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. He raced in Formula Ane for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees an Tecno teams. He haes been describit bi fellae racer Hans-Joachim Stuck as ane o the maist liked drivers o his generation.

Derek Bell in the Wheatcroft Racing Brabham BT26 at the Nürburgring in 1970.
Bell demonstratin the Ferrari 312B3 "Spazzaneve" test caur at the 2008 Goodwood Festival o Speed.

He grew up on a ferm an helpit wi rinnin a caravan site near Pagham Harbour afore bein encouraged bi his stepfaither Bernard Hender tae tak up racin in 1964 wi Lotus Seven. He graduate tae Formula 3 in the follaein year in a Lotus 31 an in 1966 switched tae a Lotus 41 scorin his first victory at Goodwood. In 1967 he enjoyed seiven wins. He entered Formula 2 in a privateer Brabham BT23C fielded bi his stepfather's Kirk Farm Racing team an haed several promising performances, which caught Ferrari's ee an made his Grand Prix debut at Monza. In 1969 he raced at Silverstone wi Ferrari an an aa raced the fower-wheel-drive McLaren M9A in its anly race in the Breetish Grand Prix.

Bell wis ane o mony drivers tae tak pairt in the filmin o Le Mans (1970) starring Steve McQueen. Bell haed a lucky escape in the makkin o the film. The Ferrari 512 he wis drivin suddent caucht fire while gettin intae poseetion for a filmin ettle. He managed tae get oot the caur jist afore it wis engulfed in flames an suffered minor burns. The caur wis badly damaged but later rebuilt.

Bell wis a runner in the 1970 European Formula 2 Championship drivin a Mairch. In 1972 he got the drive in the Tecno F1 team, alang wi Nanni Galli. He later raced a feck o times for the Surtees team an biggit a strang reputation as a fine sports caur racer.

Derek Bell in a Mirage GR7 at Nürburgring in 1974
Derek Bell in a Mirage GR7 at Nürburgring in 1974

He won twa World Sportscar Championship titles in 1985-86, the 24 Hours o Daytona three times in 1986-87 an 1989 an Le Mans five times in 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 an 1987, maistly teamed wi Jacky Ickx in ane o the Porsche 936 an Porsche 956/Porsche 962 models. Ickx/Bell is thir adays conseidert as ane o the maist famous pairings in motorsport heestory.

Bell wis awairdit the MBE in 1986 for services tae motorsport.

Bell wis hired as chairman for the failed Spectre R42 project atween 1996 tae its demise in 1997 an wis hired tae consult for the Bentley team in 2001, helpin them win Le Mans twa year later. He nou splits his time atween the Unitit States an Bognor Regis, an commentates on Formula Ane races which he haes duin for an drives in heestoric events, as weel as performin an ambassadorial role for Porsche. Bell is currently an operating pairtner o Bentley Naples in Naples, Florida.

His son, Justin Bell is a racer an aw. The twa raced thegither in the 1991 24 Hours o Daytona, an the 1992 24 Hours o Le Mans. Bell wis tae race in the 2008 Daytona 24 oors wi Justin, housomever the caur droppit oot o the race early an Derek didna get tae rin in the race.


Complete World Championship Formula One results

eedit

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Ingine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 WDC Pts
1968 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 312/68 Ferrari V12 RSA
ESP
MON
BEL
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
ITA
Ret
CAN
USA
Ret
MEX
NC 0
1969 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing McLaren M9A Cosworth V8 RSA
ESP
MON
NED
FRA
GBR
Ret
GER
ITA
CAN
USA
MEX
NC 0
1970 Tom Wheatcroft Racing Brabham BT26A Cosworth V8 RSA
ESP
MON
BEL
Ret
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
22nt 1
Team Surtees Surtees TS7 USA
6
MEX
1971 Team Surtees Surtees TS9 Cosworth V8 RSA
ESP
MON
NED
FRA
GBR
Ret
GER
AUT
ITA
CAN
USA
NC 0
1972 Martini Racing Team Tecno PA123 Tecno
Flat-12
ARG
RSA
ESP
MON
BEL
FRA
DNQ
GBR
GER
Ret
AUT
ITA
DNQ
CAN
DNS
USA
Ret
NC 0
1974 Bang & Olufsen Team Surtees Surtees TS16 Cosworth V8 ARG
BRA
RSA
ESP
BEL
MON
SWE
NED
FRA
GBR
DNQ
GER
11
NC 0
Team Surtees AUT
DNQ
ITA
DNQ
CAN
DNQ
USA

References

eedit
Sportin poseetions
Precedit bi
Henri Pescarolo
Gérard Larrousse
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1975 with:
Jacky Ickx
Succeedit bi
Jacky Ickx
Gijs van Lennep
Precedit bi
Jean Rondeau
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1981 with:
Jacky Ickx
Succeedit bi
Jacky Ickx
Derek Bell
Precedit bi
Jacky Ickx
Derek Bell
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1982 with:
Jacky Ickx
Succeedit bi
Vern Schuppan
Al Holbert
Hurley Haywood
Precedit bi
Klaus Ludwig
Paolo Barilla
Louis Krages
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1986 with:
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Al Holbert
Succeedit bi
Derek Bell
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Al Holbert
Precedit bi
Derek Bell
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Al Holbert
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1987 with:
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Al Holbert
Succeedit bi
Jan Lammers
Johnny Dumfries
Andy Wallace
Precedit bi
Stefan Bellof
World Sportscar Championship Champion
1985-1986,
1985: with Hans-Joachim Stuck
Succeedit bi
Raul Boesel
Awairds
Precedit bi
Jonathan Palmer
Autosport
British Competition Driver of the Year

1984
Succeedit bi
Nigel Mansell

Template:24 Hours of Le Mans winners Template:24 Hours of Daytona winners