Le Mans-born Verney started her working life by founding a model agency in Paris and later returned to her native town to work in a family-owned transport company. She took up motorsports when she was about to turn thirty and went on to write a chapter in the history of Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Nine out of her ten Le Mans races were at the wheel of a Carrera RS 934. The tenth was in a 935. In 1974 as a rookie, she finished thirteenth. The following year, the all-women team she formed with Yvette Fontaine and Corinne Tarnaud finished eleventh. Verney later became a regular at Le Mans, finishing eighteenth in 1977, twelfth in 1978 and nineteenth in 1979. The high point came in 1981 when the n°42 Porsche 935 K3 she shared with Americans Ralph Cooke and Bob Garretson came sixth. A withdrawal in 1980 was the only hiccup in an otherwise remarkable run.

Following an eleventh place in 1982, Verney moved on to prototypes in 1983. She drove the M379 C designed by another local, Jean Rondeau, who had won Le Mans with the car in 1980. Her teammate was another driver whose name was synonymous with Porsche: Briton Vic Elford, who took pole position in the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours with the 917 and won the Monte Carlo Rally with the 911 in 1968. Unfortunately, the pair had to retire in that race and Verney then turned to cross country rally driving. Verney earned her place in the history books for her performance with Porsche and as a woman driver. It is fitting that the record-holder for the number Le Mans 24 Hours run by a woman should be held by a woman born in Le Mans!
Read the previous episode in our series of 45 stories of Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO — Translated from French by Emma Paulay

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SATURDAY 13 & SUNDAY 14 JUNE 1981, RACE. Anny Charlotte Verney achieved her best result at Le Mans 24 Hours with this Porsche 935 K3, when she and her American teammates came sixth.