View source for Michèle Mouton

{{Short description|French rally driver (born 1951)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox WRC driver
| name          = Michèle Mouton
| image         = Michèle Mouton in 2011.jpg
| caption       = Mouton in 2011
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1951|06|23|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Grasse]], France
| Co-driver     = {{flagicon|France}} Annie Arrii<br />{{flagicon|France}} Françoise Conconi<br />{{flagicon|France}} "Biche"<br />{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Fabrizia Pons]]<br />{{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Arne Hertz]]<br />{{flagicon|UK}} Terry Harryman
| Years         = [[1974 World Rally Championship|1974]]–[[1986 World Rally Championship|1986]]
| Teams         = [[Fiat]], [[Audi Sport|Audi]], [[Peugeot Sport|Peugeot]]
| Races         = 50
| Championships = 0
| Wins          = 4
| Podiums       = 9
| Stagewins     = 162
| Points        = 229
| First race    = 1974 [[Tour de Corse]]
| First win     = 1981 [[Rallye Sanremo]]
| Last win      = 1982 [[Rally Brazil]]
| Last race     = 1986 [[Tour de Corse]]
}}
'''Michèle Hélène Raymonde Mouton'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000023897144|title=Décret du 22 avril 2011 portant promotion et nomination|language=fr|access-date=15 June 2023}}</ref> (born 23 June 1951) is a French former [[rallying|rally]] driver. Competing in the [[World Rally Championship]] for the [[Audi Sport|Audi]] factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the [[List of World Rally Championship Drivers' champions|drivers' world championship]] in 1982.

Mouton debuted in rallying as a co-driver but quickly moved to the driver's seat, steering an [[Alpine A110|Alpine-Renault A110]] in national rallies. In 1975, she competed in circuit racing and won the two-litre prototype class in the [[1975 24 Hours of Le Mans|24 Hours of Le Mans]]. After being signed by [[Fiat]] France for 1977, Mouton finished runner-up to [[Bernard Darniche]] in the [[European Rally Championship]]. She went on to win the 1978 [[Tour de France Automobile]] and record consistent results in her home events in the WRC; the [[Tour de Corse]] and the [[Monte Carlo Rally]]. For 1981, Audi Sport signed Mouton to partner [[Hannu Mikkola]]. In her first year with the [[Audi Quattro]], she took a surprise victory at the [[Rallye Sanremo]].

In the [[1982 World Rally Championship|1982 World Rally season]], Mouton finished a close second overall to [[Walter Röhrl]], after wins in [[Rally de Portugal|Portugal]], [[Rally of Brazil|Brazil]] and [[Acropolis Rally|Greece]], and helped Audi to its first [[List of World Rally Championship Constructors' champions|manufacturers' title]]. Her campaign the following year resulted in fifth place. With the team having four top drivers for 1984, Mouton's participation on world championship level became part-time. In 1985, she won the [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb]] in the United States, setting a record time in the process. In 1986, she moved to [[Peugeot Sport|Peugeot]] and won the [[German Rally Championship]] as the first female driver to win a major championship in rallying. Soon after securing the title, Mouton retired from rallying due to the ban of [[Group B]] rally. In 1988, she co-founded the international motorsport event [[Race of Champions]] in memory of her former rival [[Henri Toivonen]]. Mouton became the first president of the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]]'s Women in Motorsport Commission in 2010 and the FIA's manager in the World Rally Championship in 2011.

==Career==

===Early life and career===
[[File:Moynet LM 75.jpg|thumb|left|Mouton's [[1975 24 Hours of Le Mans|1975 Le Mans]] class-winning Moynet LM 75]]
Michèle Mouton was born 23 June 1951 in [[Grasse]],<ref name="Motorsport Aktuell">{{cite web|url=http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/panorama/michele-mouton-auch-mit-60-der-ewige-vulkan-3861921.html |title=Michèle Mouton: Auch mit 60 der ewige Vulkan |last=Kuhn |first=Reiner |date=23 June 2011 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329183817/http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/panorama/michele-mouton-auch-mit-60-der-ewige-vulkan-3861921.html |archive-date=29 March 2012 |work=Motorsport Aktuell |access-date=7 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a town on the [[French Riviera]], close to the mountain stages famously featured in French rallies.<ref name="Robson p. 49">Robson 2008, p. 49.</ref> Her parents grew roses and jasmine on their large property.<ref name="RallySport-1">{{cite web | first=Peter | last=Whitten | title=Interview: Michele Mouton (Part 1) | work=RallySport Magazine | url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2741&Itemid=2 | date=3 June 2008 | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> After graduating from high school, Mouton began law studies,<ref>{{cite web | title=Niemals vielleicht | work=[[Der Spiegel]] | url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-14348981.html | date=3 May 1982 | access-date=29 August 2011 | language=de}}</ref> but would soon drop out and concentrate on a career in rallying.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 27 Feb 1986">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860227xml/habxml860103_8511.xml |title=Der "schwarze Vulkan " startet zur Winterrallye in Wolfsburg |date=27 February 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210183212/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860227xml/habxml860103_8511.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=26 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although Mouton began driving her father's [[Citroën 2CV]] when she was 14 years old,<ref name="The Complete Book p. 135">Davenport & Hope-Frost (2004), p. 135</ref> she did not turn her interest to rallying until 1972, when her friend Jean Taibi asked her to practise the [[Tour de Corse]] with him.<ref name="RallySport-1"/><ref name="The Complete Book p. 135"/> Mouton later [[co-driver|co-drove]] for him in the [[1973 Monte Carlo Rally]], the first-ever [[World Rally Championship]] (WRC) event. After a few more rallies, Mouton's father suggested a switch to driving if she wanted to continue in rallying, and promised to buy her a car and give her one-year to prove herself.<ref name="RallySport-1"/> Driving an [[Alpine A110|Alpine-Renault A110]], she debuted at the [[Rallye Paris – Saint-Raphaël Féminin]] and then tackled the [[Tour de France Automobile]].<ref name="The Complete Book p. 135"/> In the Île de Beauté, a complementary event to the Tour de Corse at the end of 1973, Mouton finished eighth overall.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 135"/>

In the World Rally Championship, Mouton made her driver debut in [[1974 World Rally Championship|1974]], finishing 12th in the Tour de Corse in an Alpine A110.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136">Davenport & Hope-Frost (2004), p. 136</ref> It was rumoured her good performances were the result of a special engine, however her car passed inspection by WRC scrutineers.<ref name="RallySport-1"/> At the end of the year, Mouton was crowned both French and European ladies' champion.<ref name="Fast Ladies">{{cite book | last=Bouzanquet | first=Jean-François | year=2009 | title=Fast Ladies: Female Racing Drivers 1888 to 1970 | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | page=158}}</ref> Re-entering the Tour de Corse the [[1975 World Rally Championship|following season]], she took seventh place.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/> Mouton successfully defended her ladies' titles,<ref name="Fast Ladies"/> and also competed in circuit racing: In an all-female team with Christine Dacremont and Marianne Hoepfner, she won the two-litre prototype category of the [[1975 24 Hours of Le Mans]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Smith | first=Roy | year=2010 | title=Alpine & Renault: The Sports Prototypes 1973 to 1978, Volume 2 | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | page=96}}</ref> Recalling the race in 2008, Mouton said: "It started to rain I remember, and I started to pass everybody. I was running on slicks. In the pits they were saying 'Michele you must stop', but I did not want to because I was passing everyone."<ref name="RallySport-3">{{cite web | first=Peter | last=Whitten | title=Interview: Michele Mouton (Part 3) | work=RallySport Magazine | url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2784&Itemid=2 | date=20 June 2008 | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> Her results attracted a major sponsor in the form of the French oil company [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]].<ref name="RallySport-1"/><ref name="The Complete Book p. 135"/> In [[1976 World Rally Championship|1976]], Mouton drove the A110 to 11th place in [[Monte Carlo Rally|Monte Carlo]] and retired at the [[Rallye Sanremo]].<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/> At the Tour de Corse, her debut in the newer [[Alpine A310|A310]] also ended in retirement.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/>

===Fiat===
For the [[1977 World Rally Championship|1977 season]], [[Fiat]] France signed Mouton to partner [[Jean-Claude Andruet]]. She was not impressed by the handling of the [[Fiat 131 Abarth]], stating it was "like a big truck, not a car" and "terrible to drive".<ref name="RallySport-1"/> However, the car would prove successful and Mouton put in very consistent results, finishing eighth in the Tour de Corse in 1977 and fifth three years in a row from 1978 to 1980.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/> In 1980, she had been running as high as second before her engine died for a time.<ref>{{cite book | last=Robson | first=Graham | year=2008 | title=Fiat 131 Abarth | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | page=112}}</ref> In Monte Carlo, she drove the car to seventh place in 1979 and 1980, equalling the result she had achieved in the event in a [[Lancia Stratos HF]] in 1978.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/>

