Ana Arche

Ana Arche is a driver and co-driver from Spain, who is most associated with the Fiat marque.

Her career began in the co-driver's seat, navigating for Gonzalo Arche in his Renault Clio in 1991 and 1992. She began driving herself in 1995, when she entered the Fiat Cinquecento Trophy in Spain.

She drove for the Fiat team in 1996. She won the ladies’ award on the Monte Carlo Rally in a Cinquecento, co-driven by Arielle Tramont. She was 61st overall, from 99 finishers. The Monte was part of the 2-Litre World Championship that year.

The year before, she had navigated for Ana Barbero in a similar car, but retired. Both Anas had been the highest-finishing female driver in the Spanish Cinquecento Trophy the season previously. Fiat offered prize drivers to the overall champion, leading Under 23 or rookie driver and leading female driver, from each territory in which the series ran. 

Between 1998 and 2001, she rallied occasionally in Spain, normally with a SEAT Ibiza. Normally, she stuck to the Asturias region and asphalt. Her career-best result came in 1999, when she was fourth in the Rallye de los Oscos. There were 30 finishers and she was just under two minutes behind winner Felix Garcia, in his Ibiza. Arielle Tramont, who had sat beside her for the Monte, was her co-driver.

In 2001, she did some rounds of the Spanish SEAT Ibiza Cup, finishing three times. Her best result was a 30th place in the Rallye de Ourense, with a class sixth. Her final event as a driver in the Rally Rias Baixas Redcom. She and Fatima Macias Yanez were 37th overall.

Later, she became the regular co-driver for Jorge Martinez-Cueto, who had won the Fiat series the year that Ana did it.

In 1998, she co-drove for Miguel Fuster in a Peugeot 106 Maxi, in the Spanish championship, before returning to Martinez-Cueto and Fiat. She competed until 2004 and won one event as a co-driver, the Rallysprint Colmenar de Oreja.

(Image copyright Fiat/Stellantis)