Women in the Targa Florio

Elisabeth Junek in the Targa Florio

The original Targa Florio was a legendary endurance road race in the mountains of Sicily, which began in 1906. It ran in various forms until 1973, when it was downgraded to a national sportscar event, and then a rally. It was a round of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973.

The first female competitor was Madame le Blon in 1906. She acted as a riding mechanic for her husband, Hubert le Blon, who finished sixth in his Hotchkiss.
Below is a list of all the female drivers who have taken part in the original race. Where male/female pairings are entered, the woman's name is placed first for clarity.

1920
Maria Antonietta d’Avanzo (Buick) - DNF

1922
Maria Antonietta d’Avanzo (Alfa Romeo ES) - DNF

1927
Elisabeth Junek (Bugatti T35B) - DNF

1928
Elisabeth Junek (Bugatti T35B) - 5th
Margot Einsiedel (Bugatti T37) - 12th

1953
Anna Maria Peduzzi (Stanguellini) - DNF

1954
Anna Maria Peduzzi (Stanguellini) - DNF

1955
Maria Teresa de Filippis/Luigi Belucci (Maserati A6GCS) - 9th

1957
Isabella Taruffi/Piero Taruffi (Lancia Appia 1100 ) - 1st

1958
Ada Pace/Carlo Peroglio (Alfa Romeo Giulietta SV) - 15th
Anna Maria Peduzzi/Francesco Siracusa (Ferrari 500 TR) - DNF

1959
Anna Maria Peduzzi/Giancarlo Rigamonti (OSCA Sport 750) - 20th
Ada Pace/Carlo Peroglio (Alfa Romeo Giulietta SV Zagato) - DNF

1960
Ada Pace/Giancarlo Castellina (OSCA S1100) - 11th
Anna Maria Peduzzi/Francesco Siracusa (OSCA F2/S 1500) - 17th

1963
Ada Pace/Vincenzo Arena (Abarth-Simca 1300 Bialbero) -  DNF

1968
Pat Moss-Carlsson/Rosadele Facetti (Lancia Fulvia HF Zagato) - 19th

1969
Gabriel Konig/Mark Konig (Nomad Mk2-BRM) - DNF

1970
“Patrizia”(Silvia Strobele)/Luigi Moreschi (AMS SP-Ford) - DNF

1971
Christine Beckers/Ennio Bonomelli (Porsche 911 S) - DNF

1972
Rosadele Facetti/Marie-Claude Beaumont (Opel GT) - DNF

1973
Giuseppina “Giusy” Gagliano/Sergio Mantia (Alfa Romeo GTA) - DNF

(Image source unknown)