Outside the World Rally Championship, Mouton drove a [[Porsche Carrera RS]] to victory in the 1977 RACE Rallye de España and to second place in the 1977 [[Tour de France Automobile]].<ref name="RallyBase">{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=3485 |title=Michèle Mouton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303104144/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=3485 |archive-date=3 March 2009 |work=RallyBase |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She also finished runner-up to [[Bernard Darniche]] in the overall [[European Rally Championship]] (ERC).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=erc1977 |title=1977 European Rally Championship for Drivers – Final classification |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120605024457/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=erc1977 |archive-date=5 June 2012 |work=RallyBase |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton went on to win the Tour de France with the 131 Abarth the following year.<ref>{{cite book | last=Robson | first=Graham | year=2008 | title=Fiat 131 Abarth | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | page=90}}</ref> At the Rallye d'Antibes, she finished third behind the Stratos drivers Darniche and [[Attilio Bettega]].<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | title=Watch for Michelle | page=37 | date=30 July 1978 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4wtkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gOYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5158,9350874&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> She placed fifth in the ERC standings and fourth in the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] (FIA) Cup for Drivers,<ref name="RallyBase"/> the predecessor to the [[List of World Rally Championship Drivers' champions|drivers' world championship]]. In 1979, Mouton finished second in the French Rally Championship, behind Porsche 911 SC driver [[Bernard Béguin]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Gentile | first=François | year=1980 | title=Auto moto | chapter=La victoire d'un indépendant | publisher=Société d'Information et de Publication | page=60 | language=fr}}</ref>

=== Audi ===

====1980====
In 1980, [[Audi Sport]], Audi's new factory team, called Mouton and signed her for a World Rally Championship programme for the [[1981 World Rally Championship|1981 season]]. Mouton described Audi's call as "a complete shock".<ref name="RallySport-1"/> Audi's decision to nominate her instead of established male rivals attracted a great deal of publicity.<ref>{{cite book | last=Henry | first=Alan | author-link=Alan Henry | year=1984 | title=Audi Quattro | url=https://archive.org/details/audiquattro0000henr | url-access=registration | publisher=Arco Publishing | page=[https://archive.org/details/audiquattro0000henr/page/20 20]| isbn=9780668061445 }}</ref> As the [[Audi Quattro]], the first rally car to have over 300 [[Brake horsepower|bhp]] and both a turbocharger and four-wheel-drive,<ref name="Robson p. 129">Robson 2008, p. 129.</ref> had not yet gained FIA [[Homologation (motorsport)|homologation]], Audi could only enter rallies as [[zero car]]s and not as competitive entries.<ref name="Robson pp. 54-55">Robson 2008, pp. 54–55.</ref> [[Hannu Mikkola]] debuted the car in the Algarve Rally in October, and would have won by about thirty minutes had his times been officially registered.<ref name="Robson pp. 54-55"/> Mouton joined [[Freddy Kottulinsky]] for the final round of the [[Finnish Rally Championship]], the Northern Lights, and also showed encouraging pace on the slippery surfaces.<ref name="Robson p. 56">Robson 2008, p. 56.</ref> Mouton initially found the car understeering, but became more comfortable after switching to [[left-foot braking]], as advised by Mikkola who was in charge of developing the car.<ref name="RallySport-1"/> Audi announced their participation in eight events in 1981, although Mouton would not be entered in the [[Rally Sweden|Swedish Rally]] due to her lack of experience on driving on ice and snow.<ref name="Robson p. 56"/>

====1981====
[[File:Fabrizia Pons e Michèle Mouton - Rallye Sanremo 1981 crop.jpg|thumb|Mouton and Pons celebrate their first WRC victory in Sanremo.]]
Mouton's first competitive run in the Quattro in [[Monte Carlo Rally|Monte Carlo]] ended before it had even begun. She withdrew from the event before the start due to apparent engine problems.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[St. Petersburg Times]]| title=Monte Carlo Rally takes toll | page=3C | date=26 January 1981 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GfALAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JloDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4194,3109391 | access-date=20 August 2011}}</ref> The team later discovered that dirt had got into the fuel system.<ref name="Robson p. 58">Robson 2008, p. 58.</ref> At the [[Rally Portugal]], she started her long partnership with the Italian co-driver [[Fabrizia Pons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=2439 |title=Fabrizia Pons |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817132530/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=profile&driverid=2439 |archive-date=17 August 2009 |work=RallyBase |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton won seven [[Special stage (rallying)|stage]]s and took a career-best fourth place, despite suffering from electronic problems.<ref name="Robson p. 58"/> This ended criticism of Audi for signing a female driver.<ref name="Robson p. 57">Robson 2008, p. 57.</ref> After a retirement due to a broken [[camshaft]] in the [[Tour de Corse]],<ref name="Robson p. 58"/> Mouton set several fastest times at the [[Acropolis Rally]] in Greece.<ref name="Robson p. 59">Robson 2008, p. 59.</ref> While Mikkola was leading and Mouton fifth, the stewards excluded the Quattros citing homologation infractions.<ref name="Robson p. 61">Robson 2008, p. 61.</ref> Although Audi protested, the stewards upheld the decision.<ref name="Robson p. 61"/> In her debut in the high-speed [[Rally Finland|1000 Lakes Rally]] in Finland, Mouton found it hard to get used to the rhythm changes.<ref name="KSML 31 Aug 1981">{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1981/31_8_1981_sivu11.pdf |title=12 ehti Michelen edelle |date=31 August 1981 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095330/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1981/31_8_1981_sivu11.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |page=11 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She recorded a few top-ten stage times and finished 13th.<ref name="KSML 31 Aug 1981"/> She was satisfied with her performance, and the local newspaper ''[[Keskisuomalainen]]'' described her debut as successful.<ref name="KSML 31 Aug 1981"/> At the [[Rallye Sanremo]] in Italy, a mixed surface event with tarmac and gravel, Mouton took the lead when the local star Michele Cinotto crashed and held off [[Henri Toivonen]] and [[Ari Vatanen]] to take the victory.<ref name="Robson p. 62">Robson 2008, p. 62.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=285 |title=23º Rallye Sanremo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607011119/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=285 |archive-date=7 June 2012 |work=RallyBase |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="RallySport-2">{{cite web | first=Peter | last=Whitten | title=Interview: Michele Mouton (Part 2) | work=RallySport Magazine | url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2764&Itemid=2 | date=11 June 2008 | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> This marked the first time a female driver had won a world championship event in rallying.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 12 Oct 1981">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1981/xml/19811012xml/habxml811012_1451.xml |title=Die Männer waren fassungslos |date=12 October 1981 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210111822/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1981/xml/19811012xml/habxml811012_1451.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=8 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton's male rivals were left speechless.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 12 Oct 1981"/> Earlier during the weekend, Vatanen had been confident: "Never can nor will I lose to a woman."<ref>{{cite web | title=Von der Rally-Siegerin zur Funktionärin | work=[[Neue Zürcher Zeitung]] | url=http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/international/von_der_rally-siegerin_zur_funktionaerin_1.5829530.html | date=30 May 2010 | access-date=8 September 2011 | language=de | quote=Niemals kann und werde ich gegen eine Frau verlieren.}}</ref> Mouton recalled her debut win in a 2008 interview for ''RallySport Magazine'':

<blockquote>I remember not just because it was a win, but also because it was a big fight right into the last night. Fabrizia reminded me the other night that we had a problem with the brake pads, so we lost a lot of time. We finished three days rallying (with one day to go), night and day, 32 seconds in front of Ari Vatanen. We drove the last special stage for the night, came back to the hotel and I could not sleep at all, four hours in front of me and no sleep. Then I arrive at the special stage, it's about 42&nbsp;km long, and I look at Fabrizia and I said "OK, we forget everything, and we are at the first stage of the rally again, because one of us will crash." And so Ari hit a rock, and we won the rally.<ref name="RallySport-2"/></blockquote>

