Happy 70th birthday, Derek Bell !

For those who are Porsche fans, there’s probably no need to make a neat introduction to Derek Bell. If you don’t know him though, let’s say he’s considered one of the most versatile and popular racing drivers of his time. Furthermore, he’s been one of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG’s most successful works drivers!

So why publishing a text about him? Simply because he turned 70 years old on October 31^st. So on behalf of all the staff at Porsche Prestige, happy birthday, Derek!... You’re a “Prestigious” racing driver!

Matthias Müller, Porsche AG’s Chairman of the Board of Management has made an interesting declaration about Bell : “Derek Bell made motorsport history with Porsche. Whether it was in a 917, 936 or 956 – he was always one of the fastest and above all most reliable drivers.

Derek Bell won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times for Porsche. He won the world championship twice. For that we owe him our gratitude and great respect.”

Extraordinary Racing Career

Derek Bell began his racing career with Lotus in 1964. In Formula 1 he then took his place on the starting grid for Ferrari in 1969. In the 1971 season he drove the Porsche 917 and 908/03 racing cars for the Porsche-Gulf team, forming a successful driver duo with Jo Siffert. This was followed by appearances in the Porsche 934 and 935 in 1976 and 1977 before Derek Bell took his place on the Le Mans starting grid as a works driver in the 924 Carrera GT. In 1981, together with Jacky Ickx in the Porsche 936/81 Spyder, he won the first of his total of four Le Mans overall victories in a Porsche. 1982 saw the beginning of the Group C era with the Porsche 956 during which time Bell made his mark as one of the most successful endurance drivers of all time. Together with drivers such as Jacky Ickx, Stefan Bellof and Hans-Joachim-Stuck, he not merely won numerous overall victories in the Types 956 and 962 but also the World Sportscar Championship in 1985 and 1986.

Derek Bell remains in close contact with Porsche to this very day, constantly undertaking ambassadorial tasks for the Stuttgart-based sportscar manufacturer, such as for example at the Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring or at this year’s Corso to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the car. There’s no question that Derek Bell also remained faithful to the Porsche brand off the race track: To this very day he can be seen on Britain’s roads driving a 1981 vintage Porsche 924 Carrera GTS.

On this video, Derek Bell proposes you to make a test drive of the powerful Porsche 956 with him

But if you prefer to experience a lap in his company during the legendary 24 heures du Mans race, take a look at this :

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