Jean Aley

Jean at the Brands Hatch ladies' race. She is fourth from the right, turning away from the camera

Jean Aley drove saloon cars in the 1960s, and also competed in rallies.

She was born into a motor racing family. Her father Anthony Curtis was one of the founding directors of HRG sportscars and both he and her mother Nancy were regular visitors to Brooklands. Jean's first practical involvement was through working for motor clubs, including the BARC and BRSCC. Between 1958 and 1960, she sprinted a Cooper sportscar and was second in class in the 1958 Brighton Speed Trials. 

Jean married John Aley in 1960, and he encouraged her to race again from 1961 onwards, usually in a Mini. She had taken some time out after an accident at Silverstone in the Cooper.

Her best year for saloons was 1962, when she drove a Mini in the Nürburgring 6 Hours and 500km races. She and Daphne Freeman did not finish the 500km, but she was fifth in class in the 6 Hours, driving with her husband John. Their Mini was described as "very standard". 

She was also one of nine women who entered a ladies' race at Brands Hatch, organised by the fledgling British Women Racing Drivers' Club. She was third, driving a Mini, behind two Lotus Sevens driven by Liz Osborn and Wendy Hamblin. Talking to the Daily Express, she said that the race had been a warm-up for the Nürburgring, and that John had lent Daphne their other Mini, a "shopping car", for the race. 

A second run in the Nürburgring 6 Hours followed in 1965, driving a little Fiat Abarth with John and Tim Lalonde. Their finishing position is unclear. Her year had begun inasupiciously, with John taking over her Mini for a round of the British Saloon Car Championship at Snetterton. His team had entered two DKWs for German drivers, but John's own car was out of action, so he took Jean's. 

Competing against each other apparently caused some friction between the Aleys, and Jean concentrated on sprints and hillclimbs after that.

Plans were discussed for an endurance trial in a smaller Fiat-Abarth in February 1967. John, Jean and drivers from the Cambridge University Automobile Club aimed to run the car day and night at Snetterton for a week, covering 1000 miles per day. It is not clear whether this ever took place.

In rallies, she occasionally navigated. She sat alongside Sheleagh Aldersmith for the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally. Unfortunately, their rally ended before they had even got on a ferry to the Continent; the radiator exploded within a few miles of Jean's house. John took some responsibility, claiming he should have checked it. 

Both of the Aleys were now involved in motorsport outside of active competition. John sometimes served as Clerk of the Course at Snetterton, with Jean as Secretary of the Meeting. Later, they managed the circuit and founded the BRSCC East Anglian branch.

Her career seems to have ended after a road accident in 1967, when a tanker sideswiped her car at a junction. She and her female passenger were both injured. After this, she continued with her administrative work, organsising two European Touring Car Championships with John.

The couple ended up divorcing. Jean remarried.

(Image copyright Daily Mirror)

Susan Tucker-Peake

 

Susan and Maralyn Tucker-Peake with one of their trophies

Susan Tucker-Peake raced between 1966 and 1989, starting in club saloon races in the UK and progressing as far as the European Touring Car Championship. 

She won two rallycross races in 1972, in a Ford Anglia, and was the winner of the 1975 Ladies’ Shellsport Escort Championship. 

Although she raced a wide variety of cars throughout her sporting career, she was probably most associated with saloon cars, spending some time racing in the no-limits Special Saloon championship in the ‘70s. In 1973, she raced a Ford Escort with Graham Goode, against the likes of Gerry Marshall. She continued to race in this series until at least 1975, driving an Escort.

Trying yet another discipline, she partnered Maggie Anderson in the 1975 Avon Tour of Britain. Their car was a Renault 11TS entered by Renault Elf Racing, who were running Maggie in their one-make Renault 5 series.

This was combined with regular appearances in the Ladies’ Shellsport Escort Championship. Despite not winning a race, she won the first championship in 1975, ahead of Divina Galica. Divina was the 1976 winner, with Susan in second. She was fourth in 1977.

In 1977, she drove a Renault 5 herself in most of the British Touring Car championship, which led to a works drive with Skoda in the 1978 ETCC. She and Petr Samohyl contested four rounds together in a 130 RS, with a best finish of 21st at Brno. The car was not reliable and this was their only finish. 

After her ETCC adventure, Susan bought a Brabham BT21 F3 single-seater and rebuilt it with her husband. 

During the 1980s, she raced in Formula 4, and in a number of relay races for the BWRDC.

Her earliest motorsport experiences were in trials, competing with her sister Maralyn in their father’s self-built Tucker Nipper car.

After retiring from active competition she served as the President of the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club. In 2003, as Susan TP-Jamieson she wrote Women in Motorsport from 1945 with Peter Tutthill, a book chronicling female drivers since the war.

(Image copyright classictrials.co.uk)

Ksenya Niks

Ksenya Niks is a Ukrainian driver who has raced in the European Touring Car Championship.

She is very unusual for a professional driver, in that she did not start racing until she was over 40, and had had children.

2012 was her debut year, and she raced in the Ukrainian Touring Car Cup. Her car was a Super 1600-spec Ford Fiesta, and she was sixth in the Touring Light class. Her best overall finishes were four fourth places, all achieved at the Chajka circuit in Ukraine, where the championship is based. She also travelled to Georgia in November, for the Rustavi International Challenge. Driving the Fiesta, she was second in two GT Unlimited races, earning a fastest lap in the second.

In only her second season of racing, she moved ip to the European Touring Car Championship.

Her car was a Ford Fiesta run by M-Sport, and she ran in the Super 1600 class.  Although she completed the whole season, she was not among the front-runners, and had to settle for ninth in her class, third in the women’s standings. Her best result was sixth, at Brno.

As well as her European commitments, Ksenya remained active in the Ukrainian series, in the Fiesta. She competed in the Touring Light and GT Open classes, and did well in the GT Open series, with six second places. Her best finish in the Touring class was fourth. She was second in the GT Open championship, and seventh in Touring Light.

Keeping with the international nature of her 2013 season, she raced some more in Georgia, sampling Legends, and the Georgian GT Unlimited championship. She was fifth in the two-litre Touring class in the Fiesta, with one overall sixth place.

She returned to the ETCC in 2014, and the Super 1600 Fiesta. Her track record improved, and she managed two third places, at Spa and Salzburg. She was fifth in Super 1600, and second in the Ladies' Trophy, behind her team-mate, Ulrike Krafft. The only real low point of her season was a DNF at the Slovakiaring, which meant she could not start the second race.

In the Ukrainian Touring Light series, she enjoyed a highly successful year, with two outright wins, three seconds and two third places. Had she done the whole championship, she could have won.

For a change, she raced Legends at Rustavi in Georgia in the spring. She was twelfth in the championship, with one fifth place in a heat as her best result.

