Two-time World Champion with Mitsubishi (1991 to 1995)

In 1991, Isolde left Opel and made her first move to a new manufacturer. From now on, she dove an AM-Holzer Motorsport entered Mitsubishi Galant Dynamic 4. She and her experienced team made a great Group N debut in the German Rally Championship by finishing fourth in the first round, the 'Niedersachsen-Rally'.

But at the end of the day, Isolde’s main focus in the 1991 season was to gain experience with her new car. "Driving for Holzer, I knew that I was supported by a great team," recalls Isolde, "and I benefited massively from the company's technical know-how. The switch to the Group N car represented a major change. First of all, I had to adapt to the all-wheel drive and the turbo engine."

Nevertheless, Isolde's development continued at full speed. In 1992, when contesting her first World Championship round, the Monte Carlo Rally, she was rewarded for her hard work by clinching the hard-fought Ladies' Cup and finishing 19 th in the overall rankings. In the same year, she also contested another World Championship round - the Finnish 1000 Lakes Rally - as well as the European Championship and the German Rallye Championship and won the Ladies' Rankings in each case, with her Group N victory in the 'Deutschland-Rallye' being the icing on the cake of her successful season.

Isolde looks back: "180 cars contested the 'Monte', with the best 100 qualifying for "The night of the long knives" . To have made this alone was an incredible experience. And to make it to the top 20 of the Group N cars – sheer lunacy!"

Two World Championship titles and another 'Monte' success

With her new co-pilot, Sweden's Tina Törner, Isolde returned to Monaco for the 1993 Monte Carlo Rally. Again she won the 'Coupe des Dames' and this time improved to 12 th place in the overall rankings. In the Group N, she made it to the podium by finishing third. For the rest of the season, she contested the German Rally Championship with a Group A Mitsubishi and made history by becoming the first woman to win a German Rally Championship round: the 'Niedersachsen-Rallye'.

In 1994, Isolde contested her first full World Rally Championship season (Group N) and succeeded in proving her skills in this category by surprisingly winning the San Remo Rally. At the end of the season, she was first in the Ladies' rankings, thus clinching her first World Championship title, with her runner-up position in the Group N overall rankings being just as impressive.

"The field in the San Remo Rally was extremely competitive, but things were running sensationally well, for me. This rally was one of the definite highlights of my entire career," admits Isolde. "And the same has to be said regarding my first World Championship title."

In 1995, she finished tenth in the Monte Carlo Rally, thus clinching her first top ten result, and won the Ladies' Cup for the fourth consecutive time. Furthermore, she successfully defended her World Championship title. Now, the name Isolde Holderied was definite household name in Germany's motor racing world. As a tribute to her achievements, the ADAC elected the Bavarian 'German Driver of the Year'. After her years of apprenticeship, Isolde had now celebrated the successes she always dreamt of. And her Mitsubishi years were over.

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