In the season-ending [[Wales Rally GB|RAC Rally]] in Great Britain, Mouton continued her good performances by running third at half distance,<ref name="Robson p. 64">Robson 2008, p. 64.</ref> despite having been uncomfortable about competing in a rally where [[pacenotes]] and practice are not allowed.<ref>Robson 2008, p. 63.</ref> However, her Quattro later incurred gearbox problems and she retired from fifth place after sliding off the road into a snow-filled ditch.<ref>{{cite news | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=Easy victory that may alter face of rallying | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K8NAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=16UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3723,4921171&dq=mouton&hl=en | page=17 | date=26 November 1981 | access-date=11 September 2011}}</ref> Mouton would later state: "For me, rallying is England. No pacenotes – just you in the car having to do the fastest time. This, to me, is rallying. OK, it was not easy for me because I did not have experience there of the British championship, but it is really rallying. I like it very much."<ref name="RallySport-2"/> Mouton finished the season in eighth place in the drivers' championship,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1981 |title=1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers – Final classification |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505133421/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1981 |archive-date=5 May 2009 |work=RallyBase |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while Audi was fifth in the manufacturers' standings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wrcm1981 |title=1981 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers – Final classification |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930205542/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wrcm1981 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |work=RallyBase |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====1982====
[[File:Audi Quattro - 1982 Monte Carlo Rally.jpg|thumb|left|Mouton's Quattro in [[Monte Carlo Rally|Monte Carlo]], between two Porsche 911 SCs]]
Mouton's [[1982 World Rally Championship|1982 season]] started with a big accident at the Monte Carlo Rally. On stage twelve in the small town [[Briançonnet]] in [[Provence]], she hit a patch of ice and slid off the road, crashing into the stone wall of a large house at 110&nbsp;km/h (70&nbsp;mph).<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 20 Jan 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820120xml/habxml820103_2056.xml |title=Rallye Monte Carlo wird zu einem Rundstreckenrennen |date=20 January 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210094037/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820120xml/habxml820103_2056.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=12 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Robson p. 65">Robson 2008, p. 65.</ref> Mouton injured her knee while Pons suffered a concussion.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 20 Jan 1982"/> She had been in third place, and had set the fastest time for the difficult [[Col de Turini]] mountain pass.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 20 Jan 1982"/> The pair's injuries were not serious and Mouton went on to make her debut in the [[Rally Sweden|Swedish Rally]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820211xml/habxml820103_4681.xml |title=Den Ruf retten |date=11 February 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716114445/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820211xml/habxml820103_4681.xml |archive-date=16 July 2012 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was running third when she slid into a snow bank, and crashed into the Quattro of teammate [[Hannu Mikkola]] who had gone off at the same place.<ref name="Robson p. 65"/><ref name="Hamburger Abendblat 15 Feb 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820215xml/habxml820103_5130.xml |title=Zusammenstoß mit dem Stallgefährten |date=15 February 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210131831/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820215xml/habxml820103_5130.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=14 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She eventually finished fifth.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblat 15 Feb 1982"/> In Portugal, Mouton recorded 18 stage wins on her way to a clear victory ahead of [[Toyota Team Europe|Toyota]]'s [[Per Eklund]].<ref name="Robson p. 65"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820308xml/habxml820103_7554.xml |title=Sichere Mouton |date=8 March 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718235832/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820308xml/habxml820103_7554.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Briefs: In Auto Racing|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nZkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i34NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1073,4439609&dq=michele+mouton&hl=en|newspaper=The Calgary Herald|date=8 March 1982|page=53}}</ref> She once admitted that to be competitive in the rally, she tried to think of the large crowds right by the side of the route as trees.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=Car companies may quit as rallying heads up blind alley | date=26 May 1986 | page=13 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qbZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3530,6639117&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=8 September 2011}}</ref> At the Tour de Corse, she could not match the pace of the leaders and finished seventh.<ref name="Robson p. 65"/> At the Acropolis Rally, Mouton won ahead of the Opel duo [[Walter Röhrl]] and [[Henri Toivonen]], and closed to within 20 points of the championship leader Röhrl.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=McRae denied glory finish | date=4 June 1982 | page=24 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1_Q9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_EgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6414,1025404&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> The event was overshadowed by two serious accidents, one of which killed a spectator.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 3 Jun 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820603xml/habxml820406_7343.xml |title=Der Wagen schleudert, trifft den 17jährigen Zuschauer... |date=3 June 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210155255/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820603xml/habxml820406_7343.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=26 |language=de |quote=Ich habe Angst davor, daß an meinem Auto etwas brechen könnte und ich einem Zuschauer nicht mehr ausweichen kann... |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton had commented: "I'm afraid that something might break in my car and I can no longer avoid hitting a spectator."<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 3 Jun 1982"/>

In [[Rally New Zealand|New Zealand]], Mouton continued her good performances and traded the lead with Mikkola, Röhrl and [[Björn Waldegård]]. Soon after regaining the lead on stage twelve,<ref>{{cite web | title=New Zealand 1982 stage winners | work=World Rally Archive | url=http://www.juwra.com/new_zealand_1982_stage_winners.html | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> she retired with a broken [[Oil pump (internal combustion engine)|oil pump]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820629xml/habxml820406_10181.xml |title=Röhrl fährt wieder auf "Allkommen" |date=29 June 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714105952/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820629xml/habxml820406_10181.xml |archive-date=14 July 2012 |page=11 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After seven rounds, Mouton was second in the championship, 32 points behind Röhrl and 12 ahead of Eklund.<ref>{{cite journal | date=13 August 1982 | title=Cem carros na briga do rali | journal=Placar Magazine | issue=638 | page=72 | language=es}}</ref> The [[Rally of Brazil]] was marred by the [[List of fatal World Rally Championship accidents|fatal accident]] of Brazilian driver Thomas Fuchs,<ref>{{cite web | title=Rally Driver Killed | work=[[The New York Times]] | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/16/sports/rally-driver-killed.html | date=16 August 1982 | access-date=4 September 2011}}</ref> and featured chaotic conditions as parts of the course were not successfully closed for competition.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 16 Aug 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820816xml/habxml820709_5083.xml |title=Die schlimmste Fahrt, die wir je erlebten |date=16 August 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210061534/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19820816xml/habxml820709_5083.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=13 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although only five teams made it to the finish, Mouton improved her title hopes by winning her duel with Röhrl after the German lost a wheel on the last day.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 16 Aug 1982"/> At the 1000 Lakes, she clocked in the eighth fastest time for the famous Ouninpohja stage and placed seventh after the first day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1982/28_8_1982_sivu16.pdf |title=Auran osa Mikkolalle |date=28 August 1982 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201033/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1982/28_8_1982_sivu16.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |page=16 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the following leg, Mouton drove too fast into a jump and damaged her Quattro while landing.<ref name="KSML 29 Aug 1982">{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1982/29_8_1982_sivu23.pdf |title=Ränni karsii |date=29 August 1982 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304125336/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1982/29_8_1982_sivu23.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |page=23 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the next jump, her front wheels locked up and she rolled the car.<ref name="KSML 29 Aug 1982"/> Mouton was next locked in a tight battle for the win in Sanremo. Although she recorded nine stage wins and Audi took a one-two, she had to settle for fourth behind Röhrl.<ref name="Robson p. 69">Robson 2008, p. 69.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821009xml/habxml821012_1215.xml |title=Walter Röhrl – gefahren wie im Rausch |date=9 October 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718122221/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821009xml/habxml821012_1215.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=25 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Audi had not originally planned to participate in the African marathon events, but now found it necessary to enter the penultimate round, the [[Rallye Côte d'Ivoire]], due to their title battles with Opel.<ref name="Robson p. 69"/> Just before the start of the event, Mouton received news that her father had succumbed to cancer in his house in Nice.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821102xml/habxml821012_4011.xml |title=Überschlagen, 5&nbsp;km weitergefahren – dann gab sie auf... |date=2 November 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210100949/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821102xml/habxml821012_4011.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=8 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=4 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His last wish was that Mouton start the rally.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982"/> After a first day of over 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) of racing in temperatures over 30&nbsp;°C (86&nbsp;°F), she was eight minutes clear of Mikkola and nearly half an hour ahead of title rival Röhrl.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 29 Oct 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821029xml/habxml821012_3581.xml |title=Die wilde Fahrt der Michele Mouton |date=29 October 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210050943/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821029xml/habxml821012_3581.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=20 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=4 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mikkola said that he had never been in such a hot car, and Röhrl estimated that the temperature inside his car reached an "almost unbearable" 70&nbsp;°C (158&nbsp;°F).<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 29 Oct 1982"/> With just over half of the 5,000&nbsp;km (3,100&nbsp;mi) behind, Mouton led from Röhrl by over an hour despite losing 25 minutes due to transmission problems.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 30-31 Oct 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821030xml/habxml821012_3710.xml |title=Die Angst, daß eine Frau Weltmeister wird |last=Thiel |first=Christian A. |date=31 October 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210054858/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821030xml/habxml821012_3710.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=9 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the third day, both Mouton and Röhrl struggled with several reliability issues and her lead over Röhrl shrank to 18 minutes.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 1 Nov 1982">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821101xml/habxml821012_3864.xml |title=Nur neun Teams starten zur letzten Etappe |date=1 November 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210092157/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821101xml/habxml821012_3864.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=4 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Toyota Celica GT2000s of Eklund and Waldegård were still over two hours behind.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 1 Nov 1982"/> Should Mouton go on to hold off Röhrl, she would reduce Röhrl's lead in the championship to just two points.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 30-31 Oct 1982"/> As a driver's seven best results counted towards the championship at the time, Mouton would only need a third place in the RAC Rally to take the title even if Röhrl would win.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 30-31 Oct 1982"/> On the final day, she continued to suffer from mechanical problems and had the complete fuel injection system changed.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982"/> For the next time control, Röhrl and Mouton arrived almost simultaneously.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982"/> With only 600&nbsp;km to go, Mouton went off the road and rolled her car.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982"/><ref>Robson 2008, p. 70.</ref> She drove the severely damaged Quattro for five more kilometres before giving up.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 2 Nov 1982"/>