Stepping back from ETCC competition, she came back to the Ukrainian GT Open Cup in 2015, for a part-season in the Fiesta. She had a best finish of second, achieved in two races at Chajka. Unfortunately, her two other races ended in non-finishes.

She travelled to Georgia once more, and raced in more Legends events there. Her best finish was fifth again, at Rustavi.

In 2016, she was back in the ETCC, driving a Ford Fiesta for Gena Autosport. She was fifth in the Super 1600 class, with a best finish of fifth, achieved three times at Magny-Cours and Vila Real. This time, she finished ahead of Ulrike Krafft, now driving for a different team. Her focus was solely on European competition this year.

Away from the circuits, Ksenya works as a lawyer. Her plans for 2017 are unclear.

(Image from http://sport.dozor.com.ua)

Jacquie Bond-Smith

Jacquie in the Marcos in 1967

Jacquie Bond-Smith started in club motorsport in her father's car, a “Wavendon Wombat” special, in 1960. She was then known as Jacquie Cook. The Wombat was an 1172cc clubman’s car built by her father, Arthur Cook. Results for Jacquie in this car are proving tough to track down. Both she and her sister, Joey, raced it on occasion.

Some time in the early 1960s, she married John Bond-Smith, a racer and businessman. At the same time, she seems to have made her way up through the club racing ranks, and was awarded the Chris Bristow Trophy by the BRDC in 1964, in recognition of “the most promising performance at Silverstone.” This may well have been in a Ford Cortina, or possibly a Lotus single-seater.

She definitely did race a Cortina in 1965, a Lotus model. She drove it in some rounds of the BSCC, and secured a best finish of tenth at Snetterton, followed by seventeenth place in the St Marys Trophy at Goodwood. For the next round, she drove a Ford Galaxie, at Silverstone, but did not finish. It was her only BSCC outing of the year in that car, although she did race it in the European Touring Car Championship. In August, she was thirteenth in the Snetterton 500km, winning her class.

In club races, she used a Lotus Elan. In this car, she was third in a GT race at Silverstone in October, winning her class.

In 1966, she returned to sportscar racing, campaigning a Lotus 23 in British club races. She was twelfth in one race at Silverstone, just behind sister Joey in the Wombat.

Jacquie’s big project for 1967 was the FLIRT all-girl racing team. FLIRT stood for “First Ladies International Racing Team”, and it was made up of Jacquie and Joey, plus Jacqui Smith, another young driver who had had some success in British club events in a Hillman Imp. Their car was a Mini Marcos, supplied by the Marcos factory. The team picked up quite a lot of publicity, with a Pathé film being made of the three of them testing at Castle Combe.

FLIRT made three appearances in the World Manufacturers’ Championship in Europe. Jacquie and Joey were the chosen drivers. They did not finish the Nürburgring 1000km due to engine problems, but they got to the end of the Mugello Grand Prix, in 37^th place. Later in the season, Jacquie drove the Nürburgring 500km solo, and was 21st overall, fourth in class. Joey drove a sister car, but did not finish. The FLIRT team may well have done some more British races, but the results are proving elusive.

As well as her FLIRT activities, Jacquie raced in the British Sportscar Championship. She was seventeenth in the Silverstone round, in a Porsche 904, and may also have raced a Ferrari 250LM belonging to her husband.

She disappears from the entry lists at the end of 1967. Not long after, her marriage broke up. After her racing career ended, she adopted horseriding as her sport of choice.

 (Image from www.minimarcos.org.uk)

Ulrike Krafft

Ulrike on the ETCC podium in 2013

Ulrike Krafft is a German driver who has been competing in the ETCC since 2011.

She began at the age of 20, in slaloms in 2004, winning her first title in 2005, driving an Opel Corsa. This was her first experience of any kind of motorsport, and she showed flair and competitiveness very early on.

Her first circuit races were in 2006, in the Dacia Logan Cup in Germany. Her best finishes were three fifth places. She did these alongside slaloms, in which she was still highly competitive, finishing second in her club’s championships for young drivers and allcomers.

She carried on in the Logan Cup in 2007, and performed well enough to win her club’s racing championship. Her season started very well, with a win at Oschersleben, but a series of technical problems later on put her and her team-mates out of the running.

2008 was a similar story. Ulrike and her team-mate, Henrik Stoldt, were very competitive, and even led the championship, until the final round. A lost wheel and other mechanical problems lost them the title. They were awarded the “Fairness Cup” as a consolation, for their sportsmanship.

The following year was a quiet one for Ulrike. Her ADAC Hansa team only entered one round of the Logan Cup, in which Ulrike was fourth. She spent much of the rest of the year concentrating on her university studies. She qualified in engineering, after studying in Hamburg and France, and earning herself a job with Bosch.

Following her graduation, she returned to motorsport, and moved up to the ADAC Procar series.  She was with the ATM Ladies team, driving a Ford Fiesta in Division II. She was fifth in the division, with a best finish of second, at Hockenheim, one of three podium places. The team consisted of three female drivers: Ulrike, Saskia Müller and Stephanie Neitzel, who also managed the team.  

In 2010, she also tried rallying, in a Dacia Logan, both as a driver and co-driver. Driving, she entered the Niedersachsen Rally, but did not finish. Her navigator was Katharina Wüstenhagen. As a co-driver, she was also unsuccessful, scoring a DNF in the Ostsee Rally with Pierre Humbert.

On the circuits, she held position in 2011, finishing fifth despite a slightly shortened season, with two second places at Oschersleben and Sachsenring, and a third at the Sachsenring. Sadly, a technical problem with the Fiesta, which began with a DNF at Zolder, put her out of four races. She also made her debut appearance in the ETCC, which was a two-round meeting at Salzburg. She was second in class for her two races, driving the Fiesta.

In 2012, she moved into the ETCC full-time, in the S1600 class, driving a different Fiesta, run by the Ravenol team. The championship had now expanded to four rounds. She was third in the S1600 championship, with a best finish of second, at Monza, plus third places at Imola, Salzburg and the Slovakiaring.

She contested the ETCC again in 2013, which was run over ten races, in five rounds. She was quite successful, winning her class once at Pergusa, and finishing third on six occasions. Her overall result was third in the Super 1600 class, in the Fiesta. However, she lost her Ladies' crown to Andrina Gugger, who was racing in the more powerful Super 2000 class.

In 2014, she came back to the ETCC, still in the Fiesta. She was a leading player in the S1600 class again, with five wins, from five pole positions. She was second in the S1600 standings, and would have won, had she not suffered two non-finishes at Zolder, where she started from pole. An official Ladies’ Trophy was awarded this year, and Ulrike won it easily, from Ksenya Niks and Andrina Gugger.

2015 was not quite as successful a season as 2014, but Ulrike was still one of the drivers to beat in S1600, in her Fiesta. She won one race, at the Slovakiaring, having started from pole. She earned a second pole position at Pergusa, at the end of the season, but could only convert it to a win in the second race. She was third overall.

