Michele Dubosc (April 15, 1933 – August 26, 2005) was the first widely recognized professional timekeeper in Formula 1. Her introduction to motorsport came through her godfather, Robert Brunet, a pre-F1 era Grand Prix racing driver who had competed against then-future F1 world champions Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Giuseppe Farina.
Early Motorsport Involvement
During the 1950s and 1960s, Dubosc competed in rallying as a co-driver, taking wins in several events. During that era, she began working as a timekeeper in open-wheel racing. Dubosc was also famously reported to have timed and lap-charted the Le Mans 24 Hours on more than one occasion.
Entry into Formula 1
Dubosc’s entry into F1 came through her association with Matra, which made their F1 debut in 1968. When the French team eventually withdrew from Grand Prix racing, she continued her F1 timekeeping career with other teams including Ligier, Hesketh, and Renault.
Formula 1 Timekeeping
Renowned for her precision and professionalism, Dubosc became an authoritative figure in the F1 paddock. Her lap-charts and stopwatch readings were often treated as final, perhaps most notably at the 1971 Italian Grand Prix where her records correctly awarded pole position to Chris Amon over Jacky Ickx. Even Bernie Ecclestone was known to have deferred to Dubosc’s results, underscoring her unquestioned credibility as a timekeeper.
Her career in F1 spanned nearly two decades, continuing into the modern era when official timekeeping duties began to be associated with corporate watch brands. Dubosc died on August 26, 2005 after a long illness.
References
https://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/archive/f1/nc/1949/1949.html
https://www.historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=3331
https://www.grandprix.com/news/michele-dubosc.html