Röhrl inherited the win and became the first two-time world champion in rallying. Having lost her father, Mouton did not dwell on losing the title.<ref name="RallySport-2"/> Röhrl had earlier conceded that he "would have accepted second place in the championship to Mikkola", but not to Mouton: "This is not because I doubt her capabilities as a driver, but because she is a woman."<ref name="The Herald 30 Nov 1982">{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | title=Women drivers out to beat the world | date=30 November 1982 | page=21 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yvc9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=LEkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3914,5843531&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> He believed that defeat would have devalued his performances.<ref name="The Herald 30 Nov 1982"/> At the RAC, Mouton edged out Toivonen to take second place behind Mikkola.<ref name="Road & Track">{{cite journal | journal=[[Road & Track]] | first=Su | last=Kemper | title=Profile: Michèle Mouton – Ladies before gentlemen | volume=35 | year=1983 | publisher=[[CBS Publications]] | page=24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=275 |title=31st Lombard RAC Rally |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103051039/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=275 |archive-date=3 January 2007 |work=RallyBase |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This result made Audi the first German marque to win the [[List of World Rally Championship Constructors' champions|manufacturers' world title]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821126xml/habxml821012_7045.xml |title=Audi der erste Weltmeister |date=26 November 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718202644/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1982/xml/19821126xml/habxml821012_7045.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=20 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the inaugural [[Autosport Awards]] gala, Mouton won the International Rally Driver of the Year award.<ref>{{cite web | title=Autosport Awards – 2011 winners | work=[[Autosport]] | url=http://awards.autosport.com/2011-winners/ | access-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>

====1983====
[[File:Audiquattroa2.jpg|thumb|An ex-Mouton Quattro A2 at the 2009 [[Goodwood Festival of Speed]]]]
The [[1983 World Rally Championship|1983 season]] started the [[Group B]] era of the WRC and Mouton was now at the wheel of the [[Audi Quattro A1]]. She also had a new teammate; Audi had signed [[Stig Blomqvist]] as their third regular driver. For the third year in a row, Mouton had a bad start to her season in [[Monte Carlo Rally|Monte Carlo]]. She went off the road on a stage not far from her home town,<ref>Robson 2008, p. 74.</ref> and again hit a stone wall at over 100&nbsp;km/h (60&nbsp;mph).<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 26 Jan 1983">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830126xml/habxml830103_2723.xml |title=Audi-Team ist "enttäuscht" |date=26 January 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210081759/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830126xml/habxml830103_2723.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=12 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The car was destroyed, but Mouton and Pons were unharmed.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 26 Jan 1983"/> Mouton explained to her team boss Roland Gumpert, later of [[Apollo Automobil|Gumpert]] supercar fame, that she had to dodge a photographer.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 26 Jan 1983"/> Mouton went on to record successive points finishes. She finished fourth in Sweden in a quadruple win for Audi,<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Age]] | first=Christopher | last=de Fraga | title=Swedish rally to Audis | date=2 March 1983 | page=50 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qk9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rJQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4036,948390&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> after an early driving error that had sent her Quattro into a snow bank.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830212xml/habxml830103_4889.xml |title=Mouton fiel zurück |date=12 February 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722230258/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830212xml/habxml830103_4889.xml |archive-date=22 July 2012 |page=9 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In [[Rally Portugal|Portugal]], Mouton finished second to Mikkola, ahead of [[Lancia]]'s Röhrl and [[Markku Alén]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=254 |title=17º Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427180956/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=254 |archive-date=27 April 2007 |work=RallyBase |access-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the first section of the [[Safari Rally]], totaling over 1,600&nbsp;km (1,000&nbsp;mi), Mouton arrived to the finish on three wheels and said she was "totally exhausted" from the effort.<ref name="The Daily Telegraph">{{cite web | first=Franca | last=Davenport | title=Portrait of a driver: Michèle Mouton | work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2726564/Portrait-of-a-driver-Michele-Mouton.html | date=17 January 2004 | access-date=18 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830402xml/habxml830406_076.xml |title=Siegesserie gestoppt |date=2 April 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714101315/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830402xml/habxml830406_076.xml |archive-date=14 July 2012 |page=9 |language=de |quote=Es war entsetzlich. Ich bin total übermüdet von dieser Anstrengung |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She eventually placed third behind Opel's [[Ari Vatanen]] and her teammate Mikkola.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Age]] | title=Finn's rally | date=5 April 1983 | page=28 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iv5UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OJQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5786,1347237&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> After four events, Mikkola and Mouton were first and second in the drivers' championship.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830405xml/habxml830406_289.xml |title=Abschied mit Safari-Sieg |date=5 April 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722110829/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830405xml/habxml830406_289.xml |archive-date=22 July 2012 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At the [[Tour de Corse]], Audi debuted the [[Audi Quattro A2|Quattro A2]], which was 70&nbsp;kg (155&nbsp;lb) lighter and had an engine producing 30 more horsepower.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830503xml/habxml830406_3828.xml |title=Kupplung per Knopfdruck |date=3 May 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718072820/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830503xml/habxml830406_3828.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=11 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton's rally ended when her engine caught on fire.<ref name="Robson p. 78">Robson 2008, p. 78.</ref> On the first stage in [[Acropolis Rally|Greece]], she rolled her car on a hairpin turn 18&nbsp;km (11&nbsp;mi) from the start.<ref name="Collins p. 118">Collins 2008, p. 118</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830531xml/habxml830406_7037.xml |title=Michèle verunglückt |date=31 May 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722081143/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830531xml/habxml830406_7037.xml |archive-date=22 July 2012 |page=9 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rally New Zealand was for Mouton a repetition of the previous year; she took the lead on the seventh stage and held on to it until her A2's engine failed,<ref name="Robson p. 78">Robson 2008, p. 78.</ref> with only six of the 33 stages to go.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830628xml/habxml830406_10183.xml |title=Alle Audi ausgeschieden |date=28 June 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714211200/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830628xml/habxml830406_10183.xml |archive-date=14 July 2012 |page=13 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=8 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The three retirements in a row dropped Mouton to fifth place in the championship.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[La Opinión]] | first=Vicente L. | last=Panetta | title=Francesa Mouton y Mikkola favoritos hoy en Argentina | date=2 August 1983 | page=6 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q9ZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WrAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3953,5788517&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011 | language=es}}</ref> She then finished third behind Mikkola and Blomqvist at the [[Rally Argentina]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830808xml/habxml830709_4497.xml |title=Bei Rallye verunglückt |date=8 August 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716145815/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19830808xml/habxml830709_4497.xml |archive-date=16 July 2012 |page=14 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but this would remain her last podium finish of the season.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/> At the [[Rally Finland|1000 Lakes]] in Finland, Mouton finished the first day in seventh place after setting two top-five stage times.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1983/27_8_1983_sivu16.pdf |title=Hannu nyt takaa-ajaja |date=27 August 1983 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217085103/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1983/27_8_1983_sivu16.pdf |archive-date=17 December 2013 |page=16 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her car later caught on fire,<ref name="Robson p. 81">Robson 2008, p. 81.</ref> but she was able to continue in the event by following Mikkola's advice and driving into a lake.<ref name="Drivesouth">{{cite web | first=David | last=Thomson | title=Mouton – a woman with plenty of drive | work=Drivesouth | url=http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/5927/mouton-a-woman-with-plenty-of-drive | date=12 May 2008 | access-date=17 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143039/http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/5927/mouton-a-woman-with-plenty-of-drive | archive-date=12 June 2018 | url-status=dead }}</ref> With a string of top-ten times, she eventually finished 16th.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1983/29_8_1983_sivu16.pdf |title=Loppujen lopuksi |date=29 August 1983 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217090454/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1983/29_8_1983_sivu16.pdf |archive-date=17 December 2013 |page=16 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[Rallye Sanremo]], the tarmac stages were dominated by the [[Lancia 037]] and Mouton finished seventh after suffering from fuel injection problems.<ref name="Robson p. 81"/><ref name="Collins p. 132">Collins 2008, p. 132</ref> In the season-ending [[Wales Rally GB|RAC Rally]], she started well and held second place after the first twelve stages.<ref>{{cite news | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | title=Blomqvist takes 3½-minute lead | date=21 November 1983 | page=16 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ofs9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=K0kMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6423,4447198&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=11 September 2011}}</ref> An Audi mechanic later accidentally refilled Mouton's fuel tank with pure water which resulted in time-consuming repairs.<ref name="Robson p. 83">Robson 2008, p. 83.</ref> She eventually retired after crashing out,<ref name="Robson p. 83"/> and placed fifth overall in the drivers' championship.<ref name="RallyBase 1983 WDC">{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1983 |title=1983 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers – Final classification |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103053058/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1983 |archive-date=3 January 2007 |work=RallyBase |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although Mikkola beat Lancia's Röhrl and Alén to the drivers' title,<ref name="RallyBase 1983 WDC"/> Audi had lost the manufacturers' title to Lancia after the latter's triple win in Sanremo.<ref name="Robson p. 81"/>