The Super 1600 class was more competitive in 2016, and Ulrike missed several rounds of the championship. Despite a win at the Slovakiaring and a second and third place, she was seventh overall in her Fiesta. She also did some historic racing while she was away from the ETCC.

She did not race in 2017 and in 2018, she announced that she was pregnant with twins.

Ulrike’s long-term aim is to race in the WTCC.

(Image copyright Brigitta Niemann)

Female Drivers in the Spa 24 Hours, 1974-2000

Henny Hemmes and Huub Vermeulen

The Spa 24 Hours ran continuously throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. From 1974 to 1981, it was part of the Trophée de l'Avenir, with one "guest spot" as an ETCC race in 1976. In 1981, it was also included in the World Endurance Championship, before switching back to an ETCC event in 1982. From 1989 to 2000, it was still a touring car race, but not part of a major championship. During this time, female drivers featured in every race, and scored many good finishes. Henny Hemmes was the queen of Spa at this time, racing in the 24 hours fourteen times, with a best finish of second. The first part of this list can be found here. 

1974

Martine Renier ("Tintin")/Guy Deschamps/Jeannot Sauvage (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) - 7th
Martine Renier ("Tintin")/Eric Mandron/Edgar Gillessen (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) - 14th
Yvette Fontaine/Claude Bourgoignie (Ford Capri II) – DNF

1975

Yvette Fontaine/”Pedro” (BMW 3.0 CSi) – 2^nd

Christine Beckers/Jenny Birrell/Marianne Hoepfner (Triumph Dolomite) – 24^th

1976

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen (Toyota Celica GT) – 21^st

Yvette Fontaine/Stuart Graham/Reine Wisell (Chevrolet Camaro) – DNF

1977

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen/Huub Vermeulen (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – 6^th

1978

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen/Hans Deen (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – DNF

Christine Beckers/Daniel Rombaut/Huub Nijsten (Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV) – DNF

Lella Lombardi/Thierry Boutsen/Marc Duez (Toyota Sprinter Tueno) – DNF

1979

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – 18^th

Christine Beckers/Pascal Witmeur/Jean-Paul Libert (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – N/C

Anny-Charlotte Verney/Jean-Pierre Delaunay/Cyril Grandet (Ford Escort II RS 2000) – DNF

1980

Christine Beckers/Heinz-Jürgen Hoffknecht/Marc Piessens (VW Scirocco GTi) – DNF

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen/Huub Vermeulen (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – DNF

1981

Marianne Hoepfner/Derek Bell/Alain Cudini/Jean-Louis Trintigant (BMW 530i) – 7^th

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – DNF

Anny-Charlotte Verney/Jean-Louis Schlesser/Alain Ferté (Ford Capri III) – DNF

Kathy Rude/Quirin Bovy/Jean-Claude Lagniez (Chevrolet Camaro Z28) – DNF

1982

Lella Lombardi/Tony Palma/Marcello Gallo (Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6) – 12^th

Henny Hemmes/Loek Vermeulen/Huub Vermeulen (Chevrolet Camaro) – DNF

1983

Henny Hemmes/Fred Frankenhout/Hans van der Beek (Mazda RX-7) – 14^th

Lella Lombardi/Roberto Marazzi/Giancarlo Naddeo (Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6) – DNF

1984

Henny Hemmes/Břetislav Enge (BMW 635 CSi) – 11^th

Lella Lombardi/Giorgio Francia/”Tango” (Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6) – 16^th (1^st in Division 2)

1985

Lella Lombardi/Rinaldo Drovandi/”Spiffero” (Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6) – DNF

Annette Meeuvissen/Arno Wester/Jörg van Ommen (Ford Escort RS 1600i) – result unknown

1986

Lella Lombardi/Rinaldo Drovandi/Roberto Castagna (Alfa Romeo 75) – 8^th

Anny-Charlotte Verney/Chantal Grimard/Henny Hemmes (Toyota Corolla GT) – 25^th

1987

Annette Meeuvissen/Mercedes Stermitz/Gerrit van Kouwen (BMW M3) – 7^th

1988

Ellen Lohr/Frank Schmickler/Michael Bartels (BMW M3) – 7^th

Patricia Bertapelle/Valentin Bertapelle/Freddy Fruhauf (BMW 635 CSi) – 24^th

Kaori Okamoto/Kaoru Hoshino/Keiichi Suzuki (Toyota Corolla GTi) – N/C

Jenny van Hilten/Evert Bolderheij/ Bernard Winderickx (Ford Sierra RS 500) – DNF

Henny Hemmes/Claude Holvoet/Eddy van Esch (Toyota Corolla GTi) – DNF

1989

Kaori Okamoto/Morio Nitta/Hideshi Matsuda (Toyota Corolla GT) – 12^th

Jenny van Hilten/Bram van Hilten/Philips (Honda Civic) – 34^th

1990

Ellen Lohr/Altfrid Heger/Patrick Slaus/Franz Engstler (BMW M3) – 5^th

Anny-Charlotte Verney/Hideo Fukuyama/Naoki Hattori (Nissan Skyline GT-R) – 12^th

Henny Hemmes/Peter Seikel/Stanislao de Angelis (Honda Civic V-Tec) – 19^th (1^st in Class N2)

Kaori Okamoto/Morio Nitta/Patrick Snijers (Toyota Corolla GT) – DNF

1991

Kaori Okamoto/Naoki Nagasaka/Phil Dowsett (Toyota Corolla GT) – 20^th

Henny Hemmes/Dagmar Suster/Lothar Schörg (Honda Civic V-Tec) – 21^st

Giovanna Amati/Patrick de Radigues/François Turco (Peugeot 309 GTi) – DNF

1992

Annette Meeuvissen/Marc Gindorf/Heiner Weis (BMW M3) – 17^th

Henny Hemmes/Astrid Hild/Thomas Müller (Honda Civic V-Tec) – 23^rd (1^st in Class NB1.6)

Kaori Okamoto/Morio Nitta/Suzuki (Toyota MR-2) – 24^th

Jutta Kleinschmidt/André Carlier/D. Phillips (BMW M5) – N/C

Junko Mihara/Masahiro Matsunaga/Hideo Uehara (Toyota MR-2) – DNF

1993

Lilian Bryner/Enzo Calderari/Luigino Pagotto (Porsche 911 Carrera RS) – 9^th

Kaori Okamoto/Morio Nitta/Keiichi Suzuki (Toyota MR-2) – DNF

1994

Kumi Sato/Daniel Brillat/Patrick Bastiaens (Honda Civic V-Tec) – 13^th

Junko Mihara/Satoshi Yamaguchi/Masahiro Matsunaga (Toyota Corolla) – 16^th

Florence Duez/Blaton/Alain Thiebaut (Renault Clio) – 18^th

Kaori Okamoto/Morio Nitta/Keiichi Suzuki (Toyota Carina E) – DNF

Kate Rafanelli/Didier Stassart/Benoit Galand (BMW 325i) – DNF

1995

Florence Duez/Paul Grutman/Michel Schmitz (Renault Clio) – 18^th

Junko Mihara/Michiko Okuyama/Kumi Sato (Toyota Corolla) – 19^th

Katja Müller/Dietmar Konopka/Torsten Neuenbölen (Renault Clio) – DNF

1996

Kate Rafanelli/Yolanda Surer/Florence Duez (BMW M3) – 4^th (1^st in Spa 3.0 class)

