La Reine du Quattro: Michèle Mouton, WRC, and Audi in the 1980s

 

Michèle Mouton While Driving For Audi

The 1980s were a time of excess. In the Gordon Gekko “Greed Is Good” era of coke fueled stockbrokers in New York City to coke fueled shootouts in Miami, Florida; Speed replaced Greed in the World Rally Championships (WRC). In particular, from 1983 to 1986, the WRC Group B regulations ushered in an era of rally cars with virtually no restrictions.

Michèle Mouton catching some air in her Audi Quattro on a WRC Rally Stage

This would lead to some epic duels from manufacturers such as Lancia, Peugeot, and Audi while bringing forth some incredibly talented drivers that were able to harness the power of these cars to great success. Walter Röhrl, Hannu Mikkola, and Stig Blomqvist were thrust to the forefront of WRC stardom with championship winning seasons during this era.

Hot on their heels was French born driver Michèle Mouton and her Italian co-driver Fabrizia Pons.

Michèle's WRC career started in 1974 at the Tour de Corse where she finished 12.  By the late 70s, after several years in WRC with Fiat France driving the 131 Abarth, Mouton was invited to Audi Sport in 1980 to be one of several drivers of the soon to be dominant Quattro rally car. The car was not yet approved for competition in 1980 so while it could run it could not technically compete for points or standings.

The 1981 season started rocky with a retirement at the Monte Carly Rally. For the Portugal rally she would pick up Co-driver Fabrizia Pons where the pair came in 4^th and  would stick together through almost Mouton's entire time at Audi Sport. After several more retirements, success came in Italy during the 1981 Rallye Sanremo, where the pair placed first. Another retirement at the British RAC Rally closed off the season where Mouton ultimately placed 8^th overall.

Fabrizia Pons (Left) & Michèle Mouton (Right) Celebrating A Win

1982 again started off with a retirement from Monte Carlo; but from there Mouton and Pons racked up three first place wins at Rally Portugal, Acropolis Rally, and the Rally of Brazil. Mouton came close to beating out Walter Röhrl for the overall WRC drivers’ championship but was plagued by mechanical troubles and an accident at the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. She took a second place finish at RAC to close out the year. These efforts ultimately put her in second place in the overall drivers’ championships, earned her the Autosport International Rally Driver of the Year award, and gave Audi the WRC Manufacturer’s championship.

Pons (Left) and Mouton (Right) mid-turn on dirt rally stage

1983 would be a mixed bag for Mouton and Pons where they were able to drive to podium finishes at Rally Portugal (2^nd), Kenya (3^rd), and Argentina (3rd), and placing 5^th overall for the season. Teammate Hannu Mikkola would take the drivers’ championship but Lancia pulled off the manufacturer’s championship for the year in its 037 rally car. 

1984 saw Mouton only driving part time for Audi where she only finished two of five events but still finished second at the Swedish Rally, fourth at the RAC rally in Britain, and ultimately still came in 12^th overall for the year. Mouton entered the US Pikes Peak Hill climb where she and Pons wound up taking first in their class and second overall.

Mouton running up Pikes Peak Hill Climb

1985 was even grimmer as Audi’s WRC program was very limited. The only WRC Mouton drove was the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire where the car was retired. However, Mouton returned to Pikes Peak again where she took first place overall.

Mouton eventually left Audi in late 1985, taking a gig at Peugeot, where, in 1986 she won the German Rally Championship, but only raced in two WRC rally’s which both led to retirements.

Due to the deaths of racers and spectators alike due to the extreme power levels the cars were making, the Group B cars were banned the following year. Michèle Mouton announced her retirement from WRC shortly thereafter.

Michèle, while retired from WRC, has maintained an active career in rallying and the FIA. In 2012 she was inducted into the Rally Hall of Fame alongside Carlos Sainz.

Michèle revisiting her Audi Quattro in 2007

(images courtesy of Wikipedia, Steeltown Garage, Petersons Automotive Museum, and Reddit.)