Derek Bell (racing driver)

Derek Bell

Bell in 2008
Born	(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
Races	16 (9 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	1
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1968 Italian Grand Prix
Last race	1974 Canadian Grand Prix

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, 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.

Derek Bell in August 1970 at Nürburgring on the occasion of a formula 2 race there.

24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years	1970–1983, 1985–1996
Teams	Scuderia Ferrari John Wyer Automotive Ecurie Francorchamps Gulf Racing Grand Touring Cars Renault Sport Porsche System Rothmans Porsche Richard Lloyd Racing Joest Porsche Racing ADA Engineering Courage Compétition Gulf Oil Racing David Price Racing
Best finish	1st (1975, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987)
Class wins	5 (1975, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987)

Career

Bell grew up on a farm and helped to run a caravan site near Pagham Harbour before being encouraged by his stepfather Bernard Hender to take up racing in 1964 with Lotus Seven. He graduated to Formula Three in the following year in a Lotus 31 and in 1966 switched to a Lotus 41 scoring his first victory 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 had several promising performances, which caught Ferrari's eye and made his Grand Prix debut at Monza. In 1969 he raced at Silverstone with Ferrari and also raced the four-wheel-drive McLaren M9A in its only race in the British Grand Prix.

Derek Bell in the Wheatcroft Racing Brabham BT26 at the Nürburgring in 1970.

Bell took part in the filming of Le Mans (1970) starring Steve McQueen, 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. The car was badly damaged but later rebuilt.

Bell also finished second in the 1970 European Formula Two Championship, driving a Brabham. In 1972 he got the drive in the Tecno Formula One team, along with Nanni Galli. He later raced a number of times for the Surtees team, it was to be in sports car racing that he built a strong reputation as a world class and championship winning racer.

He won two World Sportscar Championship titles in 1985–86, the 24 Hours of Daytona three times in 1986–87 and 1989 and Le Mans five times in 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987, mostly teamed with Jacky Ickx in one of the Porsche 936 and Porsche 956/Porsche 962 models. The Ickx/Bell partnership is considered as one of the most famous pairings in motorsport history.

Bell was hired as chairman for the failed Spectre R42 project between 1996 to 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 Bognor Regis, commentates on Formula One races and races in historic events, as well as performing a global ambassadorial role for Bentley. Bell is currently an operating partner of Bentley Naples in Naples, Florida.

Bell demonstrating the Ferrari 312B3 "Spazzaneve" test car at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

His 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 Daytona 24 hours 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, his proudest moment was coming third with his son Justin racing the McLaren F1 GTR in the 1995 Le Mans.

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

Bell was awarded the MBE in 1986 for services to motorsport.

Complete World Championship Formula One results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	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					22nd	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

External links

• Derek Bell MBE – Official Web Site

Sporting positions
Preceded by Henri Pescarolo Gérard Larrousse	Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1975 with: Jacky Ickx	Succeeded by Jacky Ickx Gijs van Lennep
Preceded by Jean Rondeau Jean-Pierre Jaussaud	Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1981 with: Jacky Ickx	Succeeded by Jacky Ickx Derek Bell
Preceded by Jacky Ickx Derek Bell	Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1982 with: Jacky Ickx	Succeeded by Vern Schuppan Al Holbert Hurley Haywood
Preceded by Klaus Ludwig Paolo Barilla Louis Krages	Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1986 with: Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert	Succeeded by Derek Bell Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert
Preceded by Derek Bell Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert	Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1987 with: Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert	Succeeded by Jan Lammers Johnny Dumfries Andy Wallace
Preceded by Stefan Bellof	World Sportscar Championship Champion 1985-1986, 1985: with Hans-Joachim Stuck	Succeeded by Raul Boesel
Awards
Preceded by Jonathan Palmer	Autosport British Competition Driver of the Year 1984	Succeeded by Nigel Mansell