Caterina Baldoni

 

Caterina (second left) with her Aseptogyl team-mates

Caterina Baldoni is an Italian race and rally driver now more famous for her glamorous image than for her results.

She was part of one of the later incarnations of Team Aseptogyl in the late 1970s, when it was associated with Fiat, and with Italian drivers. It was Aseptogyl which brought her in to rallying.

In 1978, she is recorded as having taken part in the Quattro Regioni Rally in Italy, in a Fiat 128. Her navigator was Cristina Bertone. At the end of the year, she was part of a three-car Aseptogyl entry for the Rally Valle d’Aosta. Thirty-sixth placed Margarita Corio was the team’s leading finisher, with Caterina in 45th. Maurizia Baresi did not finish.

She remained with the team for another season in 1979. Luisa Zumelli partnered Caterina for that year’s Citta di Modena Rally and the San Marino Rally, which was their better event and gave them a 45th place.

After moving away from the declining Aseptogyl setup in 1980, she rallied a Jolly Club Autobianchi A112 in a one-make series in Italy. Her best result was 33rd in the Sanremo Rally.

Prior to her Aseptogyl adventures, she raced an Alpine R5 on the circuits, with limited success. Her circuit career overlapped with her time on the stages; she was part of an all-female Renault 5 team with Ivana Giustri and Nicoletta Misto. She does not appear to have done the whole season.

She had been interested in cars from a young age and performed some of her own mechanical work on her Fiat 500.

Her nickname was “The Pink Panther” due to her pink cars. It was occasionally hinted that she had some involvement with Gianni Agnelli of Fiat, which she never confirmed or denied.

Before and during her time as a rally driver, she worked as a model, which gained her considerable media attention. In the early 1980s she won the TV quiz show “Flash”, with her specialist subject being Enzo Ferrari. 

She later married and was known as Caterina Taglliatest.