Women in Motorsports Timeline 
 

This section lists some of the many and varied achievements by women in motorsports.

1899
Mme Labrousse became the first female racing driver when she entered the Paris-Spa race. She finished 5th in the three seater class.

1900
A Ladies Race was organized at the Ranelagh Club London. The event was won by Miss Wemblyn from three other women.

1901
Camille du Gast entered the Paris-Berlin Race driving a Panhard, finishing 33rd out of 122 entrants

1903
The Ladies Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland was formed, affiliated to, but separate from, the Royal Automobile Club. The President of the Ladies Automobile Club was the Duchess of Sutherland.

Dorothy Levitt won her class at the Southport Speed Trials

1904
Dorothy Levitt races one of the officially entered De Dion cars in the Hereford 1,000 mile trial.

1906
Dorothy Levitt breaks the women's world speed record recording a speed of 96m.p.h.

1909
The Women's Motoring Club is formed in the United States of America and organizes an all-woman race to be run from New York to Pennsylvania and back again, there were twelve entrants.

1921
Italian, Baroness Maria Antonietta d'Avanso wins the Coppa delle Dame at the Brescia Speed Week

1931
Barbara Cartland organizes a women's race at Brooklands.

1935
Kay Petre races at Brooklands

1958
Maria Teresa de Filippis becomes the first women to race in Formula One since the introduction of the World Drivers Championship in 1950. She raced in three Grand Prixs for Maserati, posting a best finish of 10th at the Belgium GP, two laps down.

1959
Maria Teresa de Filippis retires from racing after failing to qualify an F2 Porsche at the Monaco GP, a retirement influenced by the death of her mentor, French racing driver Jean Behra.

1962
The British Women's Racing Drivers Club is formed.

1975
Maria Grazia (Lella) Lombardi races for the March Racing Team (12 GPs during '75 and '76) becoming the first woman to post a top sixth placing, 6th at the shortened Spanish GP. Due to the race being ended prematurely after a crash the finishers are awarded half points and Lombardi's 6th earns her 0.5pts.

1976
British driver Davina Gallica fails to qualify for the British GP.

1977
Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500 at a speed of 188.403m.p.h. She finished the race 29th.

1978
Janet Guthrie finishes the Indy 500 in 9th place.

1980
South African, Desire Wilson fails to qualify for the British GP driving for Williams but wins the Aurora AFX round at Brands Hatch.

1981
Michele Mouton becomes the first woman to win a round of the Rally World Championship with a victory at the San Remo Rally.

1982
French rally driver, Michele Mouton and her co-driver, Fabrizia Pons win the rallies of Portugal, Brazil and Acropolis and finish second overall in the Rally World Championship.

1983
British rally driver, Louise Aitken-Walker becomes the first woman to win a national championship round outright in Britain and also wins the Coupes des Dames at the Monte Carlo Rally.

1984
Lyn St.James is awarded the IMSA Camel GT Rookie of the Year

1985
Lyn St.James is named IMSA Norelco 'Driver of the Year'.

Michele Mouton becomes the first women to win the Race of Pike's Peak.

1987
Louise Aitken-Walker is voted National Driver of the Year by readers of the British magazine, Autosport.

1990
Louise Aitken-Walker wins the Ladies World Rally Championship

Lyn St.James becomes President of the 'Women's Sports Foundation' which provides opportunities and support for female athletes in many sports.

1991
Louise Aitken-Walker wins both the Jim Clark Trophy and the Seagrove Trophy.

1992
Giovanna Amati signs to race F1 with the Brabham team but leaves after failing to qualify for the first three races of the season.

Lyn St.James is the first woman to awarded Indy 500 'Rookie of the Year'.

1993
The Lyn St.James Foundation is established to raise awareness of automotive safety and driver development, especially for budding female race drivers.

1996
Amanda Whitaker becomes the first female to win a British National Single Seater Championship winning the Monoposto Championship.

1997
Piero Liatti and his female co-driver, Fabrizia Pons win the Monte Carlo Rally.

The PPG Pace Car Team use female drivers for their CART event pace cars - a team of twelve female drivers cover all CART events to date (2000)

2001
Jutta Kleinschmitt of Germany becomes the first female driver to win the Paris-Dakar Rally driving a Mitsubishi Pajero in 70 hours 42 mins 8 secs.

Part 14: Women Working in Motorsports