I don't know if she's died, but it didn't look good.

Given that BF3000 included people like Geoff Farmer, Roger Orgee and Tony Worswick trying out new purchases for historic series, I'm not sure that's a major achievement. Even Marco Greco won the odd race. She was pretty much annihilated by Eric van der Poele at Brabham (OK, not ideal circumstances) but never got higher than 7th in Euro F3k.

Eric van der Poele was in turn annihilated by everyone else in the field. I think it has been established that the 1992 Brabham was one of the "loads of rubbish" that rdmotorsport mentioned earlier.

Giovanna had race-winning pace up to F3000 level, where she seemed to meet her match. She was a decent enough sportscar driver in the FIA SCC though.

Does nayone know where there is any more information about poor Roxie Lott on the 'net? I've heard her talked about on here, but nothing elsewhere.

Qualifying record against van de Poele:

South Africa - EP 26th, GA 30th (3.9 seconds slower)

Mexico - EP 29th, GA 30th (2.8 seconds slower)

Brazil - EP 29th, GA 30th (4.9 seconds slower)

She was 3-6% slower than Eric. That's an enormous gap between team mates. And one which was mysteriously closed when Damon Hill took over.

Amati's record in F3000 is eclipsed by the likes of delle Piane, Gary Evans, Jean-Denis Deletraz and Luca Rangoni. She qualified 12 times but DNQ'd 18. I think she only won 1 race on the way there, in Italian F3, but that's not that special compared to, say, Nino Fama.

However one skill she had over and above other was a willingness to sleep with Flavio Briatore*, so she has one up on them. Coincidentally she got a test for Renault in 1991.


* Damon Hill: The Legacy Of Speed by David Tremayne

I suspect there are a lot of male drivers who would be equally willing, if it meant an F1 drive. But I suspect factors other than their willingeness would have to be taken into account

Surely no-one is so desperate to succeed in motor racing that they'd stoop to such lengths?

Flavio Briatore? Paper bag.......

She moved on from Flav to the Rat...Ms Amati also reportedly engaged in activities with her kidnappers when she was a teenager.

On an entirely different note, I've always wanted to meet her.

Re Ensign 14

Age and noisy engines have numbed my brain over the years but in the early races of the season Giovanna raced along side her Euro F3000 events I beleive 1992 and correct me if I am wrong the grid was made up of what you had mentioned but also with Richard Dean ,Jerome Policane ,Alain Plasch (I know this for sure because it was our other GJ driver) the late Paul Warwick,David Coyne (also for GJ)plus a rapid Swedish guy who name escapes me who between them could peddle a bit!
Rodney Dodson.

Yes, I remember that kidnapping story. Giovanna was reported at the time to have escaped/been released after developing 'a relationship' with her kidnapper(s), but then her main claim to fame was clearly never the strength of her knicker elastic. She certainly sounds like a fun type of girl, you'd probably have had to join a short queue Ensign.

A mildly amusing but rather puerile footnote. We used to snigger behind the bike sheds back then at the knowledge that her name was an anagram of A VAGINA, AM I NOT?

Fredrik Ekblom? Peter Olsson?

There was also Geoff Farmer and Roger Orgee and Tony Worswick who were practicing for historic races, it was not the most competitive formula (even Marco Greco won races), although it would have been good to see Dave Coyne use it to springboard up...

Thanks it was Ekblom.

With reference to the kidnap I remember Giovanna telling this to my wife June (must be a female thing because she never told me!) over dinner one evening and I beleive it was more tragic than fun particually at the end .

I still think knowing and working with Giovanna was a plus, she had her moments but overall it was worth it,now we have lost contact over the years but if you are out there Gio drop me an e mail.

Rodney Dodson.

Why pick on the girls ? They have a hard enough time progressing in racing without the obvious sexist comments from many of their lesser talented male competitors. There are loads of talented young girls trying to progress through the karting ranks and whilst this long thread clearly recognises the achievements of their peers many of them have had to really struggle against the predatory dinosaurs of the 'sport'

A fair proportion of the Brooklands grids were made up of younger male drivers 'sponsored' by older, perhaps bored, wealthy female car owners. Are we as critical of these racers ?

Oh and there was the infamous tale of a modern driver in a premier single seater formula discovered in bed with his team owner...both male...