====1984====
[[File:Michèle Mouton - 1984 RAC Rally.jpg|thumb|left|Mouton with a Sport Quattro at the [[Wales Rally GB|RAC]]]]
For the [[1984 World Rally Championship|1984 season]], Audi added two-time world champion [[Walter Röhrl]] to their star line-up and Mouton now had a part-time role,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840117xml/habxml840103_1807.xml |title=Millionen für den Audi-Sieg |last=Thiel |first=Christian A. |date=17 January 1984 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720133147/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840117xml/habxml840103_1807.xml |archive-date=20 July 2012 |page=7 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> competing in five WRC events. For the first time in nine years, she did not enter the Monte Carlo Rally.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19831213xml/habxml831012_8353.xml |title=Ohne Michèle |date=13 December 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715065302/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19831213xml/habxml831012_8353.xml |archive-date=15 July 2012 |page=11 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, Mouton signed up to commentate the event for [[Radio Monte Carlo]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19831220xml/habxml831012_9186.xml |title=Verzicht auf Michele Mouton |date=20 December 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730042645/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1983/xml/19831220xml/habxml831012_9186.xml |archive-date=30 July 2012 |page=10 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She started her year well by finishing second at the [[Rally Sweden|Swedish Rally]] behind teammate and home favourite Blomqvist.<ref name="Robson p. 86">Robson 2008, p. 86.</ref> Mouton later stated that "finishing second was fantastic. When you are out rallying on ice or snow in country like that it is like dancing. From one side to the other side. My dancing background helped my rallying. As soon as I started on gravel I liked it because of that. It was so nice to feel and move the car like that. Sweden, in ice and snow, like ballet!"<ref name="RallySport-2"/> This would remain her last podium position in the World Rally Championship.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/>

In the [[Safari Rally]], a rotor arm in Mouton's Quattro failed and caused the turbo to break down as well.<ref name="Robson p. 87">Robson 2008, p. 87.</ref> She retired after falling victim to the team's ranking order; as the repairs were expected to take too long, Gumpert ordered championship leader Blomqvist's Quattro to be fixed by using Mouton's sister car as spares.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840421xml/habxml840406_2476.xml |title=Michelle Mouton draußen |date=21 April 1984 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720131018/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840421xml/habxml840406_2476.xml |archive-date=20 July 2012 |page=8 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her debut in the new [[Audi Sport Quattro|Sport Quattro]] at the Acropolis Rally ended with engine overheating problems.<ref name="Robson p. 87"/> In the 1000 Lakes, Mouton placed ninth after the short first day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1984/25_8_1984_sivu18.pdf |title=Alen avasi äkäisesti |date=25 August 1984 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/62lWf6z1u?url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1984/25_8_1984_sivu18.pdf |archive-date=28 October 2011 |page=18 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She later crashed and continued without a windscreen, but the damage to her Quattro could not be repaired in service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1984/26_8_1984_sivu22.pdf |title=Arilla onkin sorakirppu |date=26 August 1984 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134608/http://media.ksml.fi/escenic/ksmlRalliSivut/1984/26_8_1984_sivu22.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |page=22 |language=fi |newspaper=[[Keskisuomalainen]] |access-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton retired and left Finland pointless for the fourth year in a row.<ref name="The Complete Book p. 136"/> In late October, she signed a contract extension with Audi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19841031xml/habxml841012_4653.xml |title=Mouton bleibt bei Audi |date=31 October 1984 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717121947/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19841031xml/habxml841012_4653.xml |archive-date=17 July 2012 |page=21 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the RAC Rally, a slight mistake led to a puncture and Mouton dropped from third to fifth.<ref>{{cite news | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | title=End of road for McRae's rally dream | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=psBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0KUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5267,6669528&dq=mouton&hl=en | page=23 | date=29 November 1984 | access-date=13 September 2011}}</ref> She went on to narrowly lose the final podium spot to [[Toyota Team Europe|Toyota]]'s [[Per Eklund]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=251 |title=33rd Lombard RAC Rally |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016212040/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=result&rallyid=251 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |work=RallyBase |access-date=18 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton's results placed her 12th in the drivers' world championship, a point behind Röhrl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1984 |title=1984 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers – Final classification |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070502183208/http://www.rallybase.nl/index.php?type=standing&standingid=wcd1984 |archive-date=2 May 2007 |work=RallyBase |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Outside the WRC, Mouton debuted in the [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb]] in the United States, driving an Audi Sport Quattro together with her usual co-driver Fabrizia Pons.<ref>{{cite web | first=Peter | last=Whitten | title=Review: Audi Quattro, The Rally History | work=RallySport Magazine | url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5037&Itemid=2 | date=10 August 2010 | access-date=31 December 2011}}</ref> After her main opponent [[Martin Schanche]] got hampered by a flat right front tyre she won the open rally category (now known as ''unlimited'') in a record time and placed second overall, leaving behind several specialised V8 single-seaters that had normally dominated the race.<ref name="ERC24">{{cite web | title=1984: Apropos Pikes Peak... | work=ERC24 | url=http://www.erc24.com/archives/13419 | date=22 June 2013 | access-date=30 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Race Retro">{{cite web|url=http://www.raceretro.com/showcontent.asp?CollectionID=@0000000193 |title=Meet Michele Mouton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331172440/http://www.raceretro.com/showcontent.asp?CollectionID=%400000000193 |archive-date=31 March 2012 |work=Race Retro |access-date=18 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840710xml/habxml840709_1202.xml |title=Mouton mit Rekord |date=10 July 1984 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714115614/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1984/xml/19840710xml/habxml840709_1202.xml |archive-date=14 July 2012 |page=13 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====1985====
[[File:Michèle Mouton 2.JPG|thumb|Mouton with a Quattro S1 in 2007]]
Audi's WRC programme was limited for the [[1985 World Rally Championship|1985 season]] due to the recent defeats to [[Peugeot Sport|Peugeot Talbot Sport]], Peugeot's factory team headed by [[Jean Todt]].<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 28 Feb 1985">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19850228xml/habxml850103_8166.xml |title=Abschied von Michele Mouton... |date=28 February 1985 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210060442/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19850228xml/habxml850103_8166.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=22 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mouton and Mikkola were assigned to testing and development duties.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 28 Feb 1985"/> She drove both the Sport Quattro and its follower, the [[Audi Quattro S1|Quattro S1]] (Sport E2). Mouton considered the S1 the most difficult rally car she had driven: "For rallying on asphalt, I agree the limit had gone too far. We did not have the reflexes to control it properly. It was tough to drive the car, but not the short Quattro before."<ref name="RallySport-3"/>

[[File:Michèle Mouton - 1985 Welsh Rally.jpg|thumb|left|Mouton in an A2 at the Welsh Rally]]
Although Mouton competed in only one world championship event during the season, she contested a full six-round [[British Rally Championship]]. Her campaign was plagued by reliability problems and she recorded only one finish. In the National Breakdown Rally, Mouton stopped after damaging her Quattro in a jump.<ref>{{cite journal | journal=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | title=First UK International win for Wilson on Breakdown | volume=163 | year=1985 | publisher=Iliffe, Sons & Sturmey Ltd | page=13}}</ref> After technical problems led to an early retirement at the [[Circuit of Ireland Rally|Circuit of Ireland]],<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=McRae win gains vital title points | date=10 April 1985 | page=27 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ue89AAAAIBAJ&sjid=10gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6584,2267618&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> she finished second at the Welsh Rally behind [[Malcolm Wilson (rally driver)|Malcolm Wilson]] in another Quattro.<ref>{{cite journal | journal=[[The Motor]] | first=Colin | last=Wilson | title=Win for Wilson | volume=168 | year=1985 | publisher=Temple Press Ltd | page=7}}</ref> At the [[Scottish Rally]], Mouton had been closing in on the leading Wilson until a transmission problem forced her to retire.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | title=Mouton's Audi burns out | date=11 June 1985 | page=30 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n-89AAAAIBAJ&sjid=2UgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3277,2531408&dq=michele-mouton&hl=en | access-date=25 August 2011}}</ref> At the Ulster Rally, she set the fastest time for the first stage but then dropped out with a mechanical failure.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | title=Wilson leads as Mouton drops out | date=27 July 1985 | page=19 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fqVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3535,5895632&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> In the season-ending [[Rally Isle of Man|Manx International Rally]], Mouton struggled to start her Quattro and then crashed out five stages later.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=Prost fastest in chase for title | date=14 September 1985 | page=19 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3sBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=26UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6432,3372760&dq=mouton&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref>

