Mélanie Clévenot

Mélanie Clévenot is a Swiss race car driver from Geneva. She is best known for running in British Formula C in 2011 before switching her attention to GT cars and TM Europe. Clévenot currently runs TM Europe, where she leads the championship by a huge margin, driving for Equipe D1, which is owned by Adrien Devereux's sister, Sabine. She is also known for her energetic personality and positive outlook regardless of the circumstances.

2012


Clévenot was in discussions to drive for Majestic Motorsports ever since the 2012 Round of France, when she was dominating the TM Europe race in a Gasnier. Her sizable sponsor bill led her to replace Rene Recamier in the team for the Round of Russia and the Round of Wales. While Clévenot was not expected to perform up to expectations, she took the paddock by storm by qualifying 9th and beating teammate Ryan Matthews in both of her scheduled appearances.

Despite netting solid points finishes in both starts, Clévenot is not expected to be back in the #12 car, since the team is reportedly pursuing Mika Paasonen for the drive. Despite this, Clévenot admitted there was a team interested in having her drive for them in the future.

During the lead-in to the 2012 Round of Michigan, it was revealed that Clévenot would drive for Mitchell & Sons Racing in all remaining TM Master Cup races that do not conflict with TM Europe or select other GT races that Clévenot's sponsors wanted her to participate in (the races that she will miss, however, are not clear yet). The selection of Clévenot over an experienced driver such as Tony Durbin or Ethan Everett raised some controversy, however team owner Thomas Mitchell suggested that Clévenot's sponsors had helped her get the ride.

Since taking over the #74 car, however, Clévenot's luck in the TM Master Cup series went sour. She dropped out of a podium position in Quebec after mechanical problems ended her day. Tire problems and inexperience highlighted her first oval start in the TM Master Cup Series and left her 3 laps down in 25th place. Clévenot did not run the 2012 Round of Quincy due to participating in a TM Europe race which she won from the pole.

Despite her brilliant showings earlier in the season, Clévenot was not predicted to qualify for the 2012 Round of Indianapolis. Despite never having been to a superspeedway in any kind of car, Clévenot qualified for the race during the Pole Qualifying session, and afterwards leaped out of the car, almost as if she had won the race. Clévenot's jovial interview made highlight reels afterwards. "I talked to ... to Leonid Roderick and I asked him if I could run with him to learn the track, and we did and I guess I learn quick, because we get to start!" she said, smiling.

Clévenot's joy, however, was short-lived, as it was being reported that Mitchell & Sons Racing would be forced to put Clévenot's teammate, Chris Johaanes in the #74 car should he fail to make the race of his own accord. If the third Mitchell car, driven by Ethan Everett had qualified, but Johaanes had not, then Johaanes would still take over Clévenot's ride. Fortunately, Johaanes made it into the race while Everett came up short in the main qualifier, giving Clévenot a shot at the 2012 Round of Indianapolis from 4th on the grid.

Despite falling back early in the race, Clévenot rallied back and finished in 10th, scoring her first points since taking over the #74 car. As has been the case several times in 2012, Clévenot's strong run went virtually unnoticed by Channel 44, as they were more focused on some of the bigger names in the series.

Clévenot will not contest the 2012 Round of Brazil due to GT and TM Europe commitments, but she will be at every other race in the 2012 season. She was originally not supposed to contest the 2012 Round of Queensland either, and run an endurance race in Bahrain, but she was informed during the Victoria weekend that the car had been withdrawn.

Clévenot intended to make her own schedule even busier by getting a ride for the Bathurst 1000, but was unable to. Clévenot will attend the race as a spectator.

2013
Clévenot was informed after the 2012 Round of Quincy that she was free to look for another ride. Clévenot's name has been attached to at least 5 different rides for next season, ranging from good rides, such as the second Volpi, to less competitive rides such as the Tutinos.

After the Decatur race, she announced that she'll team up with Divina Henton over at Lynxe Racing in 2013.

Personal
Despite her limited schedule in 2012, Clévenot has been very active during some of the fan tours, in particular educating some fans who may be more familiar with European forms of motorsport. During the 2012 Round of Victoria weekend, Clévenot demonstrated the differences between an Australian touring car and a TM Master Cup series car. She is fluent in French and English.