Derek Bell

Derek Bell

Nick Name
: N/A
Born
:31 Oct,1941
Age
:77 years, 10 months
Location
:Pinner, England, United Kingdom
 

About Derek Bell

Derek Reginald Bell MBE (born 31 October 1941) 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.


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 4th place in the 1974 Nürburgring 1000km racing a Gulf GR7 with James Hunt on the longer 22.8 km circuit.


First Victory:

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 Achievements

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 in 2012.

Inducted into the Le Mans 24 Hours Drivers Hall of Fame in 2013.

Presented with Honorary Life Membership of the AA in recognition of his 50 years in motorsport at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed


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