Mouton's only WRC event of the year was the long-distance [[Rallye Côte d'Ivoire]]. She was co-driven by [[Arne Hertz]] as Pons was ill at the time of the start.<ref name="The Guinness Book">{{cite book | last=Harding | first=Anthony | year=1987 | title=The Guinness Book of the Car | publisher=[[Guinness Superlatives]] | page=148}}</ref> Mouton started well and tied the lead with Toyota's [[Juha Kankkunen]] after the first day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19851031xml/habxml851012_4881.xml |title=Michele Mouton vorn |date=31 October 1985 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720015522/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19851031xml/habxml851012_4881.xml |archive-date=20 July 2012 |page=22 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=18 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her Quattro incurred severe engine problems on the next day, but was seemingly repaired by Audi mechanics off the route in the jungle.<ref name="Robson pp. 103-105">Robson 2008, pp. 103–105.</ref> At the same time, the Sport Quattro "chase car", a high-speed service car, retired and Audi faced accusations of swapping the cars.<ref name="Robson pp. 103-105"/> The team withdrew Mouton just before the finish and the controversy remains unresolved; the stewards did not find proof but the media published evidence afterwards.<ref name="The Guinness Book"/><ref name="Robson pp. 103-105"/> Although her rallying year was a disappointment, Mouton made a successful return to the Pikes Peak, winning the event overall in her Sport Quattro.<ref>{{cite web | title=Audi's autonomous TT rally car | work=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | url=http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Audi-S8/244779/ | date=11 November 2009 | access-date=20 August 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118174840/http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Audi-S8/244779/ | archive-date=18 November 2009}}</ref> Despite slippery conditions caused by a hailstorm, she broke [[Al Unser Jr.]]'s 1982 record by about thirteen seconds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oJFJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OgwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1001,4131884&dq=michele-mouton&hl=en |title=Pikes Peak records shattered |date=14 July 1985 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717235753/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oJFJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OgwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1001,4131884&dq=michele-mouton&hl=en |archive-date=17 July 2012 |page=3–C |newspaper=[[The Post and Courier]] |access-date=25 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Frenchwoman's win irritated some of her male rivals.<ref>{{cite web | first=Alastair | last=Sloane | title=The good oil: Sheilas turn it on | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10509007 | date=10 May 2008 | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> [[Bobby Unser]] was reputedly quite vocal about his loss, to which Mouton is said to have replied: "If you have the balls you can try to race me back down as well."<ref name="Race Retro"/>

===Peugeot===
[[File:Thumb-Rallye-mont--carlo-1986.jpg|thumb|Mouton's teammate [[Timo Salonen]]'s 205 T16 E2 in Monte Carlo]]
Mouton broke off her contract with Audi in late 1985 to join [[Peugeot Sport|Peugeot]] for the [[1986 World Rally Championship|coming season]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19851204xml/habxml851012_9765.xml |title=Michele Mouton zu Peugeot |date=4 December 1985 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716181305/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1985/xml/19851204xml/habxml851012_9765.xml |archive-date=16 July 2012 |page=11 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=11 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She contested the [[German Rally Championship]] and two WRC events in a [[Peugeot 205 Turbo 16]], with which the marque had captured the previous year's world titles. To replace the newly-wed Pons, Mouton recruited Terry Harryman who had been left jobless after [[Ari Vatanen]]'s accident.<ref name="RallySport-3"/> Mouton, nicknamed "der schwarze Vulkan" (The Black Volcano) due to her temperament and long black hair,<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 27 Feb 1986"/><ref>{{cite web | first=Charles | last=Knappek | title=Michèle Mouton, la reine du rallye français | work=[[Le Monde]]| url=http://www.lemonde.fr/week-end/article/2011/06/17/michele-mouton-la-reine-du-rallye-francais_1537282_1477893.html | date=17 June 2011 | access-date=25 August 2011 | language=fr}}</ref> won six of the eight events in the German championship,<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 27 Oct 1986">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861027xml/habxml861012_3811.xml |title=Abschied mit einem Sieg |date=27 October 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210043119/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861027xml/habxml861012_3811.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=18 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> including the [[Rallye Deutschland]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860811xml/habxml860709_5915.xml |title=Mouton siegt wieder |date=11 August 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717040015/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860811xml/habxml860709_5915.xml |archive-date=17 July 2012 |page=14 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although the Hessen Rallye was stopped after the severe accident of [[Formula One]] driver [[Marc Surer]], which claimed the life of his co-driver [[Michel Wyder]], Mouton was declared the winner.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]] | title=Driver Killed During Rally | page=9D | date=1 June 1986 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n9geAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vmkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6875,994896&dq=michele-mouton&hl=en | access-date=25 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kn9JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pgsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5259,726478&dq=michele+mouton&hl=en |title=Grand Prix Racer Still Listed in Serious Condition |date=3 June 1986 |access-date=25 March 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124180009/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kn9JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pgsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5259,726478&dq=michele+mouton&hl=en |archive-date=24 January 2013 |page=8D |newspaper=The News and Courier |url-status=dead }}</ref> She secured the German national title on the seventh and penultimate round, the Sachs Baltic, after taking her fifth win of the season.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 6 Oct 1986">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861006xml/habxml861012_872.xml |title=Michele Mouton – die Meisterin |date=6 October 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210080400/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861006xml/habxml861012_872.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=18 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She became the first female driver to win a major championship in rallying.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 6 Oct 1986"/>

Mouton's WRC outings were her home events: [[Monte Carlo Rally]] and [[Tour de Corse]]. In Monte Carlo, she was running in eighth place after eleven stages,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860121xml/habxml860103_2846.xml |title=Die vielen Gesichter einer Frau |date=21 January 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718064836/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860121xml/habxml860103_2846.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=12 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but soon retired with [[Oil pump (internal combustion engine)|oil pump]] problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860122xml/habxml860103_2989.xml |title=Röhrl fiel weit zurück |date=22 January 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718180253/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19860122xml/habxml860103_2989.xml |archive-date=18 July 2012 |page=16 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=14 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> For the Tour de Corse in May, Mouton was given the second evolution of the car.<ref name="Autocar 1986">{{cite journal | journal=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | volume=168 | year=1986 | publisher=Iliffe, Sons & Sturmey Ltd | page=21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shacki |title=Michèle Mouton - Fabrizia Pons - Tour de Corse - Rallye de France 1986 |url=https://www.ewrc-results.com/entryinfo/8668-tour-de-corse-rallye-de-france-1986/284017/ |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=eWRC-results.com |language=en}}</ref> She quickly showed good pace and held third place behind Lancia's [[Henri Toivonen]] and teammate [[Bruno Saby]].<ref name="Autocar 1986"/> However, she ran into gearbox trouble on the tenth stage and was forced to retire.<ref name="Autocar 1986"/> During the next day, Toivonen and his co-driver [[Sergio Cresto]] crashed out from the lead and died in their seats. Mouton was still in Corsica and remarked to her boyfriend that "if they stop the Group B now, it will be the end for me."<ref name="RallySport-3"/> Within days, [[Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile|FISA]] announced new regulations and banned the Group B supercars for the following year.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] | first=Hugh | last=Hunston | title=New curbs on power and speed | date=7 May 1986 | page=21 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mbZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3989,1747013&dq=group-b&hl=en | access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref>

In October, two weeks after securing the German Rally Championship title, Mouton announced her retirement from rallying.<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 17 Oct 1986">{{cite news|url=http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861017xml/habxml861012_2514.xml |title=Michele Mouton macht Schluß |date=17 October 1986 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210061603/http://suche.abendblatt.de/article.php?url=/ha/1986/xml/19861017xml/habxml861012_2514.xml |archive-date=10 February 2013 |page=17 |language=de |newspaper=[[Hamburger Abendblatt]] |access-date=20 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She cited the end of the Group B era as the reason behind the decision, and stated that it was "a good time to stop".<ref name="RallySport-3"/> Later in the same month, Mouton crowned her career by winning the last event of the German championship, the Drei-Städte-Rallye (Three Cities Rally), ahead of [[Armin Schwarz]]'s [[MG Metro 6R4]].<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 27 Oct 1986"/><ref name="The Complete Book p. 161">Davenport & Hope-Frost (2004), p. 161</ref>

===Later career===
[[File:Michèle Mouton - 2009 Race of Champions.jpg|thumb|left|Mouton driving a Quattro S1 during the [[2009 Race of Champions|2009 edition]] of the [[Race of Champions]]]]
In 1988, Mouton co-founded the international motorsport event [[Race of Champions]] with Fredrik Johnsson, in memory of Toivonen and to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the [[List of World Rally Championship Drivers' Champions|world championship]] for rally drivers.<ref name="ROC">{{cite web | title=ROC History | work=[[Race of Champions]] | url=http://www.raceofchampions.com/roc-history.aspx | access-date=18 August 2011 | archive-date=1 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001005529/http://www.raceofchampions.com/roc-history/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> The event originally included the world's top rally drivers, but now features stars also from other disciplines, such as [[Formula One]], [[NASCAR]], [[Le Mans 24 Hours|Le Mans]] and [[MotoGP]], competing against each other in identical cars.<ref name="ROC"/>

