This list shows drivers that have a racing entry at driver database from the last two years. A natural driver with real aggression, but still very feminine she had tailored racing. Don moore prepared minis as well as works drives for bmc in mini cooper s, austin healey sprite and 3000. When she is not on the race track, christabel teaches the piano at a london music school. Carlisle would race other cars in various sports car championship races before she started racing her mini in the bscc, taking part in the second half of 1961. In 1962 she was the co driver for john sprinzel in his sprite in the monte carlo rally. Of mini coopers and christabel carlisle by wiggia may 29, 2012 5 comments every so often, chance meetings, out of the blue phone calls and a comment such as the one by chuckles in his reply to the dashboard post and my response to that combine in a strange way to jolt the memory and finding myself going down memory lane.
Jan 29, 2010 more continental racing beckoned in the n u rburgring 6hour race, which earned peter galliford and christabel a second in class. Harry offers racing tips to british formula one aces in. F1 drivers who competed in the british touring car championship btcc 1987. Jun 06, 20 a driver of mgs in race and rally, who was a finisher of the first postwar marathon from london to sydney with an mgb, and who later became a minister in the government and ended up with the honor of being named a dame by the queen. She married tony in 1975 and he bought her a course of lessons at a racing school for her birthday. An incredibly fast lady driver during her years at the wheel of bmc machinery.
Harry offers racing tips to british formula one aces. Carlisle first took up racing in 1960, entering a club race in a mini. Stuart turner was keen that i should try other types of cars, so he asked me to join a test day with a sprite at. On top of this, christabel also came fifth as a guest in a morris 1100 race for grand prix drivers, including jim clark and graham hill. What about motor racing pioneer rosemary jones from newbridge on.
In a comparatively short career, lady watson impressed with her natural talent competing on equal terms with her male counterparts in saloon car and sports car racing as well as rallying. Bored by spectating, christabel had her first race at silverstone, in a mini. Between 1960 and 1963, she competed all around the uk and in europe, usually in a don mooreprepared mini cooper. An incredibly fast lady driver during her years at the wheel.
The first of these was christabel carlisle, a pretty, clever piano teacher. Apr 28, 2015 christabel in her mini, in 1961 for most people in the uk, the archetypal cool 1960s girl was twiggy. Christabel carlisle mini virtuoso an interesting person. Motorsport magazine page 80, february 2006 girl in a mini christabel carlisle opened the eyes of the men in the 60s thanks to her exploits in saloon and sportscars. While sitting next to these rally drivers did you pick up any driving tips that you later put into practice during your racing. In addition to racing, bmc also got christabel carlisle involved in rallying. Chanel racing suits, crashing a mini and beating steve. Girl in a mini christabel carlisle posted in original archive, specialist and limited edition tech and info. Jun 27, 2019 oh, you might know her better as christabel carlisle, mini racer with 60s style. Christabel carlisle and knowing ones limits nourishing. Harry was driven to the doors of the new building in an electric mercedes by sixtime formula one world champion driver lewis hamilton. Christabel carlisle nationality british age 81 years old born march 1, 1939 disclaimer. Moreorless complete results for the mgb, mgb gt, mg c, and a few prototypes notably the lightweight mgc gtss with special alloy body panels in the world championship series from 1962 to 1978, as well as other classic races and rallyes of the era. Top racing drivers and other people connected with formula 1 racing were present at the annual lunch, sponsored by champion sparkling plugs club, at the savoy hotel, today.
She shared her brothers good looks and became something of an idol in the racing world. Christabel carlisle graduated from club racing at genteel goodwood to international racing as a bmc works team driver here at the 1963 sebring 12hour race in america. He finished 7th behind the cars of christabel carlisle and vic elford. Rhodesian driver john love became the first nonbritish bscc winner, driving a morris mini cooper and an austin mini cooper, making it the second consecutive championship win for a mini. Christabel carlisle racing driver class wins were hers at goodwood, brands, and the roskildering in denmark. Harry offers racing tips to british formula one aces in cumbria. Because, so different from the frumpy, logobedecked outfits we associate with todays drivers, this was the very fireresistant racing suit in which christabel carlisle competed during the 1963. Nov 06, 2019 because, so different from the frumpy, logobedecked outfits we associate with todays drivers, this was the very fireresistant racing suit in which christabel carlisle competed during the 1963. Christabel carlisle female race car driver, classic mini, mini cooper. A few fun rallies in her mini, a 21st birthday present, were the sum of it, until a trip to kent. For three short years, in the early 1960s, christabel carlisle, now lady watson, was the name on the lips of everyone who attended race meetings in the uk. Christabel lived at the time in the little boltons in south. Harry offers racing tips to british formula one aces jersey. Of mini coopers and christabel carlisle nourishing obscurity.
Jan 11, 2017 he finished 7th behind the cars of christabel carlisle and vic elford. Carlisle would race other cars in various sports car championship races before she. I slipstreamed the leading cooper team driver but was prevented from drawing out and overtaking by another of the team, who boxed me in. Anita, with christabel carlisle in her mini coopers, was one of the fastest women in the land. She looks back with gordon cruickshank its an exclusive club, ecurie cod fillet. Now in her 80s, lady watson raced minis and once beat the actor steve mcqueen at brands hatch. There was another group and that was the category these other lads fell into.
