Derek Bell
MBE

Bell in 2008
Born	Derek Reginald Bell (1941-10-31) 31 October 1941 Pinner, Middlesex, England, UK
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1968–1972, 1974
Teams	Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees, Tecno
Entries	16 (9 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	1
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1968 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry	1974 Canadian Grand Prix

Derek Bell in the Walk of fame at Le Mans

Derek Reginald Bell MBE (born 31 October 1941 in Pinner, Middlesex, England) is a British racing driver. In sportscar racing, he won the Le Mans 24 hours 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. He has been described by fellow racer Hans-Joachim Stuck as one of the most liked drivers of his generation.^[1]

Derek Bell at the Nürburgring in August 1970 when racing Formula 2

Derek Bell racing a Formula 2 Dino 166 at the Nürburgring in 1969

Early career

Derek Bell in the Wheatcroft Racing Brabham BT30 at the Nürburgring in 1970

Bell grew up on a farm and helped to run the Church Farm caravan site, complete with its own pub, near Pagham Harbour, boarding at The King's School, Worcester. He was encouraged by his stepfather Bernard Hender to take up racing with a Lotus Seven in 1964. He won his first race in the Lotus at Goodwood in March of that year. He graduated to Formula Three in the following year racing a Lotus 31 and in 1966 switched to a Lotus 41 scoring his first victory, again at Goodwood. In 1967 he enjoyed seven wins. He entered Formula Two in a privateer Brabham BT23C fielded by his stepfather's Church Farm Racing team and after several promising performances, which caught Enzo Ferrari's eye, made his Formula One Grand Prix debut for Ferrari at Monza in 1968. He contested the 1969 Tasman Series in a 2.4 Dino and was second at Lakeside to Amon and Rindt at Warwick Farm. In 1969 he raced the four-wheel-drive McLaren M9A^[2] in its only ever race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Bell took part in the filming of Le Mans (1970)^[3] starring Steve McQueen,^[4] and he and his family lived with the McQueen family during the filming, the two becoming friends. Bell had a lucky escape during the making of the film. The Ferrari 512 he was driving suddenly caught fire whilst getting into position for a take. He managed to get out of the car just before it was engulfed in flames and suffered minor burns. Although the car was badly damaged, it was later rebuilt and is still racing at historic meets.^[5]

Bell finished second in the 1970 European Formula Two Championship, driving a Brabham BT30 for Wheatcroft Racing. In 1972 he got a drive in the Tecno Formula One team, along with Nanni Galli. He later raced a number of times for the Surtees team, including a sixth place at the 1970 United States Grand Prix racing a Surtees TS7, which was to be his highest finish in the Formula One World Championship. He had a few further drives for Surtees in 1974 and finished 11th in the 1974 German Grand Prix. Enjoying single seaters more than sports cars he accepted drives in F5000/Libre British Shellsport series and F5000 in 1976-7 the Penske PC7 March and also odd F5000 drives in the US and Australia.

It was to be in sports car racing, which he came to via a drive in Jacques Swaters privately entered Ferrari 512M in the 1970 Spa 1000 km, leading to a Ferrari works drive at the 1970 Le Mans 24 hours, where he built a strong reputation as a world class and world championship winning racer.

Le Mans

Bell won the Le Mans 24 hours race five times, in 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987, making him the most successful British driver in the race to date. He was teamed with the Belgian Jacky Ickx in 1975, racing the Gulf Mirage GR8,^[6] again in 1981, racing a Porsche 936, and finally in 1982 racing a Rothmans Porsche 956. Bell went on to win the 1986 and 1987 Le Mans teamed with Hans-Joachim Stuck and Al Holbert racing a Rothmans Porsche 962.

