Pippi Longstocking, math, Loeb: four things to know about Isabelle Galmiche

1. She teaches math

Isabelle Galmiche's passion may well be the rally, however, it is not (all) his life. If she has kept a notebook for around twenty years within the Association de Sport Automobile de Franche-Comté, the co-driver works as a mathematics teacher in an Apprentice Training Center (CFA) in the Pays de Montbéliard, in Bethoncourt. ! Let's hope that the students give him a warm welcome when he returns to class on Tuesday.

2. Pippi Longstocking

Imagined by Adrien Paviot and painted by Aero Magic, the design of Isabelle Galmiche's helmet bore on the back the drawing of a character known for her intrepid character: Pippi Longstocking.

The emblem was chosen by Isabelle Galmiche to represent her fighting spirit. Indeed, the novel character, imagined in Sweden in 1945 by author Astrid Lindgren, has become a feminist, free, independent and powerful icon in the northern European country. In France, a cartoon was broadcast in the 2000s. Last glance, under her helmet, Isabelle Galmiche wore… pigtails, like Pippi Longstocking.

3. A historic victory

The success of North Franc-Comtoise is the first by a woman in the World Rally Championship since Monte-Carlo 1997 and the performance of Fabrizia Pons. The Italian, who accompanied Michèle Mouton in her exploits with Audi in the 1980s in Group B, this time co-drove her compatriot Piero Liatti in the brand new Subaru Impreza WRC :

4. A long-standing relationship with Loeb

Isabelle Galmiche was not the last rain. If she was indeed carrying out her first WRC round on this Monte-Carl', the 50-year-old co-driver had started this shadow role in 1995 alongside her companion Laurent Viana during the Haute-Saône Rally.

Then, it was while competing in the Citroën Sport promotional formulas that she met the young Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, at the end of the 1990s. The friendship was such that Séb' and “Danos” offered her the role as an opener during reconnaissance in association with Patrick Magaud when the Alsatian began to make a name for himself in the industry.

Enfin, lors du transfert du nonuple champion du monde chez Hyundai en 2019, Isabelle Galmiche était appelée de temps à autres pour remplacer Daniel Elena lors des essais privés avec la i20 WRC.