Derek Bell (auto racer)
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FIA Super Licence  United Kingdom | |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
|---|---|
| Active years | 1968 Formula One season - 1972 Formula One season, 1974 Formula One season |
| Teams | Ferrari, Team McLaren, Surtees, Tecno |
| Races | 16 (9 starts) |
| List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 1 |
| Pole position | 0 |
| Fastest lap | 0 |
| First race | 1968 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1974 Canadian Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Participating years | 1970 - 1983, 1985 - 1996 |
| Teams | Scuderia Ferrari John Wyer Ecurie Francorchamps Gulf Racing Grand Touring Cars Renault Sport Porsche Rothmans Porsche Richard Lloyd Racing Joest Racing ADA Engineering Courage Compétition Gulf Oil David Price Racing |
| Best finish | 1st (1975 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans) |
| Class wins | 5 (1975 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans) |
Derek Reginald Bell MBE (born October 31 1941 in Pinner, Middlesex) is a former Racing driver from England who was extremely successful in Sportscar racing, winning 5 times at 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, Team McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams.
He 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 3 in the following year in a Lotus 31 and in 1966 switched to a Lotus 41 scoring his first victory at Goodwood Circuit. In 1967 he enjoyed seven wins. He entered Formula 2 in a privateer Brabham BT23 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 Circuit with Ferrari and also raced the four-wheel-drive McLaren M9A in its only race in the British Grand Prix.
Bell was one of many drivers to take part in the filming of Le Mans (film) (1970) starring Steve McQueen. 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 is was engulfed in flames and suffered minor burns. The car was badly damaged but later rebuilt.
Bell was also a runner in the 1970 European Formula 2 Championship driving a March. In 1972 he got the drive in the Tecno F1 team, along with Nanni Galli. He later raced a number of times for the Surtees team but also built a strong reputation as a fine sports car racer.
He won two World Sportscar Championship titles (1985-86), three in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1986-87 and 1989) and five victories at Le Mans (in 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans), mostly teamed with Jacky Ickx in one of the Porsche 936 and Porsche 956/Porsche 962 models. Ickx/Bell is nowadays considered as one of the most famous pairings in motorsport history.
Bell was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1986 for services to motorsport.
Bell was hired as chairman for the failed Spectre R42 project between 1996 to its demise in 1997 and was hired to consult for the Bentley team in 2001, helping them to win Le Mans two years later. He now splits his time between the United States and Bognor Regis, and commentates on Formula One races which he has done for and drives in historic events, as well as performing an ambassadorial role for Porsche. Bell is currently an operating partner of Bentley Naples in Naples, Florida.
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.
Complete World Championship Formula One results
(F1 driver results legend 2)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 Formula One season | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 312/68 | Ferrari V12 | 1968 South African Grand Prix | 1968 Spanish Grand Prix | 1968 Monaco Grand Prix | 1968 Belgian Grand Prix | 1968 Dutch Grand Prix | 1968 French Grand Prix | 1968 British Grand Prix | 1968 German Grand Prix | 1968 Italian Grand Prix Ret | 1968 Canadian Grand Prix | 1968 United States Grand Prix Ret | 1968 Mexican Grand Prix | NC | 0 | |||
| 1969 Formula One season | McLaren | McLaren McLaren M9A | Cosworth V8 | 1969 South African Grand Prix | 1969 Spanish Grand Prix | 1969 Monaco Grand Prix | 1969 Dutch Grand Prix | 1969 French Grand Prix | 1969 British Grand Prix Ret | 1969 German Grand Prix | 1969 Italian Grand Prix | 1969 Canadian Grand Prix | 1969 United States Grand Prix | 1969 Mexican Grand Prix | NC | 0 | ||||
| 1970 Formula One season | Tom Wheatcroft | Brabham Brabham BT26 | Cosworth V8 | 1970 South African Grand Prix | 1970 Spanish Grand Prix | 1970 Monaco Grand Prix | 1970 Belgian Grand Prix Ret | 1970 Dutch Grand Prix | 1970 French Grand Prix | 1970 British Grand Prix | 1970 German Grand Prix | 1970 Austrian Grand Prix | 1970 Italian Grand Prix | 1970 Canadian Grand Prix | 22nd | 1 | ||||
| Surtees | Surtees Surtees TS7 | 1970 United States Grand Prix 6 | 1970 Mexican Grand Prix | |||||||||||||||||
| 1971 Formula One season | Surtees | Surtees Surtees TS9 | Cosworth V8 | 1971 South African Grand Prix | 1971 Spanish Grand Prix | 1971 Monaco Grand Prix | 1971 Dutch Grand Prix | 1971 French Grand Prix | 1971 British Grand Prix Ret | 1971 German Grand Prix | 1971 Austrian Grand Prix | 1971 Italian Grand Prix | 1971 Canadian Grand Prix | 1971 United States Grand Prix | NC | 0 | ||||
| 1972 Formula One season | Tecno | Tecno Tecno PA123 | Tecno Flat-12 | 1972 Argentine Grand Prix | 1972 South African Grand Prix | 1972 Spanish Grand Prix | 1972 Monaco Grand Prix | 1972 Belgian Grand Prix | 1972 French Grand Prix DNQ | 1972 British Grand Prix | 1972 German Grand Prix Ret | 1972 Austrian Grand Prix | 1972 Italian Grand Prix DNQ | 1972 Canadian Grand Prix DNS | 1972 United States Grand Prix Ret | NC | 0 | |||
| 1974 Formula One season | Bang & Olufsen Surtees | Surtees Surtees TS16 | Cosworth V8 | 1974 Argentine Grand Prix | 1974 Brazilian Grand Prix | 1974 South African Grand Prix | 1974 Spanish Grand Prix | 1974 Belgian Grand Prix | 1974 Monaco Grand Prix | 1974 Swedish Grand Prix | 1974 Dutch Grand Prix | 1974 French Grand Prix | 1974 British Grand Prix DNQ | 1974 German Grand Prix 11 | NC | 0 | ||||
| Surtees | 1974 Austrian Grand Prix DNQ | 1974 Italian Grand Prix DNQ | 1974 Canadian Grand Prix DNQ | 1974 United States Grand Prix |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Henri Pescarolo Gérard Larrousse | List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans with: Jacky Ickx | Succeeded by Jacky Ickx Gijs van Lennep |
| Preceded by Jean Rondeau Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans with: Jacky Ickx | Succeeded by Jacky Ickx Derek Bell |
| Preceded by Jacky Ickx Derek Bell | List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans with: Jacky Ickx | Succeeded by Vern Schuppan Al Holbert Hurley Haywood |
| Preceded by Klaus Ludwig Paolo Barilla Louis Krages | List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans with: Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert | Succeeded by Derek Bell Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert |
| Preceded by Derek Bell Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert | List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans with: Hans-Joachim Stuck Al Holbert | Succeeded by Jan Lammers Johnny Dumfries Andy Wallace (racing driver) |
| Preceded by Stefan Bellof | World Sportscar Championship Champion 1985 World Sportscar Championship season-1986 World Sportscar Championship season, 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 |
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