1971 Le Mans Porsche 917LH driven by Derek Bell and Jo Siffert parked outside the Hotel de France

His first Le Mans was in 1970 in a works-entered Ferrari 512, with co-driver Ronnie Peterson, his last in 1996 racing a McLaren F1 GTR. Bell achieved his highest ever speed at Le Mans at the 1971 Le Mans 24 hours April test day, reaching a calculated top speed of 246 mph on the Mulsanne Straight in the JW Gulf Porsche 917LH.^[7]

Derek Bell in the Gulf Mirage M6 at the 1972 Nürburgring 1000km

1994 Le Mans Gulf Kremer Porsche K8 Spyder raced by Derek Bell and Robin Donovan

Sportscar racing

Bell also won the World Sportscar Championship title twice in 1985 and 1986 and the 24 Hours of Daytona three times in 1986, 1987 and 1989. He won the 1973 Silverstone RAC Tourist Trophy racing a BMW 3.0CSL with Harald Ertl. In 1984 he won the Nürburgring 1000km with Stefan Bellof, racing a Porsche 956, with a notable fourth place in the 1974 Nürburgring 1000km racing a Gulf GR7 with James Hunt on the longer 22.8 km circuit.

His first victory in the Spa 1000km came in 1974 racing a Mirage M6 with Mike Hailwood, going onto win the 1975 and 1984 editions, with Henri Pescarolo, in 1975, in that season's dominant Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT12 on the old 14 km track and with Stefan Bellof, in the equally dominant Porsche 956 of 1984, on the shorter circuit used by Formula One. He is also one of two drivers to win the Spa 1000km on both the original and current circuits, the other being Jacky Ickx.

Derek Bell with a number of the Porsche 956s and 962s he drove during his racing career

Post-racing career

Bell was hired as chairman for the Spectre R42 super car project between 1996 and its demise in 1997. In 2001 he was hired to consult for the Bentley Speed 8 programme, helping Bentley to win Le Mans two years later. He now splits his time between the United States and his home near Chichester, UK, with his wife Misti. He is an after dinner speaker and motorsport commentator, and also races in historic events, and is a global ambassador for Bentley. Bell is also an operating partner of Bentley Naples in Naples, Florida.

Derek Bell racing in the Group C support race at the 2012 Le Mans

His eldest son Justin Bell is also a racer. The two raced together in the 1991 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bell was to race in the 2008 24 Hours of Daytona with Justin, however the car dropped out of the race early and Derek did not get to run in the race. Aside from winning at Le Mans five times, he claims his proudest moment was coming third with his son Justin racing the Harrods sponsored McLaren F1 GTR in the 1995 Le Mans on Fathers Day.

Bentley Brand ambassador Derek Bell at the Moscow Raceway

AA presentation of Honorary Life membership to Derek Bell

Bell is a patron for the charities Dementia Support,^[8] Hope for Tomorrow,^[9] Mission Motorsport and the Henry Surtees Foundation. He is also an Ambassador for the Fly Navy Heritage Trust.

He is currently the president of the oldest pram race in the world. The Pagham Pram Race^[10] started in 1946 and is run annually at 11am on Boxing Day.

Bell returned to Le Mans to race a Porsche 962 for the first time in 20 years in the Group C support race at Le Mans on 16 June 2012.

He was presented with Honorary Life membership of the AA in recognition of his 50 years in motorsport, commemorated by a plaque presented by Lord March at the Moving Motorshow during the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the presence of Chris Jansen, CEO of the AA, and Edmund King, the president of the AA.

Bell was the grand marshal at the 2014 Silverstone 6 Hours, 2010 Twelve Hours of Sebring and 2021 24 hours of Le Mans.^[11][12][13]

Awards

• BRDC Gold Star: 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987
• Royal Automobile Club Plaque d'Honneur: 1985
• Guild of Motoring Writers Driver of the Year: 1982 and 1985
• Bell was awarded the MBE in 1986 for services to motorsport.
• Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America^[14] in 2012.
• Inducted into the Le Mans 24 Hours Drivers Hall of Fame in 2013.^[15]
• Inducted in to the Motor Sport Hall of Fame UK in 2016
• Presented with Honorary Life Membership of the AA in recognition of his 50 years in motorsport at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed
• was made citizen of honor of the city of Angoulême in 2017
• 2017 Simeone Foundation Spirit of Competition Award^[16]

