Women in the Tour of Britain

Sue Baker (left) and Jean Denton (right) in 1973

The Tour of Britain was a heavily-publicised summer event held in the UK in the 1970s, a three-day contest consisting of rally stages and races at circuits around the UK. It attracted professional race and rally drivers up to and including James Hunt and Jody Scheckter, as well as celebrities such as Noel Edmonds and Jimmy Savile. In later editions, rally drivers such as Roger Clark came to the fore, including many who travelled from across Europe.

Cars were required to follow Group 1 regulations, but came in all shapes and sizes. They were separated into classes based on their sale value. 

The Tour was sponsored by Avon tyres from 1973 to 1975, when Texaco took over. It was briefly revived in 1989, sponsored by Autoglass, but did not attract as many entries. No women took part. 

Prior to this, women had entered every time.

1973 (Won by James Hunt/Robert Fearnall, Chevrolet Camaro Z28)

Rosemary Smith/Pauline Gullick (Ford Capri) - 15th

Wendy Markey/Jenny Dell (BMW 2002 Ti) - 29th

Gillian Fortescue-Thomas/Caroline Faulder (Ford Escort Mexico) - DNF?

Jill Robinson/Frances Cobb (Ford Cortina GT) - DNF?

Alison Davis/Sheila Scott (Fiat 124 ST) - DNF?

Jenny Birrell (Simca Rallye 1) - DNF?

Jean Denton/Sue Baker (Fiat 127) - DNF?

1974 (Won by Roger Clark/Jim Porter, Ford Escort RS2000 MkI) 

Linda Jackson/Christine Mitchell (Ford RS2000 MkI) - 56th

Jenny Birrell/Alexa Davenport (Simca Rallye 2) - DNF

1975 (Won by Tony Pond/David Richards, Ford Escort RS2000 MkI) 

Jenny Birrell/Virginia Hall-Leeke (Chrysler Avenger GT) - 12th

Maggie Anderson/Susan Tucker-Peake (Renault 17TS) - 22nd

Rosemary Smith/Pauline Gullick (Ford RS2000 MkI) - 25th

Wendy Markey/Frances Cobb (Mazda MX-3) - DNF?

1976 (Won by Ari Vatanen/Peter Bryant, Ford Escort RS2000 MkII)

Jean Denton/Jackie Smith (Fiat 128 Coupe) - DNF?

Wendy Markey/Alison Jones (Lada 1200) - DNF?

(Image copyright Shutterstock/Daily Mirror)

Maggie (Margaret) Anderson

Renault 5 ladies' race at Monaco

Maggie Anderson raced saloons in the 1970s. She was the first person to win a Renault 5 one-make race in the UK and raced the same car in Monte Carlo.

She came to prominence as part of John Webb’s Shellsport promotions in the mid-1970s. As she had been a professional hot-air balloonist, Webb was keen for someone of her background to get involved. Her first races were at the Brands Hatch racing school in 1973. This was then part of Webb’s operation. Maggie’s debut outings in a Ford Escort Mexico led to Driver of the Meeting awards and podium positions. Her first public event was a Shellsport Celebrity Escort race and she was fourth behind male drivers from other areas of motorsport, including Tony Lanfranchi and Bernard Unett.

Maggie did not just impress Webb with her interesting background. Her fast learning and early speed led to a test in a Shellsport Formula 5000 car in 1974, but a puncture meant the session was a short one. 

In 1974 and 1975, Maggie raced a Renault 5, backed by Elf. She won her second ever public event in the car, a one-make race at Brands Hatch. This was the first Renault 5 race ever held in the UK. The championship lasted for 30 years and was superseded by the Clio Cup. That year she finished runner-up in the British Renault 5 Trophy. 

She drove the 5 in an invitation-only ladies’ race at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1975, against eleven other women including eventual winner Marie-Claude Beaumont, Christine Beckers, Judy Witter, Gabriel Konig and Eeva Heinonen. Maggie was extremely aggressive in the opening laps and made up several places, but she outbraked herself at the chicane and went off-track.

Still backed by Elf, she also raced a Renault 17, in which she won the Ladies’ class of the Avon Tour of Britain, with Susan Tucker-Peake. They were 22nd overall. 

She became a regular in the BWRDC Ladies’ Shellsport Escort series after proving her mettle in other one-make series. This eventually led to her winning the Shellsport Ladies’ Escort Championship in 1977. 

Maggie’s career was short, lasting just four years. After her time in active competition ended, Maggie married Wilf Loynd and alongside him, worked as an organiser for the Tour of Mull rally for many years.

She came out of retirement for the 2004 Renault Festival at Thruxton, driving a 5 among past Renault 5 championship and race winners.

(Image from renault-5.net)