (de Dietrich), Camille stops and rescues the driver. That move made her lose some places in the final standings. Today there is a street inside Paris, rue Camille-Crespin du Gast, in the Ménilmontant district, that pays tribute to her.

Camille du Gast, Alphonse Tellier and Georges Prade, 1905, Agence Rol

On the Starting Grid of The 24 Hours of Le Mans

The pioneer of women’s presence at The 24 Hours of Le Mans is Odette Coville, nicknamed "Siko". She participated in four editions of the race, from 1930 to 1933.

Mme Siko sur une voiture de course, Bugatti sport 3000 cmc, le 8 mars 1931, Agence Rol

In June 1930, she formed with Marguerite Mareuse the first all-female crew to take the start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They managed to cover 2,164 km and 700 meters with their 1497 cm³ Bugatti setting the women's record for 24 hours. Only 9 cars finished the race out of 17 at the start. The Siko-Mareuse duo obtained a respectable 7th place. The press of the time bloomed with admiration. Everyone was amazed to see :

Lors de l’édition de juin 1930, elle forme avec Marguerite Mareuse le premier équipage entièrement féminin à participer aux 24 Heures du Mans. Sur une Bugatti de 1497 cm³, elles parcourent 2 164 km et 700 mètres et établissent ainsi le record féminin des 24 heures. Sur les 17 équipes engagées, seulement 9 finissent la course. Le duo Siko-Mareuse obtient une honorable 7^ème place. La presse de l’époque fleurit d’éloges et d’admiration. A la stupéfaction générale :

The two ladies Mareuse and Siko that were still holding on and lapping the circuit with consistency. Those two women received standing ovations from the public every time their car passed in front of the grandstands "

Le Petit Journal, 23 juin 1930

In 1931, the Siko-Mareuse’s crew finished the race but was disqualified due to a breach of the rules. Nevertheless, in 1932, Odette Siko driving an Alfa Romeo 6C sets a record by finishing the race 4th overall, which is the best place a woman driver ever finished at Le Mans. Her teammate was Louis Charavel, nicknamed "Sabipa".

Mme Siko and Sabipo at The 24 Hours of Le Mans, édition 1932, Médiathèque Michel-Crépeau, La Rochelle

The duo are running again in 1933 which will be Siko’s last participation at Le Mans. After 120 laps she had to retire, due to a crash when her car rolled over and caught fire. She had only minor injuries and gently asked the marshals where she can find a way to return to Le Mans by foot.

Siko and Mareuse at The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1932, Ville de Paris, Bibliothèque du tourisme et des voyages

At the same period of time, another woman driver, Anne Itier, marked the history of The 24 Hours of Le Mans with her participation in five editions between 1930 and 1939. Her motto was:

 Spirit of freedom and independence"

Mme Anne-Rose Itier on Hotchkiss,Car Tourisme Competition, Paris-Pau, 1928, Agence Rol

Anne Itier crossed the finish line in the 1934 edition, with teammate Charles Duruy, then in 1935, with Robert Jacob, and in 1938 with Claude Bonneau. Afterward, she will race in many other Grand Prix and Rallies.

She drove a German Adler Trumpf sedan on the Sarthe circuit in 1937, on behalf of the official Adler team, having as a teammate the charming Baron Huschke von Hanstein. They eventually had to give up after 40 laps. Still in 1937 at the Rallye de Maroc, they had plenty of adventures and surprises and this gave birth to the rumor of a love affair between the beautiful Anne Itier and the Baron. He was arrested by the Nazi regime a few years later.

Closer to our days, Marie-Claude Beaumont and Anny-Charlotte Verney, in the 70s and 80s, continued the path opened up by their predecessors by freely asserting their passion for motorsports.

Along with horse riding, motorsport is the only mixed sport where women can compete on an equal basis with men and have the chance to win overall.

Five feminine drivers were present at the start of the race of the Centenary edition, in June 2023: Doriane Pin, Lilou Wadoux, Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey et Michelle Gatting. The last three of them, forming a crew, finished at a very good 4th place in the GT Category, only 5 seconds behind the car in the 3rd place. 

Cultural Olympiad is a multidisciplinary artistic and cultural program which runs from the end of the previous Games to the end of the Paralympic Games.
The Gallica series « Centenary of The 24 Hours of Le Mans » is part of the official Paris 2024 programming.