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class pos.
1970	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Ronnie Peterson	Ferrari 512S	S 5.0	39	DNF	DNF
1971	John Wyer Automotive Engineering Ltd.	Jo Siffert	Porsche 917LH	S 5.0		DNF	DNF
1972	Ecurie Francorchamps	Teddy Pilette Richard Bond	Ferrari 365 GTB/4	GT 5.0	301	8th	4th
1973	Gulf Research Racing	Howden Ganley	Mirage M6-Ford Cosworth	S 3.0	163	DNF	DNF
1974	Gulf Research Racing	Mike Hailwood	Gulf GR7-Ford Cosworth	S 3.0	317	4th	4th
1975	Gulf Research Racing	Jacky Ickx	Mirage GR8-Ford Cosworth	S 3.0	336	1st	1st
1976	Grand Touring Cars Inc.	Vern Schuppan	Mirage GR8-Ford Cosworth	S 3.0	326	5th	4th
1977	Renault Sport	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Renault Alpine A442	S +2.0	257	DNF	DNF
1978	Renault Sport	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Renault Alpine A442A	S +2.0	162	DNF	DNF
1979	Grand Touring Cars Inc. Ford Concessionaires France	David Hobbs Vern Schuppan	Mirage M10-Ford Cosworth	S +2.0	262	DNF	DNF
1980	Porsche System	Al Holbert	Porsche 924 Carrera GT	GTP	305	13th	6th
1981	Porsche System	Jacky Ickx	Porsche 936	S +2.0	354	1st	1st
1982	Rothmans Porsche System	Jacky Ickx	Porsche 956	C	359	1st	1st
1983	Rothmans Porsche System	Jacky Ickx	Porsche 956	C	370	2nd	2nd
1985	Rothmans Porsche	Hans-Joachim Stuck	Porsche 962C	C1	367	3rd	3rd
1986	Rothmans Porsche	Al Holbert Hans-Joachim Stuck	Porsche 962C	C1	368	1st	1st
1987	Rothmans Porsche	Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert	Porsche 962C	C1	355	1st	1st
1988	Porsche AG	Hans-Joachim Stuck Klaus Ludwig	Porsche 962C	C1	394	2nd	2nd
1989	Richard Lloyd Racing	Tiff Needell James Weaver	Porsche 962C GTi	C1	339	DNF	DNF
1990	Joest Porsche Racing	Hans-Joachim Stuck Frank Jelinski	Porsche 962C	C1	350	4th	4th
1991	Konrad Motorsport Joest Porsche Racing	Hans-Joachim Stuck Frank Jelinski	Porsche 962C	C2	347	7th	7th
1992	ADA Engineering	Tiff Needell Justin Bell	Porsche 962C GTi	C3	284	12th	5th
1993	Courage Compétition	Lionel Robert Pascal Fabre	Courage C30LM-Porsche	C2	347	10th	5th
1994	Gulf Oil Racing	Robin Donovan Jürgen Lässig	Kremer K8 Spyder-Porsche	LMP1 /C90	316	6th	3rd
1995	Harrods Mach One Racing David Price Racing	Andy Wallace Justin Bell	McLaren F1 GTR	GT1	296	3rd	2nd
1996	Harrods Mach One Racing David Price Racing	Andy Wallace Olivier Grouillard	McLaren F1 GTR	GT1	328	6th	5th
Source:[19]

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

Year	Team	Co-drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class pos.
1977	Brian Foley Pty Limited	Garry Leggatt	Alfa Romeo 2000	Up to 2000cc	150	8th	1st
1978	Ron Hodgson Channel 7 Racing	Dieter Quester	Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback	A	5	DNF	DNF
1979	Brian Foley P/L	Phil McDonnell	Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV	C	145	9th	2nd
1980	Brian Foley Pty Ltd	Phil McDonnell	Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2000	1601-2000cc	16	DNF	DNF
1981	Peter Stuyvesant International Racing	Allan Moffat	Mazda RX-7	6 Cylinder & Rotary	119	3rd	1st

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Derek Bell (racecar driver).

• Derek Bell MBE – Official Web Site