Dereck Bell, at a photo call on the Ickx display stand during the 2017 London Classic Car Show.
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. 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. Bell is best known for winning 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, again in 1981, racing a Porsche 936, and finally in 1982 racing a Rothmans Porsche 956. The Bell/Ickx partnership is considered as one of the most famous pairings in motorsport history. 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 & 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. 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 with Harald Ertl. In 1984 he won the Nürburgring 1000km with Stefan Bellof, racing a Porsche 956, with a notable 4th place in the 1974 Nürburgring 1000km racing a Gulf GR7 with James Hunt on the longer km circuit. His first victory in the Spa 1000km came in 1974 racing a Mirage M6 with Mike Hailwood.
Size: 3744px × 5616px
Location: ExCel, London, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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