The conquest of women drivers

That said, at the time, women were not welcome in races. A regulation prohibited their participation in competitions. The men justified this ostracism on the pretext that there were also no ... female jockeys in the equestrian world. It was a weak argument, which went out the window in 1908. The ban was lifted and racing was gradually opened to women on the Brooklands circuit, especially since it was managed by Ethel Locke King on the death of her husband in 1927.

The 1930s were a time of glory for women drivers in Brooklands. It was common in the paddocks to see these ‘Charlie's Angels’ wearing pants and helmets with chin straps, but always with lipstick on ... This soft touch in a world of heavies did not mask the real boldness of these women, who were not afraid to cross the “Fifty Foot Line", a dotted black line in the banked corners beyond which the drivers could theoretically let go of the steering wheel while still remaining glued to the track by sheer centrifugal force. On the circuit, these ladies raced with and against men, but they also engaged in fierce battle among each other. Beyond their elegance and apparent frivolity, Brooklands’ ladies had very strong characters indeed...