In 1988 and 1989, Mouton participated in [[rally raid]]s as part of Peugeot's service team for [[Ari Vatanen]] and [[Jacky Ickx]].<ref name="Motorsport.com">{{cite web | title=Portrait of a Lady, day seven | work=Motorsport.com | url=http://www.motorsport.com/#/all/article/?id=316414 | date=9 January 2009 | access-date=18 August 2011}}</ref> At the 1988 Rally of Tunisia, Mouton drove a 205 T16 Grand Raid chase car and transported spare parts for Vatanen and [[Henri Pescarolo]], but also classified sixth overall.<ref>{{cite web | title=Michele Mouton | work=[[Der Spiegel]] | url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13528539.html | date=9 May 1988 | access-date=27 October 2011 | language=de}}</ref> She later took part in the [[Dakar Rally]] as a press driver in 2004 and 2009.<ref name="Motorsport.com"/> In 2000, Mouton finished second in the [[London–Sydney Marathon]] driving a [[Porsche 911]], behind former teammate [[Stig Blomqvist]].<ref>{{cite web | first=Bob | last=Jennings | title=Blomqvist wins as the fat lady sings | work=[[The Age]] | url=http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/blomqvist-wins-as-the-fat-lady-sings-20100824-13lwx.html | date=5 July 2000 | access-date=18 August 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323125021/http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/blomqvist-wins-as-the-fat-lady-sings-20100824-13lwx.html | archive-date=23 March 2012}}</ref> After 22 years, Mouton and Fabrizia Pons reunited to compete in the 2008 Otago Classic Rally in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web | title=Mouton and Pons together again | work=WRC.com | url=http://www.wrc.com/news/archive/mouton-and-pons-together-again/?fid=5092 | date=21 December 2007 | access-date=20 August 2011}}</ref> In 2010, Mouton competed with a 911 in the [[Rallye du Maroc]] and finished second to [[Grégoire De Mévius]].<ref>{{cite web | title=de Mevius wins Rallye du Maroc; Mouton second | work=RallySport Magazine | url=http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5248&Itemid=2 | date=17 October 2010 | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>

In 2010, Mouton became the first president of the FIA's Women & Motor Sport Commission.<ref name="Formula1.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/4/10703.html |title=FIA establishes Women & Motor Sport Commission |date=28 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429034525/http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/4/10703.html |archive-date=29 April 2010 |work=[[Formula One|Formula 1]] |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She stated that "for many years people have asked me why there have been no women following in my footsteps. I really hope the Commission can help answer that question and that we can attract and support women in all areas of our sport."<ref name="Formula1.com"/> Having already headed a working group on the future of rallying, Mouton was appointed FIA's manager in the World Rally Championship in 2011.<ref name="Autosport">{{cite web | first=David | last=Evans | title=Mouton appointed WRC manager | work=[[Autosport]] | url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89276 | date=3 February 2011 | access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> Mouton also serves in the nomination committee of the [[Rally Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/media/mediareleases/28567.aspx |title=New Inductees to Rally Hall of Fame |date=9 February 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903204543/http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/media/mediareleases/28567.aspx |archive-date=3 September 2012 |work=[[Rally Finland|Neste Oil Rally Finland]] |access-date=17 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In March 2012, she recused herself after becoming a candidate for nomination. Mouton was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with two-time world champion [[Carlos Sainz Sr.|Carlos Sainz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/33137.aspx |title=Sainz and Mouton nominated to Rally Hall of Fame |date=12 March 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910101914/http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/en/33137.aspx |archive-date=10 September 2012 |work=[[Rally Finland|Neste Oil Rally Finland]] |access-date=20 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life and legacy==
[[File:Michèle Mouton - 1985 Welsh Rally (interview).jpg|thumb|upright|Mouton interviewed in 1985]]
While announcing her retirement from rallying, Mouton stated her intention to start a family with Corsican sports journalist [[Claude Guarnieri]].<ref name="Hamburger Abendblatt 17 Oct 1986"/> She had her daughter Jessie (Jessica) in 1987.<ref name="Motorsport Aktuell"/><ref name="RallySport-3"/><ref>{{cite news | title=Gèneve: Audi RS3 och – Audi A3 Concept! | work=[[Auto, Motor und Sport|Auto Motor & Sport]] | publisher=[[Egmont Group|Egmont]] | url=http://www.automotorsport.se/artiklar/nyheter/20110301/gneve-audi-rs3-och-audi-a3-concept/ | date=1 March 2011 | access-date=12 December 2011 | language=sv}}</ref> Mouton credited her father Pierre's support as the secret for her success: "He loved driving. He loved fast cars. And I think he would have loved to do what I did. He was a prisoner of war for five years and when he came back he never had the opportunity to compete. But he came to all the rallies I did. And my mother came, too."<ref name="Motorsport Aktuell"/><ref name="The Daily Telegraph"/>

Mouton states that in her mind she did not try to beat her male rivals, but to be at their level.<ref name="RallySport-1"/> She noted that in rallying, time is the most important thing.<ref name="The Daily Telegraph"/> David Evans of ''[[Autosport]]'' described her as "motorsport's most successful ever female driver".<ref name="Autosport"/> Rally journalist and historian Graham Robson credits Mouton, along with [[Pat Moss]], as "the driver by whom all other females measure their skills and achievements".<ref name="Robson p. 50">Robson 2008, p. 50.</ref> Mouton and Moss were of different eras and did not compete directly against each other, although they both appeared at the [[1973 Monte Carlo Rally]] where Mouton co-drove.<ref name="Harnessing Horsepower">{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Stuart | year=2011 | title=Harnessing Horsepower: The Pat Moss Carlsson Story | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | pages=145–146}}</ref> In 1985, they swapped cars in a private test session with Moss driving the Quattro and Mouton an [[Austin-Healey 3000]].<ref name="Harnessing Horsepower"/> [[Stirling Moss]] regarded Mouton as "one of the best",<ref>{{cite news | first=Sam | last=Taylor | title=Real people: That Penelope Pitstop feeling | work=[[The Independent]] | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/real-people-that-penelope-pitstop-feeling-1083474.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/real-people-that-penelope-pitstop-feeling-1083474.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | date=28 March 1999 | access-date=4 September 2011}}</ref> and [[Niki Lauda]] described her as a "superwoman".<ref>{{cite web | title=Kleiner Wuchs, sensibler Hintern | work=[[Der Spiegel]] | url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-14346933.html | date=16 August 1982 | access-date=4 September 2011 | language=de}}</ref>

In 2011, Mouton was made knight of the [[Legion of Honour]] (''Légion d'honneur'') by French President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]].<ref>{{cite web | title=WRC manager Mouton honoured | work=Crash.net | url=http://www.crash.net/world+rally/news/175763/1/wrc_manager_mouton_honoured.html | date=30 December 2011 | access-date=20 March 2012}}</ref> At the [[50th International Emmy Awards]] in 2022, the documentary ''Queen of Speed'' about Mouton's rise to the top of rallying in the 1980s was awarded an Emmy for the Best Sports Documentary.<ref>{{cite web | title=WRC Legend Mouton Honoured At Emmy Awards | work=wrc.com | url=https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2022/wrc/wrc-legend-mouton-honoured-at-emmy-awards/ | date=22 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Queen of Speed | work=[[IMDb]] | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16152112/ | access-date=24 November 2022}}</ref>

In 2024, Mouton was awarded the first ever FIA lifetime achievement award.

==WRC victories==
{| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | Nº
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Rally
! scope="col" | Co-driver
! scope="col" | Car
|-
| align="center"|1.
| align="center"|[[1981 World Rally Championship|1981]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rallye Sanremo]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Fabrizia Pons]]
| [[Audi Quattro]]
|-
| align="center"|2.
| align="center" rowspan=3|[[1982 World Rally Championship|1982]]
| {{flagicon|POR}} [[Rally de Portugal]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Fabrizia Pons]]
| [[Audi Quattro]]
|-
| align="center"|3.
| {{flagicon|GRE}} [[Acropolis Rally]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Fabrizia Pons]]
| [[Audi Quattro]]
|-
| align="center"|4.
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Rally of Brazil]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Fabrizia Pons]]
| [[Audi Quattro]]
|-
!colspan="5"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=eWRCResults>{{cite web|title=Michèle Mouton|url=https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/9685-michele-mouton/|publisher=eWRC-Results.com|access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref>}}}}
|}