Isolde Holderied/Freddy Loix/Renaud Verreydt (Toyota Carina GTi) – 8^th

Vanina Ickx/Christian Jupsin/Pascal Tillekaerts (Honda Civic VTi) – 16^th

Sylvie Delcour/Michel Lambermont/Bernard Dethier (Nissan Sunny GTi) – DNF

Heather Spurle/B. Lawrence/Luff (Peugeot 306 16S) – DNF

1997

Tamara Vidali/Yvan Muller/Brad Jones (Volkswagen Golf TDi) – 12th

Sylvie Delcour/Michel Lambermont/Frédéric Baugnée (Renault Clio Williams) – 25^th

Vanina Ickx/Kate Rafanelli/Florence Duez (BMW M3) – DNF

Paula Cook/Luca Canni-Ferrari/Nicola Bertolucci (BMW M3) – DNF

1998

Sylvie Delcour/Mathias Viaene/Frédéric Baugnée (BMW 320i) – 14^th

Florence Duez/Alain Courmont/Hervé Lelong (Suzuki Baleno) – 26^th

Vanina Ickx/Jacky Ickx (Renault Mégane) – DNF

1999

Vanina Ickx/Mathias Viaene/Martial Chouvel (Renault Mégane) – 5^th

Sylvie Delcour/Damien Chaballe/Etienne Baugnée (BMW 320i) – 7^th

2000

Vanina Ickx/Anthony Beltoise/Thierry van Dalen (Peugeot 306 GTi) – 3^rd

Fanny Duchateau/Jean-François Hemroulle/Tim Verbergt (VW Bora TDi) – 6^th (1^st in SPD class)

Sylvie Delcour/Eric Jamar/Frédéric Baugnée (BMW 320i) – DNF

Catherine Liegeois/Michel Wilders/Alexandre Leens (Honda Integra Type R) – DNF

(Image from www.racehstorie.nl)

Andrina Gugger

Andrina with her SEAT Leon, 2015

Andrina is a former karter from Switzerland, who has raced cars since 2008. Initially, she raced single-seaters, but she has since branched out and become a very versatile driver.

Her first two seasons were spent in Formula Lista Junior in Europe, first driving for Jo Zeller Racing, then for her family Gugger Racing team. She was fourth in 2008 and seventh in 2009, scoring one win in each season. In 2008, this came at the end of the year, at Monza, and followed a third place. In 2009, she won the first race of the season, at Dijon.

In 2010, she moved up to Formula Masters in Germany, driving for Mücke Motorsport. She could only manage fifteenth in the championship, but had a best finish of fifth at Oschersleben, again, in the firstrace of the season. By the end of the year, she had achieved five other top-ten finishes, but several DNFs dropped her down the rankings. During the off-season, she tested a GP3 car, becoming the first female driver to do so, but this did not lead to a race seat.

In 2011, she switched to sportscars, mainly driving a Maserati MC GranTurismo. She was eighth in the Maserati Trofeo Europe, after one podium finish, a third place at Spa. Her programme included six races in the earlier part of the season.

She also drove a Maserati in some Blancpain Endurance Series GT4 races, scoring a second at Magny-Cours and a third at Monza. Although she was scheduled to race at Navarra, she did not make the start. She shared the car with Devis Schwägli, another Swiss driver.

 As well as this, she raced in two rounds of the ADAC GT Masters, at the Red Bull Ring, in a Calloway Corvette. This car brought her less success than the Maserati; she could only manage a 30^th and 31^st place.

In 2012, she drove a Porsche 911 GT3 in the GT Masters, with Otto Klohs. Their best finish was 19th, at Zandvoort. Andrina had a 100% finishing record, but was not among the leading drivers in her class.

At the start of the season, she was thirteenth in the Dubai 24 Hours, driving a Porsche 997 for the same Auto Fach team. She was driving as part of a team of five.  

In 2013, she raced around Europe, including the Lotus Ladies' Cup. She took part in two races at the Slovakiaring, finishing third in one. This was not her only Ladies' Cup: she was awarded the ETCC Ladies' Cup also, finishing sixth in the S2000 class. Her best results were two fourth places, again at the Slovakiaring, and she was driving a Honda Civic.

2014 was very similar for her, with an eighth place in the ETCC, in the Civic. She managed one fourth place, at Spa, and two fifths, at Spa and Paul Ricard. Some non-finishes dropped her down the rankings somewhat, but she held on to the Ladies’ title. She did four rounds of the FIA Lotus Ladies' Cup, at the Oschersleben and Slovakiaring meetings. These gave her four fourths and one fifth place. She was also eighth overall in this championship.

In 2015, Andrina changed her racing direction again, and registered for the SEAT Leon Eurocup. She finished in 21st place, after a rather difficult season. Her best finish was seventh, at Estoril, although she has struggled at other circuits, apart from the Nürburgring, where she was ninth. She was one of five female drivers taking part in the Eurocup this year, and finished second in the Ladies’ standings.

(Image from http://www.andrinagugger.ch/)

Wendy Markey (Amey)

Wendy with the Mazda RX-3

Wendy was a British woman who raced in national saloon championships in the 1970s. She took part in some international touring car races too, and drove in works teams for Mazda and Lada.

Her background was completely unrelated to motorsport; she trained as a dancer, and performed in musical theatre and comedy, appearing on The Benny Hill Show, among other things. It was only after her marriage, to racing driver and BMW team manager, John Markey, that she became acquainted with the world of motorsport.

Her first race came in 1972, and was apparently the result of a bet. Whether she won the bet, is unclear. Using a borrowed Honda N600, she drove in the Production Saloon championship at Oulton Park.

The following year, she attacked the Production Saloon (Group 1) championship again, in a BMW 2002 Ti this time, supported by the UK BMW works team. As well as circuit racing, the team ran her in the Avon Tour of Britain, partnered by Jenny Dell. She was 19^th overall and beat Rosemary Smith to the Ladies’ award, as well as finishing above Graham Hill in his Datsun Bluebird.

A change to the rules brought Wendy into the British Touring Car Championship, then known as the British Saloon Car Championship, in 1974. The BSCC was now running to Group 1 specification. Wendy had secured another factory-supported drive, this time for Mazda. Her car was a Savanna RX3. She completed most of the season, which included too many non-finishes for her to make an impression on the final leaderboard. Her best finish was seventh, at Mallory Park. Female drivers were less unusual then in the BSCC than they are now, but Wendy attracted a lot of attention due to her team’s main sponsor: Penthouse magazine.