Those girls who relied solely on their driving talent sadly often found it more difficult than those whose talents lay elsewhere and if some of the TNFers got out more they might like to put themselves in that position (no pun intended) and consider whether they would sleep with some of the team principals in order to get a drive.

Come on guys it's the 21st century.

Depends on how fit she was.

I don't understand why it's more difficult for girls to get to F1 - it shows a paucity of imagination in sponsors, IMO, as surely anyone should be able to generate decent publicity out of it.

This should be in the 20 questions thread

Question 1

Were either of them called Nigel ?

Crikey, it makes me realise how old I must be when I recall the Tony Lanfranchi run team of 3 girls in the maligned F100 series in 1970. Was it Kelly Girl or Carmen Rollers , haven't looked it up?
I just remember there was a mass of publicity, razz a matazz and hoo-haa, for virtually no return in results on the track.
RL

Quite possibly. I've met Mrs Mansell.

maybe the timings never been right.
Rodney Dodson.

I thought that these probably deserve a place here, having just posted them on Roger Springett's Shadow thread.

The much-missed Lella Lombardi - ShellSport series Oulton Park 1976 with Team P R Reilly Shadow

Great shots Alan, I never realised Lella raced this car - in fact I didn't realise it had appeared in the Shellsport series at all!

Even in that rather clunky Penske-lookalike colour scheme it's a great looking F1 car.

Girls. . . Girls. . . Girls:

in my location: Annecy 2005 "rallye des Princesses" BMW 328: arrivée de Mlles Lievens et Heymans


Bugatti 37: Gardillou/Francoz, départ



Monaco 1975: Lella Lombardi/March 761

Annecy 2005 "rallye des princesses"
Jennifer Pappalardo et Sally Mason/ Ferrari 250 GT California chassis 2015GT:





sally




Jennifer




Sally & Dudley Masson-Styrron and Jennifer & Paul Pappalardo

Josette, salon de Geneve 1977 & Ferrari 195 S and 212 Inter:


lower parts of F1: in French "les dessous de la F1"

Ahem, this is a women drivers thread...

Lovely portrait of Lella though, and what is the full name and history of "Josette" and her Ferrari?

Hello
I am a bit new on the forum, so sorry if topic were already done.....

I am looking some info and pictures about a "strange woman driver" call Roberta Cowell.... (much known as Bob Cowell before WW2 with its Era, Emeryson and Spitfire...). I bought a a book about his/her life at Beaulieu autojumble.

Now I am looking for pictures, pre war and 70' when he/she was hill climb driving....
Can any one help? I am based in Paris and its difficult to find material about Roberta over here!
Looking also for Lady Christabel Carlisle pictures, famous mini driver......
I dont want to bug the thread , but you are going to be very helpful if so......
'

It's worth Googling for Christabel - there are a few very attractive pictures of her around. If you can get hold of the BWRDC "Women in Motorsport" book, there are also a few in there.

I have never seen any images of Roberta Cowell anywhere. He/she is mentioned somewhere in this thread, I think.

Hello Lotus Elise

I think we talk some times ago...when I founded your website about listing lady drivers !

Great job!

I am trying modestly to put together all my collection of pictures about this topic ! from early beginning (Camille Du Gast at Paris -Madrid race up to the 70' Marie-Claude Beaumont at Le Mans, The Aseptogyl team with Renault Alpine etc. ....) This is my quest !

Some here

is my wife. . . but not the Ferrari! ! !

The family resemblence with daddy Nick is obvious for the lass on the right..

E

A few shots of Divina Galica from 1976

Some nice pictures of Liane Engeman, a pretty fast and competitive Dutch Alfa Romeo and Escort driver in the late sixties and early seventies: http://www.racehistorie.nl/zandvoort3/zandvoort3_m.htm - and scroll down....

A more recent article about her: http://www.dunlop.de/de/daten/motorsport/p...geman_liane.pdf

Tamara Ecclestone put a Caterham in to the wall at Silverstone on Thursday fortunately she was only in 2nd gear and was uninjured, despite this and starting dead last on the back row in the Caterham race, she carved her way through the field to finish 3 rd at the flag , the best of all the girls.

