Derek bell racing driver derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex, england is a british racing driver who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning the le mans 24 hours five times, the daytona 24 three times and the world sportscar championship twice. Jochen rindt chases derek bell jochen rindt, brabham bt23c, chases derek bell, church farm racing brabham bt23c, out of the chicane at the thruxton easter monday f2 international, 1968. Final encounter signed by derek bell frecks auto art. Derek bell racing driver wikipedia republished wiki 2. In the second episode of the porsche top 5 youtube series, former racing driver derek bell takes a journey through time to explore five decades of sports car history. Derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex is a british racing driver from england who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning le mans five times, the daytona 24 three times and the world sportscar championship twice. He also raced in formula one for the ferrari, wheatcroft, mclaren, surtees and tecno teams. Derek bell, how does a farmhand become a fivetimes le. A journey through time with motorsport legend derek bell 02202018. Porsches top 5 motorsport models with derek bell flatsixes. It was in 1968, after jimmy clark sadly passed at hockenheim, that enzo asked me to drive. Derek bell mbe, won the le mans 24hour race in june for the fifth time in 1987. I was running formula 2 in my third year and winning races. In this documentary on his efforts at the 1982 24 hours of le mans, bell and his peers explain why this affable.
Derek bell racin driver derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex is a umwhile racin driver frae ingland wha wis extremely sonsie in sportscaur racing, winnin 5 times at le mans. Jochen rindt easter monday the mike mclaren f1 racing team car and driver formula one grand prix race cars. L ong before the chieftains, derek, a native of belfast, had an accomplished musical career. Derek bell is a british former driver, but he was much more successful in sportscar and prototype racing, winning at 24 hours of le mans five times the ferrari enzo was introduced at the 2002 paris motor show and was built to celebrate the ferrari formula 1 teams first world title in the new millennium.
Derek bell drove for mclaren and ferrari between 1968 and 1969 but his f1 career lasted for just one race at silverstone. This is a relatively new event and hsrs efforts to make it larger were clear. Jochen rindt chases derek bell racing, belle, car, driver. Derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex, england is a british racing driver. Derek bell has enjoyed one of the most successful, diverse and wideranging careers of any british racing driver. Derek bell began his racing career with lotus in 1964, and by 1969 had reached the f1 grid. Le mans 1982 documentary featuring derek bell and the rothmans porsche 956. Bell s harp added extra colour to the mix of flute, uillean pipes, fiddle, bodhran and tin whistles. He is known for his work on le mans 1971, formula 1 1950 and starshot 1987. Derek reginald bell mbe was born in pinner, near london in 1941.
Derek also helps his son justin in his career, initially as a driver, but now justin is also a broadcaster too. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. After breaking into formula 1 with ferrari, derek bell soon established himself as an endurance specialist, winning le mans five times and thrice claiming the spoils at the 24 hours of daytona. Typically, the top dogs have a deepseated ruthlessness which leaves them divisive in the public eye, but not bell. Derek bell was born on october 31, 1941 in pinner, middlesex, england as derek reginald bell. The scene depicts derek bell mbe, leading the start of his 24th le mans 24 hour race, driving the gulf kremerporsche spyder k8, at the famous sarthe circuit in.
Derek bell s name became inextricably linked with that of porsche during his long and hugely successful career as a racing driver. Derek bell race car driver stock pictures, royaltyfree. He raced in formula ane for the ferrari, mclaren, surtees an tecno teams. In sportscar racing, he won the le mans 24 hours five times, the daytona 24 three times and the world sportscar championship twice. Once at the rolex motorsport reunion and the other at the rennsport reunion, both times at laguna seca. A fivetime le mans winner, twotime world sportscar champion, newlyinducted fia hall of famer and a driver who reached the highs of f1 with ferrari and the pinnacle of endurance racing with among other brands, porsche.
Derek bell, a former scuderia ferrari driver and fivetimes le mans winner, will be chief judge at the event. Charming, popular and successful, derek bell is one of the great sports car drivers of all time. Drivers drivers by state compare drivers driver rankings owners crew chiefs. Derek bell, le mans legend racing driver derek bell began his life behind the wheel at a stately 12mph. Derek bell the fivetime le mans winners 45year career spanned formula 1 to canam to sports cars. Derek bell is one of the greatest drivers the uk has produced. Among his drives were the ones mentioned above as well as racing in formula one for the ferrari, wheatcroft, mclaren, surtees and. Derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex, england is a british racing driver who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning the le mans 24 hours five times, the daytona 24 three times and the world sportscar championship twice. What a perfect ambassador for porsche racing and porsche motorcars.
I had the distinct honor, twice, to talk to derek bell. He also raced in formula one for the ferrari, wheatcroft, mclar. He is a fivetime le mans winner, threetime daytona 24 winner and twotime world sports car champion. Derek bell is a driver that needs no introduction to sportscar fans, but were going to give him one anyway. For the 1971 season, bell drove the porsche 917 and 90803 for the gulf team, forming a. Take a trip to 1982 with this derek bell documentary. We caught up with him at his childhood playground, otherwise known as goodwood motor circuit. Derek bell drove for mclaren and ferrari between 1968 and 1969 but his f1. Jacky ickx career overview years in numbers the following numbers are a summary of the more detailed information available in the career details further below on the page. Five times le mans winner, three times daytona 24 winner and the two times world sports car champion, is regarded as one of the greatest sports car and endurance racing drivers of his era.
Derek bell is a legendary motor racing driver who is regarded as one of the greatest sports car and endurance racing drivers of his era. Few racing drivers of derek bell s stature and success have been so unanimously liked. The legendary motor racing driver derek bell mbe, five times le mans winner, three times daytona 24 winner and the two times world sports car champion, is regarded as one of the greatest sports car and endurance racing drivers of his era. Click on the site to see derek bell s career results at that track glossary. A classic le mans racing print taken from an original painting by alan fearnley. In this new 276page book, bell collaborates with renowned motorsport author richard heseltine to give the reader a very personal insight into his experiences racing for the legendary german marque. This was an achievement exceeded by only one man, his former driving partner jacky ickx, who had six successes three of them with bell and, at the age of 45, bell was by far britains most successful sportscar driver. Derek reginald bell mbe born 31 october 1941 in pinner, middlesex, england is a british racing driver who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning the le mans 24 hours five times, the daytona 24 hours three times and the world sportscar championship twice. His formula 1 opportunities were limited to just nine grand prix starts but he excelled in endurance racing twice world champion and a fivetime winner of the le mans 24 hours.
Justin derek bell born 23 february 1968 is a british racecar driver, who after a successful career behind the wheel, transitioned into the media world in front of the camera and established himself as one of the top us based automotive content hosts. At the height of his career in the 1980s and early 1990s derek bell was one of the top sports car and endurance race car drivers in the world, achieving no fewer than 16 outright victories in the world endurance championship and 19 in the imsa camel gt championship, a total of 35 wins in seven years. Derek bell looks back on his participations in the 24 hours of le mans video 24h le mans. A journey through time with motorsport legend derek bell. Gunnar jeannette, derek justin bell, jochen maas, daytona prototypes, lmp cars, vintage imsa cars, 935s and bigboy hardware. Derek bell racing driver le mans 1982 rothmans porsche. His five victories in the le mans 24hour race, three wins in the 24 hours of daytona, plus two world sportscar championship titles, speak for themselves.