As well as the BSCC, she competed internationally, in some rounds of the European Touring Car Championship. She shared the RX-3 with Australian Brian Muir for the Silverstone TT race, but they did not finish, due to an oil leak in the gearbox. She also made one appearance in a Ladies’ Shellsport Escort race, driving a Ford Escort Mexico. She was seventh.

She drove a Mazda RX-3 for both 1975 British Group 1 Championships, sponsored by Britax and Radio One. She performed well in both, and was third in her class in the Britax series, and fourth in class in the Radio One series. Classes for Group 1 racing were based on the retail price of the car.

There was more women-only action in 1975, too. Wendy took part in the Shellsport Escort Series, now a four-round championship run in association with the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club. She won the last round, at Mallory Park, and was third overall. This was not her only womens’ event; she was invited to drive in the Ladies’ Race supporting the Monaco Grand Prix, but crashed out.

She stayed with Group 1 in 1976, although she changed her car from a Mazda to a Lada 1200, supported by the Lada factory. Her programme included a second Tour of Britain, in which she won another Ladies’ award. As well as the Lada, she was scheduled to race a Mazda in the Silverstone 6 Hours, with Georgie Shaw, but this did not happen.

Her third season in the Shellsport Escort series gave her a best finish of third, at Snetterton, and she was enough for sixth in the championship.

In 1977, it was back to Mazda power, still in the RX-3. One of her team-mates was her husband, John, who drove a sister car, an RX-5. Sponsored by Smith Kendon Travel Sweets, a slightly less controversial company, she competed in several rounds of the European Touring Car Championship, with Tom Hunt as her co-driver. They were disqualified from their first race, at Salzburg, for receiving a push start, but got to the finish of the Brno round in 19^th place. They were 35^th, from 38 finishers, at the Nürburgring, but did not finish at Silverstone. A planned entry into the Brands Hatch 6 Hours did not transpire.

Wendy’s chosen car for 1978 was a Mini 1275 GT. Sharing it with John Markey and Alan Shaw, she managed to finish the Diner’s Club Trophy at Silverstone. For most of the season, she raced in the Special Saloon championship in the UK, with her husband and second team-mate. Unfortunately, she had quite a bad accident at Mallory Park, on a wet track, and broke an ankle. The Mini was a write-off, and this was the end of her motorsport activities for some time. Divorce also intervened some time afterwards.

In 1988, now Wendy Amey, she returned to the circuits in a Chevron B8, usually racing in the HSCC2-Litre Championship, and Super Sports. This lasted for two seasons, before she hung up her helmet for good to concentrate on family and business concerns.

More recently, Wendy was involved in the classic motorcycling scene, as the business and life partner of former world champion, Phil Read.

She died in February 2021, aged 70.

(Image from http://www.markeymotorsport.co.uk/)

Female Drivers in Touring Cars: Germany

Yolanda Surer

Saloon racing has been extremely popular in Germany since the 1960s. Throughout its history, female drivers have been a part of it, up to the highest levels, including the DTM. Ulrike Krafft, Ronja Assmann and Lili Reisenbichler now have their own post.

Heidi Blechinger - raced saloons in Germany in the 1970s. In 1978, she competed in the Trophée l’Avenir with Lili Reisenbichler. They drove an Audi 50 together in the Nürburgring round, and did not finish. The rest of the full results of this series are hard to find, but the pair may have entered again at some point. That year, she also took part in her third season of Renault 5 racing. She began her career in slalom events in 1968. She also drove in rallies: she is recorded as a finisher in the 1976 ADAC-Rallye Hanseatic, in a Renault 5.

Lisa (Christin) Brunner -  former karter who had her first season of senior motorsport in 2014, aged 21. She raced a Mini in Division III of the ADAC Procar championship, in Germany. Her team-mate was Victoria Fross. She was relatively competitive from the beginning, with a seventh place at Oschersleben, and was able to hold her own in her class. Her best finish was fourth, at the Nürburgring. Despite not completing the whole of the season, she was ninth in the championship, and third in the Rookie Cup, one place above Victoria Fross. Away from the championship, she also competed in a sprint race at Oschersleben, and was second overall. She started 2015 with a run in the Dubai 24 Hours, in a Peugeot 207, driving for Frensch Power Motorsport. Her final position was 61st. In the spring, she moved on to the Central Europe Clio Cup championship, where she had a best finish of eleventh, at Zandvoort. She was sixteenth overall. Her second season, not a full one, in the Clio Cup gave her a sixteenth place, although she was probably driving better. Her best finish was seventh, at Most. Most was her best circuit in 2017 too; she was ninth. She did the complete season and was 21st overall. 2018 ended in a similar fashion with 22nd overall and three top-ten finishes, a seventh and two eighths. She was 19th in the 2019 championship, picking up a ninth at the Red Bull Ring and tenths at Zandvoort and the Red Bull Ring.

Sarah Ganser – German driver who mostly races in Belgium. She began racing at 15 years old, in a Peugeot, in the 2011 Cup and Tourenwagen Trophy (CTT). The following year, she entered the CTT again, and won her class in six of the fourteen races. In 2013, she moved into the Belgian Racing Car Championship, driving a Porsche 996 GT3. Her co-driver was Karen Vaes. Their best finish was fifteenth, at Spa, but they were third in class in all four of the races they contested. Sarah was 23^rd in the championship. In 2014, she moved back to Germany, and entered the VLN, in a BMW 325, as well as some runs in the RCN (Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring) in her own Peugeot 206. She retired very early from the DMV 250-Mile race, which sadly ended her VLN involvement. It was not a great year for Sarah or her co-driver, Jana Osterheider, in the RCN, either, as they often struggled to finish. Sarah has her own racing team and planned a return to the circuits in 2015. She was not very active in 2015, but is signed up for the 2016 VLN, as part of an all-female team with Tina Annemuller and Tatjana Hanser. This did not come to fruition, but Sarah did compete in the DMV BMW Challenge. She earned at least one class win, at the Nürburgring. In 2018, she did at least one round of the VLN with a family team, driving a BMW. She continued to make occasional appearances in the car in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, she raced a BMW in a historic championship. Away from motorsport, she works as a nurse. 

Astrid Grünfelder (Waldmann) - raced saloons in Germany between 1989 and 2002. Her best year was 1993, in which she won the Deutsche Tourenwagen Cup under-2000cc class, with three victories. She and Sabine Schmitz also scored four class wins at the Nürburgring, in the VLN, driving a BMW M3. Until 1995 she was a member of the BMW Junior team. Her last big result was a second place in a DTC race at Hockenheim in 1995, in another M3. Since then, she has raced an Opel Calibra in Austrian Touring Cars, with one third place, and driven in the VLN with Nicole Lüttecke and Tina Grewe, using a Mitsubishi Carisma. Between 2000 and 2002, she took part in the Ford Puma Cup, with a best finish of fourteenth.