The first of these was christabel carlisle, a pretty, clever piano teacher from surrey, who claims she only started racing because she found spectating so dull. More continental racing beckoned in the n u rburgring 6hour race, which earned peter galliford and christabel a second in class. Christabel mary carlisle was born on 1 march 1939, the daughter of kenneth ralph malcolm peter carlisle and the hon. He also met exf1 driver martin brundle and two speed talents from the 1960s, motorcycle racer stuart graham and lady christabel watson, previously christabel carlisle. Christabel carlisle is a former british saloon car championship driver, known for being one of the few women to have raced in the series. Mar 06, 2020 the duke met former stars of the track, including former world champion f1 driver damon hill, who took the crown in 1996. World champion racing driver, james hunt was involved in an incident with saloon car racing driver gerry. Muir also took numerous class titles, and was one of the most popular drivers on the bscc grid during his career. Christabel carlisle had been motoring very quickly in the teeming rain, moving up from twentieth place on lap two to eighth on lap 11 within striking distance of bill blydenstein in the works coopermini which was second in the class behind john loves similar car.
However, from out of nowhere she was an instant success. Christabel carlisle is a former british saloon car championship driver, known for being one. As he left he shook hands with red bull racings thaibritish driver, alex albon, and george russell, who drives for the williams team. A biography of one of the fastest ladies in motor racing.
Oh, you might know her better as christabel carlisle, mini racer with 60s style. Lady christabel watson brdc members british racing. There are currently 61 female driver records in our database. Christabel carlisle christabelnow lady watson through marriagewas a very successful racer of minis. Christabel carlisle the bmc race and rally biography. Contentsshow background muirs early career was largely uncharted, until he rose to prominance in the australian touring car. Lady christabel watson, 80, previously christabel carlisle, a sixties racing driver chanel christabel carlisle was a determined woman. It began at snetterton on 14 april and finished at oulton park on 1 september. The 1962 brscc british saloon car championship, was the fifth season of the championship. Jul 20, 2018 tony maggs, jack brabham, christabel carlisle, roy salvadori, graham hill, and jim clark at a celebrity race at the snetterton track in 1962.
Christabel carlisle mini virtuoso startside facebook. Chanel racing suits, crashing a mini and beating steve mcqueen. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Ten years later mcqueen would star in perhaps the best motor racing film of all time le mans, driving alongside several of the f1btcc drivers listed on this page. The winner of this event was 22year old miss christabel carlisle, of kensington, who has competed in saloon car races against top men drivers. Michelle burnsgreig was another mini racer who was more famous for her racing numberplate, which read sex1, than for her actual driving. Christabel carlisle racing career profile driver database.
Women in motorsport mini skirts and mini coopers beaulieu. A driver of mgs in race and rally, who was a finisher of the first postwar marathon from london to sydney with an mgb, and who later became a minister in the government and ended up with the honor of being named a dame by the queen. I had no interest in motor racing, but i went with some friends to brands hatch, she remembers. She was the leading female driver in monaco in 1982, 1985 and 1986, driving a vw golf, the autobianchi and an opel corsa respectively. Mini racing by christabel carlisle and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. At that time, it was controversial for women to race cars. Apr 10, 2020 she took to racing after the death of her husband, formula one driver tony brise. Christabel carlisle lady watson page 3 of 4 vintage. Tony maggs, jack brabham, christabel carlisle, roy salvadori, graham hill, and jim clark at a celebrity race at the snetterton track in 1962. In 1980, 1983 and 1984 she won the promotion class coupe des dames, for french championship drivers. Christabel carlisle opened the eyes of the men in the 60s thanks to her. Film star, racing driver it could have gone either way. Her father an excellent driver that was his profession and i discussed it and he acknowledged her skills in actually driving the thing, which was agreed but he and i also agreed she had little peripheral vision, i.
The duke met former stars of the track, including former world champion f1 driver damon hill, who took the crown in 1996. Brian muir was a british saloon car championship driver, who finished runnerup to fellow australian racer frank gardner in 1968. In 1962 she was the codriver for john sprinzel in his sprite in the monte carlo rally. Girl in a mini christabel carlisle original archive. On top of this, christabel also came fifth as a guest in a morris 1100 race for grand prix drivers. Christabel carlisle raced and rallied mini coopers and ah sprites for bmc in the early 60s. See more of christabel carlisle mini virtuoso on facebook. Mar 06, 2020 as he left he shook hands with red bull racings thaibritish driver, alex albon, and george russell, who drives for the williams team. Mar 06, 2020 the duke of sussex had a few words of friendly advice for two young british formula one racing drivers at a silverstone museum opening. Christabel carlisle silverstone 1961 by 1963, christabel was not the only girl in the bscc the forerunner of the btcc. May 29, 2012 she was all the sixties stood for in terms of success, style, looks and she was, of course, christabel carlisle who in a short three year career, was really only bettered by the works mini cooper of john whitmore who went on to have a long and distinguished time behind the wheel of race cars including winning le mans. Christabel carlisle lady watson 0 by mike jiggle on july 1, 2012 2012, all access paywall, july 12, region, ukeurope, vintage racecar archives, vintage racecar articles, vintage racecar features, vintage racecar interviews.
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