Renault 5 Ladies' Monte Carlo Grand Prix support race, 1975

 

1. Marie-Claude Beaumont (France)

2. Christine Beckers (Belgium)

3. Ivana Giustri (Italy)

Gabriel Konig (Ireland)

Yvette Fontaine (Belgium)

Martine de la Grandrive (France)

Judy Witter (South Africa)

“Biche” (Michele Petit) (France)

Susy Raganelli (Italy)

Maggie Anderson (UK)

Eeva Heinonen (Finland)

Paula Murphy (USA)

Twelve of the world’s best female drivers assembled in Monaco in 1975 for a one-make Renault 5 race, supporting the Monaco Grand Prix.

Renault used the event to promote both the Renault 5 Turbo itself and its associated one-make series held across Europe. Ladies’ races had acted as supports for the Monaco event before but this was one of the biggest and most competitive.

All of the invited women were experienced in motorsport and several had at least some involvement with Renault or the series sponsor, Elf. Eventual winner Marie-Claude Beaumont spent most of the season racing for the Ecurie Elf sportscar team and Britain’s Maggie Anderson was one of the first racewinners in the UK Renault 5 series.

Yvette Fontaine and Christine Beckers were highly accomplished touring car racers. Gabriel Konig had many years of experience in sports and saloon racing. Judy Witter had won a Formula Vee championship at home in South Africa.

Some of the others had plenty of motorsport experience but had not done much circuit racing: Ivana Giustri and Eeva Heinonen were ladies’ rally champions in their home countries and both “Biche” and Martine de la Grandrive were in-demand rally co-drivers.

Paula Murphy had been involved mainly in drag racing in the States and had held the women’s Land Speed Record. Susy Raganelli had won the World Kart Championship in 1966 but had raced little since then.

The full results of the race itself have proved hard to track down. It ran for 15 laps and Marie-Claude Beaumont won from pole position, followed by Christine Beckers and Ivana Giustri. Maggie Anderson had a good start from fourth but was passed by Yvette Fontaine and Biche, before outbraking herself at the chicane and having to take the escape road. She was then passed by Gabriel Konig and Eeva Heinonen and finished near the back. Gabriel, Eeva and Yvette continued to jostle for position, with Gabriel and Yvette prevailing. Eeva was tenth, despite setting the fastest lap.

(Image from acmanortheurope.com. For an account of the race in French, see renault-5.net)