Helga Hess - raced touring cars in Germany in the late 1980s. She drove a Volkswagen Polo in the Special Touring Car Trophy in 1988. In 1987, she appears to have competed in the VLN, and driven an Audi 50 in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Her team-mates were Werner Hürttllen and Meinhard Hellweg. Other details of her career are not forthcoming.

Karin Hirschmann - best-known for racing a Simca 1000 in the 1980s and 1990s, despite the car being at least ten years old. In 1983, she competed in the German Racing Cup (DRP), but was not overly competitive. In 1992, when the car was twenty years old, the reappeared in the Special Touring Car Trophy in Germany. Again, she was not really competitive, but was racing against cars that were either much newer, or much more powerful. In between, she did some speed events, in 1990 and 1991. Her best result was thirteenth, at Most, in 1991.

Carmen Holzer - raced in Germany in 2005. She drove an Alfa Romeo 147 in the Diesel class of the German Production Car Championship, and finished eighth. Actual race results are hard to come by, but she earned at least an eighth and a seventh at Oschersleben that year. After 2005, she does not appear to have raced again, although she possibly married and competed under another name.

Alexandra Jovanic - raced an Autobianchi A112 Abarth in the DRP in 1977. She competed in the Hockenheim, Salzburg and Ulm-Mengen rounds, and was usually in the middle of a group of Autobianchi drivers. She was not able to challenge for wins. She returned to Hockenheim in 1978, in the same car, and was eleventh in class. Other details of any further racing activities are not forthcoming.

Petra Kolic-Wiese - has had at least five seasons in the German Special Touring Car Trophy, in different cars. In 2007, she raced a Vauxhall Astra and Opel Kadett in the series. In 2009 and 2010, she drove a Volkswagen Golf, with a best finish of thirteenth in 2009. In 2011, she changed to a BMW M3, which was faster, but she was not quite as competitive, although she did figure quite strongly in her class. Towards the end of the season, she changed it again, for an Audi TT, which was a little more competitive. Since 2012, she has campaigned a V8 Star one-make car in the STT, and some associated events in Germany and the Netherlands. 

Alesia Kreutzpointner - German driver who races with her twin sister Jacqueline. She raced in ADAC GT4 in 2020, driving a BMW M4 GT4 with her sister for MRS GT-Racing. 2019 was her first season in motorsport, having taken it up as an adult. She raced in the BMW 319ti Cup for Cerny Motorsport. This series is part of the DMV championship. Her 2020 results were mixed but she often ran well in qualifying. Her best result was tenth, achieved at the Nurburgring, and she was 23rd in the championship after missing the last rounds. A non-finish led to a non-start in the next race. She raced three different cars in 2021, including a run in the new BMW M2, which she used in a one-make championship in Germany. This led to a tenth place in the championship, two places below her sister. Later in the season, she joined Team Driverse for the ADAC GT4 series, taking part in the last four races in a BMW M4. Her team-mate was her sister and they were 25th, with a best finish of 19th at the Nurburgring. Sharing a BMW again, the sisters did one round of the NLS, but did not finish. In 2022, she raced in the BMW M2 Cup, with a best finish of sixth at Hockenheim. She was ninth in the championship. She and her sister were set to compete in the alternative fuel class in the ADAC GT4 series, driving a BMW M4, but they did not get to race. They did do some races in the NLS instead. The biofuel NLS drive came about in 2024, and both sisters won their class in the first two rounds. The car was a Porsche Cayman, which they also raced in the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Driving solo, Alesia did the Norisring rounds of the NNXT Gen Cup, in an electric Mini. Her best result was a twelfth place. Her father Fritz is a former racer who drove at Le Mans with Michael Schumacher. Both Alesia and her sister formerly represented Germany in acrobatic gymnastics. 

Jacqueline Kreutzpointner - German driver who races with her twin sister Alesia. She was formerly an international acrobatic gymnast and began her motorsport career in 2019, aged 20. She raced in the 2020 ADAC GT4 championship, driving a BMW M4 GT4 with her sister for MRS GT-Racing. Their best result was a tenth place at the Nurburgring at the start of the season. A non-finish at Oschersleben in the final rounds of the year led to a non-start in the last round. She was 23rd overall. A second part-season in ADAC GT4s with Team Driverse gave her a best finish of 19th at the Nurburgring, 25th overall, alongside her sister. Jacqueline and Alesia were rivals for the BMW M2 Cup, with Jacqueline coming out on top in eighth. A run in the NLS in another BMW finished in a single DNF. In 2019 she raced in the BMW 319ti Cup for Cerny Motorsport. This series is part of the DMV championship. Her results were mixed but she was often quite quick in qualifying. Although she was unable to outperform her sister in the 2022 BMW M2 Cup, she did finish higher than her in several races. She was tenth overall. They raced together in an alternative-fuel Porsche in the 2023 NLS after an ADAC GT4 drive fell through, sharing the car with ex-F1 driver Felipe Nasr for one race. In 2024, she and her sister continued to race the biofuel Cayman, winning their class in the first two NLS rounds. They also entered the Nurburgring 24 Hours in the same car. Competing against her sister rather than with her, she did the Norisring rounds of the Mini-based NXT Gen Cup, picking up a best finish of ninth. Her father Fritz is a former racer who drove at Le Mans with Michael Schumacher.

Sophia Menzenbach - former junior kart champion who is now racing in TCR-based series around the world. After some time spent training, she launched her TCR career in 2019, racing a Volkswagen Golf in the Malaysia Championship Series with sim racer Angeline Lee. They were 24th in their two debut races at Sepang. Sophia was also linked with a drive in the 2021 ADAC TCR series in her native Germany, but she appeared in the BMW M2 one-make championship instead. She was twelfth in the final standings.

Inez Muhle - driver from Hamburg  who raced in Europe in the 1970s. She began in Formula Vee some time in the 1970s, probably 1975, in the 1300cc class, and raced in Germany. Previously, she had driven in hillclimbs and slaloms, in 1974. Later, she came to specialise in one-make series, including the VW Scirocco Cup in 1976. Her best finish was ninth, at Hockenheim, against opponents including Manfred Winkelhock. During this time, and in 1977, she did some racing for the Jagermeister team, in the DRP touring car championship.  Her 1976 car was an Audi 50, and she did well in the under-1150cc class, with a fifth at Zandvoort. In 1977, she drove a VW Polo, and was not quite as effective. 

