Google Doodle pays tribute to French race car driver ‘Simone Louise des Forest’

Google Doodle released a doodle on Friday, July 19, to commemorate French race car driver Simone Louise des Forest. The captivating doodle depicts the portrait of Simone set against a ‘Google’ background with a speeding car in the foreground.

Early Life

Simone Louise des Forest was born in 1910 in Royan in France. She hailed from a wealthy family and her father was a captain of cavalry. She spent her early phase of life at the Château de Fontorte, near Gannat, in the south-east of the Allier.

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In 1929, Simone Louise Pinet de Borde des Forest secured her driving and became one of the first women in France to obtain a driving licence. Suzanne Amélie is credited with establishing the first driving school in Versailles in 1928, which was exclusively reserved for women. This was the place from where Simone Louise des Forest obtained her licence at the age of 19.

Career

Following this major achievement, she went on to pursue a career as a professional racing driver. She participated in the hill climb of La Baraque, near Clermont-Ferrand, which marked her first motor sports event. She never met a single accident in her entire career. During one of her racing ventures in the Paris-Vichy race in 1931, her mother was her co-driver.

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She participated in several car races and rallies until 1957 that included the Mille Miglia, the 24 Hours of Spa, the Monte-Carlo Rally, and many more. The popular French expression- “En voiture Simone!”- is believed to have originated from her name.

She drove a Red Cross truck during the Second World War. Later, she participated in the France Truck Drivers' Championship, where she secured tenth position.

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She became one of the first women to open a driving school in 1950. Later in life, she devoted herself to civil aviation. She taught in this school for as many as 25 years. She passed away at the age of 94 on November 15, 2004, leaving behind no children of her own.