Marguerite Mareuse

Mareuse with her Bugatti and her co-driver in the pitlane at the 1930 Le Mans race

Marguerite Mareuse (18 April 1889 – 17 September 1964) was a French racing driver.

Born in the Bordeaux region in 1889, the wealthy Mareuse entered her own cars as a privateer, often driving herself.[1]

On 21 June 1930, Mareuse and her co-driver Odette Siko became the first women to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, competing in Mareuse's Bugatti Type 40.[2][3] They finished seventh overall, and the team returned together in 1931, but were disqualified due to a refueling violation.[4]

On 17 April 1932, she drove in the fourth Tunis Grand Prix, finishing in fourteenth place overall and sixth in her class.[4][5] Her car was the last classified finisher; seven drivers retired from the race before the finish and three others failed to start the race.

Mareuse was a member of the Automobile Club féminin de France.[6]

  1. ^ Williams, Richard (25 May 2023). 24 Hours. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-3985-1723-3. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Today's Photo Story - Marguerite Mareuse and Odette Siko, first women at Le Mans in 1930". 24h-lemans.com. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. ^ Bouzanquet, Jean François (July 2009). Fast Ladies: Female Racing Drivers 1888 to 1970. Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84584-225-3.
  4. ^ a b Harris-Gardiner, Rachel (15 April 2019). "Marguerite Mareuse". Speedqueens. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Driver: Marguerite Mareuse | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com.
  6. ^ H-g, Rachel (2022-11-29). "Speedqueens: The Automobile Club Feminin". Speedqueens. Retrieved 2024-09-27.