Saskia Müller – raced in ADAC Procar in Germany in 2010 and 2011. Her car in 2010 was a GENA Autosport Citroen C2. That year, she was a consistent top-ten finisher in Division II, and had a best finish of sixth, at Oschersleben and Hockenheim. In 2011, she drove for Glatzel Racing, in a Ford Fiesta, as team-mate to Sandra Sutter. She was seventh in Division II, after five fifth places, at Zolder and the Red Bull Ring. She does not appear to have raced since. She may now be competing as an amateur jockey.

Stephanie Neitzel - competed in one-make championships and Procar in Germany for most of the 1990s and 2000s. She has multiple Ladies’ titles in the Citroen Saxo and Toyota Yaris Cups, with a seventh place overall in the Saxo Cup in 2001. She was also third in the Speed Women Cup for Germany’s fastest female drivers in 2003, after her achievements in the Yaris Cup in Germany and Australia. She moved to the German Production Championship in 2005, and was eighth in her class, then into ADAC Procar. After a full season in 2006, she was eighth, with one podium finish. She continued in the series in 2007, but only managed two events. After a long lay-off, she returned to competition in 2010, in Procar, still driving a Ford Fiesta, as she always had. She took part in four races, with a best finish of sixth at Assen. 

Brigitte Schmalzl – racer, rally co-driver and drifter from Austria. Although drifting is her main motorsport activity, she started racing in the Slovakian Racing Trophy in 2014, using the Mercedes 190 in which she competes in drifting. Her best result was sixth. In 2015, she returned to the championship. Her best results have been two seventh places. She races alongside her husband, Christoph, and also acts as his co-driver in historic rallies.

Jessica Schüngel – raced in the RCN series in 2015, driving a VW Polo. It was at least her second year in the championship, and her second in that car. In 2015, she was part of a four-driver team, and took part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. She and her team-mates were 96^th overall, after problems during the night. She is from a racing family, and sometimes competes alongside her father, Ulrich Schüngel.

Bettina Sonntag - driver from the former East Germany who began racing in 1986. She entered the 1300cc class of the DDR’s Touring Car championship, probably in a Trabant. In her first ever race, she managed to hit a kerb and crash, causing the race to be stopped. She improved later in the season, and was fifth in class at the end of the year. She carried on in the same class in 1987, and was seventh, improving to third in 1988. In 1989, she was not as competitive, and finished ninth, but she was third again, in the 1600cc class, in 1990, the last year of the DDR. That year, she also entered the Fiesta Mixed Cup with Oliver Dobbekau, the first East German pairing to do so. After that, she disappears from the entry lists until 2007, when she made a guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters, driving a Ferrari with he father, Sieghard Sonntag.

Yolanda Surer (now Tavoli; given name also spelled Jolanda) - started in single-seaters in Germany in 1987, getting as far as Formula 3, from 1990 to 1992. Her best finish was a third at Hockenheim. She moved to touring cars later, racing in German and Italian championships. Her best result was in 1993 when she was seventh in the German Touring Trophy, with a class win at AVUS in her BMW M3, as well as three second and three third places. She was also fourth in the 1996 Spa 24 Hours, in a BMW, for a ladies' team. After taking time out of her career to have children (she became pregnant while racing in the Renault Spider Cup in 1997), she returned in 2004. She drove a Honda S2000 for an all-female team in the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Julia Trampert – raced in ADAC Procar between 2011 and 2013. At first, she did some guest drives for the GENA team, in a Ford Fiesta, before moving to the Liqui Moly Engstler team in 2012, driving a different Fiesta. 2013 seems to have been her best season. It was her second driving for Franz Engstler, and she was seventh in Division II. After that, she could not raise enough sponsorship to continue at this level. She competed in slaloms and karting in 2014, but she does not seem to have raced in 2015. Before entering the Procar series, she did some racing in the VW Fun Cup in 2009 and 2010.

Vivien Volk - has raced saloons since the age of 18, after several years of karting. She started in the Volkswagen Polo Cup in 2008, and was 23rd overall, but fifth in the rookie standings. She also won an award from her motor club. She returned to the VW Cup in 2009, and was also 23rd, after not completing all of her races. In 2010, she did some VLN races in the Polo earning a fourth and third in class in two of them. Still in the VW, she entered the Hankook Cup and Tourenwagen Trophy in 2011, where she was 16th overall, and second in the under-1600cc class. She returned to the series in 2012, but was unable to enter most of the races due to an engine failure in the first round. She was third at Zolder and second at the Nürburgring. After that season, she took a step back from motorsport to concentrate on her professional career, which is teaching. Although she tried to make a comeback in 2013, she does not appear to have gathered enough sponsorship.

Monika Wallraf - active in German motorsport in the early 1960s. In 1961, she drove an Auto Union 1000 in touring car races, including the Nürburgring 500km, in which she was 20th, driving with Jürgen Karrenberg. They were second in the one-litre class. That season, she also acted as Ewy Rosqvist’s navigator in European rallies, driving a Volvo. They won the Coupe des Dames on that year’s Alpine Rally. The following year, she concentrated more on circuit racing, still with the Auto Union. During the summer of 1962, she raced in the Nürburgring 12 Hours, with a driver called “Peters”, and was third in the one-litre class. Driving solo, she entered the Grand Prix support race at the Nürburgring, and was 24th, seventh in class. A little later, she took part in the Nürburgring 500km again, in a DKW Junior belonging to French driver, Malou Racle. Malou was also driving, and they were 30th overall, sixth in the 850cc class. After this, Monika’s name disappears from the entry lists, although in 1964, she is mentioned as a test driver for Volkswagen in a newspaper article. She is described as being 33 years old, and a beautician.

Suzanne Weidt – raced an Audi R8 LMS Ultra in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, she guested in the International GT Open series, in the GTS category, at the Nürburgring and Spa. Her best finish was eleventh, at Spa. In 2015, she used the same car in the DMV Gran Turismo Touring Car Cup, and was 24^th overall. Her sojourn in the GT Open championship was a break from the DMV Touring Car series, in which she also raced the Audi in 2013. In 2016, she raced the Audi R8 in the Dubai 24 Hours, for the Spirit Race team. She and her three team-mates did not finish. In 2017, she stayed in the DMY GT Cup, but changed her car to a Lamborghini Huracan. She was 16th in the championship after a part-season, and scored fifth places at Hockenheim and the Red Bull Ring. A longer season in the series in 2018 led to eleventh in the championship, with a best finish of eighth at Monza and the Nurburgring. 

Margitta Wintergerst - long-standing competitor in German motor racing, since the late 1970s. She has raced in the Divinol Cup for many seasons, and was also a regular entrant in the German Special Touring Car Championship. She usually drives cars owned jointly with her husband, Wolfgang, and they are usually Fiats. In the early 1990s, Margitta raced a 3P in Special Touring Cars, and later, in 2007, she used a similar car, a 128 3P, in historic races in Europe. These included the Histo-Cup at the Hungaroring. That year, she also surprised observers by driving a Porsche in the Divinol Cup. Although she is a regular competitor, she is not often among the front-runners. She has been somewhat more successful in hillclimbing, winning some class awards.

