Photo by Graham Gauld
French rally and race driver Annie Soisbault passed away on September 18th at the age of 78.
Not well known in the U.S., Soisbault was nevertheless one of the finest women drivers of the 1950-60s, a time in which women were participating in large numbers in both racing and rallying. Soisbault’s peers, sometimes competitors and friends included Gilberte Thirion, Pat Moss, Ann Wisdom, Sheila Van Damm, Denise McCluggage, Evy Rosqvist, Betty Skelton, Louisette Texier, Annie Bousquet and many more truly excellent women drivers.
She worked hard too, saving up enough money to purchase a Delahaye Grand Sport. This was soon replaced by a new Triumph TR3, with which she placed 4th overall and won the Ladies Cup in the Tour de Corse in 1957…her first time out.
Annie Soisbault proceeded to excel on the rally circuits in Europe, many times competing directly with Evy Rosqvist (soon to be Baroness von Korf), who was “the only woman to have been an official racing driver for Mercedes-Benz.” In 1958, Soisbault was offered a factory Triumph and in 1959 won the European female Rally championship, sharing the honor with Rosqvist.
At left, a photo montage from the life of Annie Soisbault. The main image taken of Soisbault in the late 1950s, enjoying her Triumph TR3 on the streets of Paris. She would be invited to join the Triumph rally team and win the European Rally Championship for women.
Inset, driving the GTO 3607GT at the Ventoux Hillclimb in 1965. She and her husband drove the GTO in several rallies. Soisbault speaking at the Helle Nice Memorial on September 4th, 2010.
In 1960, she campaigned an Alfa T.I. 1300 with Louisette Texier and the pair won the Ladies Cup in the Charbonniéres Rally. Hooking up with Texier again, this time in a Jaguar, they pulled off a victory in the Ladies Cup in the 1963 Tour Auto, and finished second overall, right behind their friend Bernard Consten.
She led life in the fast lane socially as well, and married the Marquis de Montaigu who was able to provide her with more powerful cars… including a Ferrari GTO, s/n 3607GT. “Me, I love to win” she once answered when asked why she participated in rallies and drove Ferrari’s at 300 km/h.
The Montaigu/Soisbault GTO was purchased from Jacques Swaters in 1964; the husband and wife team then entered a string of events in 1965; the Rallye Nationale Quest, Paris GP at Montlhéry where they were first in class, and the Mount Ventoux hillclimb on June 6th. The event at Mount Ventoux was not a success however, as Soisbault was caught out on an oil slick and damaged the front end. The damage was repaired and the car sold to Jean Michel Giorgi who continued to compete with the GTO. (Last known owner was Rob Walton).
Soisbault wasn’t deterred however, and in 1966 took a Porsche up the demanding Mount Ventoux and became the first woman to exceed an average speed of 62 mph on the mountain.
So what does one do after not only seeing Paris but being born there, and driving GTOs in competitive events? Hang up the helmet and become the managing director of Garage Mirabeau, a Parisian dealership importing Aston Martins, Triumphs and Jaguars, of course. “After ten years of racing and winning, I felt like doing something else,” she said. She discovered her talent as a sales woman and later moved into the property business. During the last years she divided her life between Paris and Saint-Tropez. Every two years she went to visit Granville, the fief of the Montaigu clan.
She eventually retired to her apartment in Neuilly, and concentrated on French cooking, which of course was another success story.
She also appeared at the Helle Nice Memorial in 2010, lending her presence to the commemoration of the final resting place of the famous pre-war French racing driver. The story was covered in VeloceToday, “Nice Marker Unveiled“.
*Most facts obtained from “Fast Ladies, Female Racing Drivers 1888-1970” by Jean-Françoise Bouzanquet
*GTO history from “Ferrari 250 GTO” by Bluemel and Pourret, Bay View Books, 1998
*Thanks to Patrica Lee Yongue, Gijsbert-Paul Berk and Graham Gauld for their assistance with this story.
In addition, for more information, please read the review of “Fast Ladies” by Patricia Lee Yongue.
‘Femmes Pilotes de Courses Auto 1888-1970,’ by Jean-François Bouzanquet, ETAI, 2007. 176 pp. Illus. EUR 42.71. Bibliography. Index.
Trans. ‘Fast Ladies: Female Racing Drivers 1888-1870,’ Veloce Publishing, 2009. 176 pp. Illus. $59.95 USA
There is wonderfull video of Annie Soisbault in the Shell film done at the 1958 Coupes des Alpes now on Youtube. If you have not seen it now is the day. RIP .