She went on to race an Exige on friday, despite being hit heavily from behind by footballer Les Ferdinand in practice , in the race she finished 5th again best of the girl team and due to take part in a Formula ford race today Sunday . I was there all day Friday looking after the Carvers, Other females you may (or may not ) have heard of Ingrid Tarrant, Jenny Frost (an atomic kitten) the girl out of Sabrina the teenage witch, - and Naomi 'Miss Dynamite'

The mens team Gary Numan,Brian Johnson (front man in AC/DC) Boxer Nigel Benn, actor Nick Moran, ex England footballer Les Ferdinand

All part of Sky televisions "The Race" daily TV series all this past week where David Coultard's team of 'Celebrity' women take on Eddie Irvine's team of 'famous' men 5 days of racing at the Silverstone national (club to you and me ) circuit in a variety of racing cars

Repeat TV coverage on Sky 3 ( which you can get on Freeview ) tonight Sunday 12th at 3.00pm to 8.00 pm

Final on SKY One at 10.00pm tonight Sunday after the FF race.

SKY's promo :-


New. Ingrid Tarrant and Nigel Benn get a splattering in the Rev Head Challenge, while the other celebs take to the track in the Lotuses. Can the girls gain the points they desperately need.

Image from the Friends of Triumph website.
I googled for "Audrey Zurick" without any success.

Denise McCluggage and her friend Phil Hill at Sebring in 1958
photo by Richard Macon

Judy Ganley in 1968 at Riverside.
photo Gil Munz.

I expect men are quite capable of behaving this badly as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFxnV1YekO0...related&search=

They would both be ideally suited to the British Touring Car Championship !

I take it this was before the requirement of Nomex in the pits..............

A couple more names that are eluding me here - can anyone help?

"Madame Blanchoud" was a rally driver in the mid-late Fifties, presumably French. She rallied various cars, including Alfas and an Auto Union and was quite successful in European rallies, coming fourth in an Alpine Rally, I think. Her co-driver was normally "Madame Wagner". I assume that Herbert Blanchoud who rallied at the same time as her was her husband, but I may be wrong. Does anyone have a first name for this lady?

"Mrs EJ Hall" was the wife of Brooklands racer Eddie Hall, who partnered him in a number of races. Does anyone know her first name or if she ever raced solo?

Any answers gratefully received!

She was called Joan:

http://forums.autosport.com/showthread.php...558#post2024558

According to Autosport's review of the 1958 Monte it was Mado Blanchoud and Renee Wagner

Thankyou!

I wonder whether Mado is short for Madeleine. It's not a name I've heard before.

I think you are probably right, this Pathe newsreel calls her Madelaine, about the 36 second mark. However, Mado is a rare forename (1399th in the list of French female names according to a site I looked at. ) Perhaps some Francophones can say if it is short for Madelaine.

Efectively, the first names are Madeleine (Blanchoud) and Renée (Wagner.

Carles.

Hello Lotus Elise,

Back on the forum....was out of town for a while....

Yes , they are right with Thérèse Blanchoux and Renée Wagner.
Let me add that Renée Wagner was one of the favourite co driver of Annie Soisbault (Marquise de Montaigut), also famous rallye driver during 50 and 60'. (TR3, Jag MKII Tour de France, Ferrari GTO)
Annie won the European shampionship rally 59, exaequo with Ewy Rosqwist!...

Mary Bruce/ The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce article.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.j.../emfbruce15.xml

RL

Hello Bradbury West

Jut to point the fact: mary is correct for Mrs Bruce, but she were better known as "Mildred" Bruce.

In fact she was Mildred Bruce, born Mildred,Mary Petre. Birth Nov.10, 1895 , Death May 1921 1990.

(Dont mixed here as Petre with Kay Petre , an other famous racing lady driver.....

Best regards

JFB
more coming in my book at ETAI publishing in October........in french!

I think she was a cousin to Kay's husband, Henry Petre.

Hello Lotus Elise,
Nice hearing from you!

Glad to learn that about Mr & Mrs Bruce.
I have noticed that your list is improving.
Modestly,...... I will publish with my bookan alphabetic list of more than 500 lady drivers...
It will contain few portaits by decades and a lot of pictures of lady drivers from 1900 up to the 70'...after ? mission impossible. They were to much on the race track and rallies!

Best regards

JFB

Too talented to confine to the Saloon Car thread - Wendy Markey from 1975

A couple of shots of Helen Bashford in Historic F3

Great pics Alan, thanks for sharing.