What’s on this week
Porsche and Derek Bell. It was a special partnership, a combination that helped the Briton secure four of his five Le Mans victories and two world sportscar championships in the heyday of
Group C machinery.
In Derek Bell – All my Porsche races, journalist and author Richard Heseltine presents Bell’s manuscript with detailed accounts of every race in which he drove one of Stuttgart’s finest.
Readers are transported from
Bell’s early days, racing 917Ks for the JW Automotive squad, to the tension of battling for a maiden world sportscar title in 1985. There’s also the glory of securing his first Le Mans triumph with the works outfit in ’81 – his second overall victory after winning the race for the first time in ’75 alongside
Jacky Ickx in a Mirage – to taking on the French endurance classic alongside his son Justin.
A strength of the book is Bell’s assessment of other competitors that he worked and fought alongside. We learn how he believes team-mate Stefan Bellof’s natural ability was hindered by immaturity, as well as how Bell’s close relationship with Al Holbert was strengthened while they competed together in IMSA events. We are also given a fascinating insight into one of the strongest sportscar driver pairings: Bell competing alongside
Ickx in the Rothmans Porsche 956.
Bell’s recollections are brought to life with stunning images that chart the progression of the Porsche programme and showcase the relaxed atmosphere of the early to mid-1980s sportscar era. The comparative lack of technology offers a refreshing change to today’s complex World Endurance Championship in terms of regulations.
All my Porsche races offers great reading for those who already possess excellent knowledge or interest in Group C sportscars. But the more casual reader may feel as if important details are missing and that stops you from really understanding the