Widely regarded as one of the most successful and decorated co-drivers in motorsports, Coral Taylor’s story shows no sign of slowing down (pun intended – sorry we had to).
You could say that Taylor’s entry into rallying was almost inevitable – she’s the daughter of former racing star Norm Fritter, and was introduced to the sport at just 18 years old. Her earliest memories are filled with experiences most of us would find simply….terrifying.
“Firstly, I had no idea it was possible to drive so fast on gravel roads, so I was quite shocked when we first tested the car,” she tells Missing Perspectives. “I have vivid memories of dust. So much dust inside the car (before rally cars had roof vents) that you could taste it in your mouth. I remember the nervous excitement at the start of events and the thrill of competing. Being in a rally car seemed [like] such a surreal experience, and it felt really special to be working alongside my dad.”
What began as a “one-off event with my dad in 1979″ would ultimately lead to a lifetime career in motorsport – and paving the way for women in rally. While rally drivers often dominate the spotlight, what many people don’t know is that co-drivers like Taylor play the key role in securing a victory, with the co-driver relationship incredibly important.
“Rallying is a different type of motorsport, notably because there are two people in the car,” she explains. “In circuit racing there is only one driver in a car, who is driving on a circuit with say, 15 corners, and the driver is intimately familiar with every corner. Whereas, in a rally there are hundreds of corners and every corner is different and the road surface can change many times within one stage.”
Co-drivers create and deliver “pacenotes” – a coded language that describes every corner and hazard on the course – and timing is critical.
“The driver is concentrating on driving around each corner whilst at the same time listening to a description of the next corner coming up. It is a constant stream of information. Multitasking at its best,” she says. “The art of the co-driver is to perfect the timing of the delivery of the notes, which is an ever-changing dynamic depending upon the attributes of any given road.”
Taylor briefly stepped back from national rallying before an unexpected call from champion driver Harry Bates brought her back in 2023 – and the rest is now history.
“Harry’s co-driver retired at the end of 2022 and Harry called to ask if I would co-drive for him in 2023 for Neal Bates Motorsport in the Toyota GR Yaris AP4, representing TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia. It was initially a temporary one-year role while Harry found a new co-driver. However, we were enjoying working together and are now halfway through the third year of our one year deal.”
For Taylor, the call to return came at the perfect time and she jumped at the opportunity. “I have been extremely fortunate to have this opportunity to jump back in at the national level of our sport, especially to co-drive for Harry who is an exceptionally talented rally driver. It wasn’t something I imagined would happen, but then again neither did I imagine a one-off event with my dad in 1979 would lead to a lifetime career in rallying. So, for now I’m just enjoying every moment.”
Harry Bates tells Missing Perspectives that he feels privileged to be involved in this chapter of Coral’s career. “She is the consummate professional in the co-driver role and I find it really inspiring that in her 60’s, she still has the burning passion to work at our sport and put in the late nights and early mornings to be the best. That takes some serious passion for the sport, I think. I feel privileged to be involved in this part of her career,” he says. “To have now won two Australian Rally Championship titles, with her representing TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia, is satisfying and I am so happy to see her being recognised as one of the greats of our sport – it’s a really well deserved accolade.”
As one of the few female figures in a male-dominated sport, Taylor has witnessed its evolution first-hand – and has paved the way for more trailblazing women to enter the space.
“There has been an increase of female participation in the sport over the years. My daughter Molly is a rally driver as well as the 2016 Australian Rally Champion. As I’ve watched her career, it has been exciting to see many young girls and women inspired by watching her compete in the sport. Having female role models is very important.”
Taylor is also a vocal supporter of initiatives like Motorsport Australia’s Girls on Track program, which introduces girls and women not just to driving, but to STEM careers across motorsport (including those behind the scenes). So what message does she have for young women considering a career in rallying and motorsports?
“One of the things I love about rallying is that it is not gender specific. There are two people in a car competing against a stopwatch. It does not matter if they are male or female,” she says. “For me, being a female in a male dominated sport has never been an issue. I didn’t ever think about it. I was welcomed into rallying and people were judged on their ability to do the job, and gender is irrelevant. I genuinely believe the gender imbalance is purely due to a lack of exposure to motorsport for many women, but I guarantee you if they are given the chance to experience it, they will love it and want to be involved.
“I am very passionate about motorsport and rallying in particular. I’ve been very lucky to enjoy the career that I have. There’s a saying, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ and if my roles have inspired others to get involved, then I am very thankful for that.”
Coral and Harry will be competing for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia this weekend at the ARC Gippsland Rally, behind the wheel of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Top photo – Pictured: Coral Taylor, Source: Instagram/tgr_aus