Derek Bell – One of the Most Liked Drivers of his Generation

In a November blog on the Autobahn website, we wrote a brief profile on five individuals that are steeped in Porsche Motor Racing history, one of those Porsche legends was five times winner of Le Mans, Derek Bell.

In this blog we hope to dig a little deeper into the life of Derek Bell, who is no stranger to Autobahn as he attended the Porsche gathering organised by us at Walton Hall in Warwickshire in 1996, and find out a little more about 'one of the most liked drivers of his generation'.

Derek Reginald Bell MBE was born on October 31, 1941 in Pinner, Middlesex. He spent his formative years growing up on a farm and would help out running a caravan site near Pagham Harbour.

In 1964 his stepfather, Bernard Hender persuaded him to take up motor racing with Lotus Seven. He soon found he had an aptitude for it and quickly graduated to Formula 3 in a Lotus 31 before switching to a Lotus 41 in 1966 where he recorded his first victory at Goodwood.

1967 saw him claim seven victories. He then entered Formula 2, driving a Brabham BT23C that was owned by his stepfather's Church Farm Racing team. His performances on the track soon caught the eye of Ferrari and he made his Grand Prix debut at Monza race track. In 1969 Bell competed at Silverstone with Ferrari and also raced the four-wheel-drive McLaren M9A in its only ever outing in the Great British Grand Prix.

In 1970, Bell found celluloid fame as one of many drivers that took part in the Steve McQueen film Le Mans. During the shooting of the film Bell had a lucky escape when the Ferrari 512 he was driving suddenly burst into flames whilst he was positioning his vehicle for a take. Bell managed to get free from the car just before it was engulfed by the fire and suffered only minor burns.

1970 also saw Bell drive in the European Formula 2 Championship racing a March. In 1972 he drove in the Tecno F1 team, with Nanni Galli as his team mate. He would also feature for the Surtees team on a number of occasions, but was also building up a strong reputation as a skilled sports car racer.

Bell won two World Sportscar Championship titles in 1985 and 1986, was a three times winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1986, 1987 and 1989 and was a victorious winner of the Le Mans five times in 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987. For most of these victories, Bell was teamed with Jacky Ickx in one of the Porsche 936 and Porsche 956/Porsche 962 models. The Ickx/Bell combination is heralded as one of the most famous pairings in motorsport history. Derek Bell was awarded the MBE in 1986 for his services to motorsport.

In 1996, Bell was recruited as the chairman of the Spectre R42 Project until its demise in 1997.

He then acted as a consultant for the Bentley team in 2001, helping them to a Le Mans victory two years later.

Bell now divides his time between the USA and Bognor Regis, commentating on Formula One races as well as performing an ambassadorial role for Porsche.

The title of this piece was attributed to Bell by fellow Porsche driver and twice winner of Le Mans, Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Derek Bell will forever have a place in the Porsche Motorsport Hall of Fame.

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