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Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built - Henry Ford
Motorsport has been a male dominated sport ever since the invention of automobiles. Men have dominated and continue to dominate most of the racing series around the world.
Motorized tricycle race in 1897 was one of the pioneer Motorsport event in which women could participate. The first few female drivers to race were Madame Labrousse, Countess Elsa d’Albrizzi, and Miss Wemblyn in 1900.
But it was the French woman named Camille du Gast who made several appearances in International racing events, she participated in the 1900 Paris-Berlin race and finished 30th overall in a 20 hp Panhard.
The number of women competing in Motorsport events gradually increased over the years. In 2009, the FIA ( Governing body for Motorsports) came up with the Women in Motorsport commission in a bid to increase women participation in racing events across the world.
Lets have a look at the 5 best female race car driver's who gave men a run for their money.
#5 Molly Taylor
Molly Taylor is an Australian rally driver who currently rallies in Australian Rally Championship (ARC) for the Subaru Motorsport team. Molly's 2016 title made her the first woman and also the youngest driver to be crowned the Australian Rally Champion.
In 2011, Molly was the only woman driver who was a part of the WRC Pirelli star driver program and she was also one of youngest female drivers to participate in the World Rally Championship.
Molly has won several titles in the world of Motorsport which includes Australian Rally Championships in the F-16 Class for 2007 and 2008, British Ladies Rally Champion in 2009 (the only woman from outside to UK to win the title). Molly took part in the 2013 FIA European Rally Championship too.
#4 Pat Moss
Pat Moss is a five-time European Ladies' Rally Champion and one of most of successful female rally driver of all time. Pat started racing a Morris Minor nicknamed "Granny" in national rallies and later British Motoring Corporation invited her to take part in bigger events.
In 1958, Pat finished overall fourth in the RAC rally driving her Morris. In 1960, she won the overall honors driving an Austin Healey 3000 at the grueling road race - Liège-Rome-Liège. In 1961, she finished second in RAC rally and in 1962 she finished 3rd in the Legendary East African Safari rally driving a Saab.
The greatest achievement in her career was winning the Netherlands Tulip rally in a Mini Cooper. She had three outright wins and seven podiums to her credit in International Rallies.
Pat Moss was the sister of the renowned Formula 1 star Stirling Moss and was married to the Swedish Rally driver Erik Carlsson.
Pat Moss was also the author of the book "The Art and Technique of Driving".
#3 Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick is arguably the best female race driver in America. She is also the most successful woman driver in the history of American open wheel racing. Danica has taken part in both IndyCar and NASCAR series.
Danica Patrick made history when she became the first and the only woman to date to win a race in the IndyCar series when she won the Indy Japan 300 in 2008.
She made her IndyCar debut in 2005 with Rahal Letterman Racing and took three pole positions in her debut season equaling the record of Tomas Scheckter's for most poles in a rookie season. She was awarded with the rookie of the year award for Indy 500 and the IndyCar series in 2005.
She began her NASCAR campaign in 2010, her best result in the series was a fourth place at Las Vegas Speedway in 2011.
In 2013 Daytona 500, Danica Patrick became the first ever woman to take a pole in the cup series by the setting the fastest lap time during the Qualifying.
Patrick retired from professional racing in 2018 after completing the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indy 500.
#2 Shirley Muldowney
Shirley Muldowney also know as Cha-Cha in the world of drag racing was the first female driver to receive the NHRA (National Hot Rod Racing) license to compete in top fuel dragsters.
The top fuel dragsters are the fastest accelerating race machines in the world which are capable of reaching speeds up to 535 Km/h in a 1000 foot drag strip below 4 secs.
In 1977, Muldowney became the first female driver to win drag racing's most prestigious NHRA Winston world points championship. She also won the title in 1980 and 1982 thereby becoming the first ever person to win two and three Top Fuel titles.
A near fatal crash in 1984 crushed her hands, pelvis, and legs, which required her to go through a series of operations and a therapy for almost a year and half. She returned to drag racing in the late 80's and continued to race throughout the 90's.
Shirley Muldowney won a total of 18 NHRA titles in her career.
#1 Michele Mouton
Michele Mouton is undoubtedly the best female racing driver in the history of Motor Racing.
Michele Mouton began her Motorsport career as co-driver in rallies and eventually graduated to be a race car driver. In 1975, Mouton won the 2-Liter prototype class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mouton later signed a deal with FIAT France in 1977 and a year later she took victory in Tour de France Automobile.
Mouton's consistent performances in WRC home events made way for a drive with the Audi works team in 1981, she went on to win the Rallye Sanremo in the same year.
In 1982, the world rally fans chanted the name of rallying sensation "Michele Mouton" as she went on win the WRC rounds of Brazil, Greece, and Portugal almost dethroning the rally legend Walter Rohrl for 82 title.
Mouton was leading the East African Safari rally by over an hour before a drive shaft failure in the penultimate leg and a topple just 18km into the final leg costed her the World Rally title.
In 1985, Mouton won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb by shattering the previous set record time in her Audi Quattro.
What makes Michele Mouton stand out in comparison to the rest of the female drivers in racing?
Michele Mouton was behind wheels of an Audi Quattro Group B rally car. The Group B rally cars were one of fastest rally cars ever on the planet. Lancia, once claimed their Group B cars were as fast as Formula 1 cars.
The Group B cars were eventually banned in 1987 as these monsters claimed lives of drivers and many spectators over the years. Mouton took retirement from rallying as she was not happy driving the slower Group-A cars in WRC.
Mouton was the co-founder of Race of Champions and she currently is the president of FIA Women in Motorsport commission.