Sandra Wollstadt - raced in the German Touring Car Trophy (DTT) in the 1990s. She first appears in  1992, but only makes a serious challenge from 1993, driving a BMW M3 for her family team, Autohaus Wollstadt. Her best results were two ninth places in class, at Zolder and Zandvoort. She improved this to seventh in class in 1994. The following year, in a BMW M3 E30, she returned to the championship, a more competitive driver. She scored three seconds in the 2500cc class, and was twelfth overall. In 1996, she drove a similar car in the same championship, and was fifth overall. She was in the top three for her class for all rounds, apart from Hockenheim.

(Image from http://www.forum-auto.com/sport-auto/formule-1/sujet378778.htm)

Annette Meeuvissen

Annette was a German driver who raced in the 1980s and 1990s, in Europe mainly, but also further afield, as far as Bathurst in Australia. She began her motorsport career in 1980, when she was 18, and initially competed in slaloms. In 1982, she entered her first major championship, the Ford Fiesta Ladies’ Cup. She won the first race, at Wunstorf, and went on the win the Cup, after multiple wins. Throughout the season, Delia Stegemann matched her performances, and they were declared joint winners, the prize doubled. Despite her success, Annette was sometimes the target of disparaging comments from spectators, but she did not let this deter her. Despite her rivalry with Delia Stegemann, the two teamed up for the Nürburgring 24 Hours mid-season, in the Fiesta, with Peter Marx. They did not finish.

For the 1983 and 1984 seasons, she raced in the VLN long-distance series, at the Nürburgring. Apparently, she almost won her class at the 1984 Nürburgring 24 Hours, but was prevented from doing so by a mechanical problem. The complete starting and finishing lists for these races do not seem to be available.

In 1985, she stepped up to international competition, driving a Ford Escort for the Gerstmann team, in the European Touring Car Championship. Driving with Jörg van Ommen, she entered the championship in the third round, at Donington, and was 20th overall. After missing the Anderstorp round, she reappeared at Brno, with Arno Wester as a third driver. They did not finish. The trio were then fifteenth at Zeltweg. After another break, they entered the Spa 24 Hours, but do not appear to have finished. Back as a pair, Annette and Jörg van Ommen raced at the Silverstone Tourist Trophy, but were only 26th. Their last race of the season was at Zolder, but they did not qualify.

1986 was a quieter season for Annette. She raced a Porsche in the 944 Turbo-Cup, against her former team-mate, Jörg van Ommen, and the likes of winner Joachim Winkelhock, but was not among the front-runners. Mid-season, she was linked with another Gerstmann drive in the Spa 24 Hours, but this did not happen.

1987 was certainly not quiet. Annette was paired up with former beauty queen, Mercedes Stermitz, to drive the second Schnitzer Motorsport BMW M3 in the International Touring Car Championship (ITC), competing around the world. Their first race was the second round, at Jarama, and they qualified ninth. However, an accident put them out after eleven laps. Back in action after a short break, they did not finish at the Nürburgring either, driving as a trio with Altfrid Heger. For the Spa 24 Hours, they transferred to the satellite Linder team, still driving a works BMW, with assistance from Gerrit van Kouwen. Despite only qualifying 35th, they were seventh overall. Driving for the factory team, Annette and Mercedes were then fifteenth at Brno. They missed the Silverstone round, but then flew across the world for the Pacific-region races. The prestigious Bathurst 24–hour race in Australia ended in clutch failure, and third driver, Roland Ratzenberger, did not get a look-in. The second Australian race, at Calder Park, was more productive, and the two women were seventh again. Their last race was at Wellington, New Zealand, and it resulted in another crash. Annette was unplaced in the ITC standings.

Away from the ITC, the Schnitzer M3 was entered into the Zeltweg round of the ETCC, Mercedes Stermitz’s home race. They finished seventh, again. The team’s poor finishing record this season was blamed squarely on Stermitz, whose incautious and rather crash-happy style was ridiculed in the motoring press.

In 1988, Annette became one of the first women to race in the DTM, one of several at this time. She was driving another BMW M3, for the Zakspeed team. This year, she was very much a secondary driver, and at the AVUS race, had to give up her car to Markus Oestreich. That said, she participated in almost all of the other races, and finished a large majority of them. She appears to have had some degree of mechanical sympathy, unlike her previous team-mate. Although she was a reliable finisher, her results were not spectacular this year, with a twelfth at the Nürburgring being her best. Towards the end of the season, she was getting into the top twenty regularly, in large fields of about 35 cars. She was 31st in the championship.

 In 1989, she only managed a few DTM races, in a Linder-run BMW M3. She raced at the Hockenheim Rennsport-Festival, and was twelfth, 22nd and 21st in her three races. Later, at Hochenheim again, she was twelfth in a qualification race, but did not finish the race proper, after a rare accident. The rest of the year may well have been spent in the VLN once more, although results are hard to find.

The following year, she was back in the Zakspeed M3, and did the whole DTM season, apart from the fly-away season finale at Kyalami, South Africa. Her year started badly, with a double DNF at Zolder, but it soon picked up and settled down. Her qualifying performances were improving, and she often able to hold her position, just outside the top ten. Her best performance was at AVUS, where she was seventh in the qualification race, and converted it into eleventh in the first feature race. She was also eleventh in a feature race at Hockenheim, part of the Rennsport-Festival, after finishing eleventh in the preliminary qualifying race. That year, she was linked to a drive in a Rimstock M3 in the Spa 24 Hours, but it did not happen.

1990 saw her back in the DTM, driving for the satellite Linder team again. She was entered into the main championship, but not any of the extra races, some for privateers, put on that year. Her team-mates, usually Dieter Quester and Altfrid Heger, were not really on the pace, and Annette did not fare as well as she had in previous years, with a best result of fifteenth, achieved at the Diepholz airfield track. The Mercedes and Opels were more dominant that year, and she was getting left behind somewhat. This would be her last DTM season.

The Nürburgring was a happier hunting ground for her. She was fifth in the 24 Hour race, driving another BMW. During her career, she entered this classic event four times.

In 1992, she did less racing than in previous years. Her only big event was the Spa 24 Hours, in which she drove am M3, run by Bychl Euroracing. With her team-mates, Marc Gindorf and Heiner Weis, she was 17th overall.

Towards the end of her career, Annette became rather frustrated by motorsport and its vagaries. She retired in 1992, and for some time, worked as a performance driving instructor for BMW. In the mid-1990s, she travelled to Africa, where she ended up founding an animal sanctuary in Namibia. Later, she worked as airline cabin crew, and gave birth to a son. She was in the process of setting up her own kindergarten when she became ill with cancer. Sadly, she died a year later, in 2004.

(Image from http://www.carlosghys.be/html/autographs_meeuvissen.html)