The 21st of January of 2001 is a very significant date in the History of Motorsport. That day Jutta Kleinschmidt became the first and only woman to ever win a Dakar Rally.   

As she proudly crossed the checkered flag, the German driver had an extra, slightly more personal sense of satisfaction, as she had also defeated a very special opponent: her old partner and that year’s edition favourite, the French pilot Jean Marie Schlesser.

Jutta Kleinschmidt took the final victory after a memorable race in which there were epic Dakar duels, incredible overtaking, controversies and sanctions aplenty. The unexpected unfolding of events had the suspense of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

A love for racing

Before winning the toughest rally in the world, the speedy German engineer had already shined in various other disciplines. From a very young age, the first woman to ever win the Dakar Rally was attracted to motorcycles. 

Her passion was so, that she made a decision that would change her life forever. She quit her job at the BMW Development Department to try and make a living of her great love: racing. 

First successes 

After demonstrating her talent in various rallies, she made the leap to the Paris-Dakar in 1988. She came in first in the women’s rankings of the Paris-Cape Town and the Pharaohs Rallies. By that time her skill and talent already made her stand out from the rest. 

Later on, she competed on the motorbike category of the Dakar until 1995 when she changed to cars. She won her first stage in the legendary race of 1997.

On that occasion, she was driving a buggy belonging to ex-boyfriend Jean Marie Schlesser. In a few years, the German racer would became the first and only woman to ever win a Dakar Rally.

A decisive move to Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi, having seen her potential, offered a contract to Jutta in 1998, marking one of the key moments in her career. At the wheel of the very competitive Pajero Evo, a car she herself had helped develop, she was able to show the world what she was made of.

She finished third in 1999 and fifth in the year 2000 but despite her successes, she nearly got laid off by her team. Fortunately, they kept her on for the 2001, edition of the the first and only woman to ever win a Dakar Rally

The Dakar of her life 

Jutta Kleinschmidt did not start the Dakar in 2001 as one of the favourites. On that edition,the Japanese Hiroshi Masuoka and the buggies of Schlesser and José María Serviá started a ruthless battle which lasted the twenty stages of the raid. 

On the penultimate day of the Rally, Schlesser and Serviá, in a very unscrupulous move, skipped the order of exit to leave rival Masuoka, behind. 

the first and only woman to ever win a Dakar Rally, was propped to the throne by that bizarre twist of fate. But she wouldn’t have done it without her extraordinary talent and consistency.

The Queen of the Dakar crossed 2’39’’ ahead of Masuoka and 23’29’’ before her very personal adversary: Schlesser.

Of no use had been his seven partial victories, or the Japanese driver’s other five. Jutta, who was born in Cologne in 1969, was crowned with a single triumph.

The images of Kleinschmidt at Lake Retba are part of the history of Motorsport. In 2002, she was second behind Masuoka, who finally saw his dream come true. At her last Dakar in 2005, she finished third.

The first and only woman to ever win a Dakar Rally Main Images: Jutta Kleinschmidt. com