==Complete WRC results==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Entrant
! scope="col" | Car
! scope="col" | 1
! scope="col" | 2
! scope="col" | 3
! scope="col" | 4
! scope="col" | 5
! scope="col" | 6
! scope="col" | 7
! scope="col" | 8
! scope="col" | 9
! scope="col" | 10
! scope="col" | 11
! scope="col" | 12
! scope="col" | 13
! scope="col" | {{Abbr|WDC|World Drivers' Championship standing}}
! scope="col" | Points
|-
| [[1974 World Rally Championship|1974]]
! Michèle Mouton
! [[Alpine A110|Alpine-Renault A110 1800]]
| [[1974 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>C</small>
| [[1974 Swedish Rally|SWE]]<br /><small>C</small>
| [[1974 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1974 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1974 Acropolis Rally|GRE]]<br /><small>C</small>
| [[1974 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1974 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
| [[1974 Rally of the Rideau Lakes|CAN]]
| [[1974 Press-on-Regardless Rally|USA]]
| [[1974 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1974 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>12</small>
|
|
! N/A<br />{{Ref label|No WDC|A|A}}
! N/A
|-
| [[1975 World Rally Championship|1975]]
! Michèle Mouton
! [[Alpine A110|Alpine-Renault A110 1800]]
| [[1975 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]
| [[1975 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1975 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1975 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1975 Rallye du Maroc|MAR]]
| [[1975 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1975 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1975 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1975 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[1975 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|
|
|
! N/A<br />{{Ref label|No WDC|A|A}}
! N/A
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1976 World Rally Championship|1976]]
!rowspan="2"| Michèle Mouton
! [[Alpine A110|Alpine-Renault A110 1800]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1976 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>11</small>
| [[1976 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1976 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1976 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1976 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1976 Rallye du Maroc|MAR]]
| [[1976 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1976 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| N/A<br />{{Ref label|No WDC|A|A}}
!rowspan="2"| N/A
|-
! [[Alpine A310|Alpine-Renault A310 V6]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1976 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1976 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1977 World Rally Championship|1977]]
!rowspan="2"| Michèle Mouton
! [[Autobianchi A112 Abarth]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1977 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>24</small>
| [[1977 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1977 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1977 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1977 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1977 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1977 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1977 Critérium du Québec|CAN]]
| [[1977 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| N/A<br />{{Ref label|FIA Cup|B|B}}
!rowspan="2"| N/A
|-
! [[Fiat 131 Abarth]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1977 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>8</small>
| [[1977 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1978 World Rally Championship|1978]]
!rowspan="2"| Michèle Mouton
! [[Lancia Stratos HF]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1978 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[1978 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1978 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1978 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1978 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1978 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1978 Critérium du Québec|CAN]]
| [[1978 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
| [[1978 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| N/A<br />{{Ref label|FIA Cup|B|B}}
!rowspan="2"| N/A
|-
! [[Fiat 131 Abarth]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1978 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>5</small>
| [[1978 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|
|
|-
| [[1979 World Rally Championship|1979]]
! Fiat France
! [[Fiat 131 Abarth]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1979 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[1979 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1979 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1979 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1979 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1979 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1979 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1979 Critérium du Québec|CAN]]
| [[1979 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1979 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>5</small>
| [[1979 RAC Rally|GBR]]
| [[1979 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|
! 21st
! 12
|-
| [[1980 World Rally Championship|1980]]
! Fiat France
! [[Fiat 131 Abarth]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1980 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[1980 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1980 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1980 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1980 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1980 Rally Argentina|ARG]]
| [[1980 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1980 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1980 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1980 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>5</small>
| [[1980 RAC Rally|GBR]]
| [[1980 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|
! 23rd
! 12
|-
| [[1981 World Rally Championship|1981]]
! [[Audi Sport]]
! [[Audi Quattro]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1981 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1981 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1981 Rally Portugal|POR]]<br /><small>4</small>
| [[1981 Safari Rally|KEN]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1981 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1981 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1981 Rally Argentina|ARG]]
| [[1981 Rally of Brazil|BRA]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1981 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]<br /><small>13</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1981 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]<br /><small>1</small>
| [[1981 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1981 RAC Rally|GBR]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|
! 8th
! 30
|-
| [[1982 World Rally Championship|1982]]
! [[Audi Sport]]
! [[Audi Quattro]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1982 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1982 Swedish Rally|SWE]]<br /><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1982 Rally Portugal|POR]]<br /><small>1</small>
| [[1982 Safari Rally|KEN]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1982 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>7</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1982 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1982 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1982 Rally of Brazil|BRA]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1982 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1982 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1982 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1982 RAC Rally|GBR]]<br /><small>2</small>
|
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''97'''
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1983 World Rally Championship|1983]]
!rowspan="2"| [[Audi Sport]]
! [[Audi Quattro A1]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1983 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1983 Swedish Rally|SWE]]<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1983 Rally Portugal|POR]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1983 Safari Rally|KEN]]<br /><small>3</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| 5th
!rowspan="2"| 53
|-
! [[Audi Quattro A2]]
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1983 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1983 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1983 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1983 Rally Argentina|ARG]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1983 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]<br /><small>16</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1983 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[1983 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1983 RAC Rally|GBR]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1984 World Rally Championship|1984]]
!rowspan="2"| [[Audi Sport]]
! [[Audi Quattro A2]]
| [[1984 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1984 Swedish Rally|SWE]]<br /><small>2</small>
| [[1984 Rally Portugal|POR]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1984 Safari Rally|KEN]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1984 Tour de Corse|FRA]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| 12th
!rowspan="2"| 25
|-
! [[Audi Sport Quattro]]
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1984 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1984 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1984 Rally Argentina|ARG]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1984 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1984 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
| [[1984 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1984 RAC Rally|GBR]]<br /><small>4</small>
|
|-
| [[1985 World Rally Championship|1985]]
! [[Audi Sport]]
! [[Audi Sport Quattro]]
| [[1985 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]
| [[1985 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1985 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1985 Safari Rally|KEN]]
| [[1985 Tour de Corse|FRA]]
| [[1985 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1985 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1985 Rally Argentina|ARG]]
| [[1985 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1985 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1985 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1985 RAC Rally|GBR]]
|
! NC
! 0
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[1986 World Rally Championship|1986]]
! Peugeot Talbot Deutschland
! [[Peugeot 205 Turbo 16]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1986 Monte Carlo Rally|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1986 Swedish Rally|SWE]]
| [[1986 Rally Portugal|POR]]
| [[1986 Safari Rally|KEN]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan="2"| NC
!rowspan="2"| 0
|-
! [[Peugeot Sport|Peugeot Talbot Sport]]
! [[Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 E2]]
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1986 Tour de Corse|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1986 Acropolis Rally|GRC]]
| [[1986 Rally New Zealand|NZL]]
| [[1986 Rally Argentina|ARG]]
| [[1986 1000 Lakes Rally|FIN]]
| [[1986 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire|CIV]]
| [[1986 Rallye Sanremo|ITA]]
| [[1986 RAC Rally|GBR]]
| [[1986 Olympus Rally|USA]]
|-
!colspan="18"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=eWRCResults/>}}}}
|}

===Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class<br />Pos.|Class Position}}
|-
! [[1975 24 Hours of Le Mans|1975]]
|align="left"nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Société Esso 
|align="left"nowrap| {{flagicon|FRA}} Christine Dacremont<br />{{flagicon|FRA}} Marianne Hoepfner
|align="left"nowrap| Moynet LM75 Simca 
| S 2.0
| 270
| 21st
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"|'''1st'''
|-
!colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/1975-24-hours-of-le-mans-when-michele-mouton-had-fun-in-the-rain-49793 |title=1975 24 Hours of le Mans: When Michèle Mouton had fun in the rain }}</ref>}}}}
|}

===Notes===
{{smalldiv|1=
:{{note label|No WDC|A|A}} From the World Rally Championship's conception in 1973 until 1976, there was no championship for drivers. Only a manufacturers' championship was awarded.
:{{note label|FIA Cup|B|B}} For the 1977 and 1978 seasons, the FIA Cup for Drivers was awarded. This took into account all of the WRC events, and ten events that were not part of the WRC.
}}

==See also==
*[[List of female World Rally Championship drivers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book | last=Collins | first=Peter | year=2008 | title=Lancia 037: The Development & Rally History of a World Champion | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LZ0BFEdj4oC| isbn=9781845840761 }}
* {{cite book | last1=Davenport | first1=John | last2=Hope-Frost | first2=Henry | year=2004 | title=The Complete Book of the World Rally Championship | publisher=Motorbooks International | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gXm5qXLnF1oC| isbn=9780760319543 }}
* {{cite book | last=Robson | first=Graham | year=2008 | title=Audi Quattro | publisher=Veloce Publishing Ltd | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3r114-3gRuAC| isbn=9781845841416 }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Guarnieri | first=Claude | year=1982 | title=Michèle Mouton: du hasard au défi | publisher=Solar | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9HLlGwAACAAJ| isbn=9782263005947 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Michèle Mouton}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110925092516/http://www.fia.com/public/wmc/mouton.html Michèle Mouton] at [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA.com]]

{{Autosport International Rally Driver Award}}
{{Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winners}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mouton, Michele}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers]]
[[Category:Audi Sport drivers]]
[[Category:Female rally drivers]]
[[Category:French female racing drivers]]
[[Category:French racing drivers]]
[[Category:French rally drivers]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Grasse]]
[[Category:Peugeot Sport drivers]]
[[Category:World Rally Championship drivers]]
[[Category:20th-century French sportswomen]]