Derek Bell (auto racer)

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Derek Bell
Nationality	British
World Championship Career
Active years	1968 - 1972, 1974
Team(s)	Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees, Tecno
Races	16
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1968 Italian Grand Prix
Last race	1974 Canadian Grand Prix

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 Le Mans. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, 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. In 1967 he enjoyed seven wins. He entered Formula 2 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.

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 (1986-87), three in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1986-87 and 1989) and five victories at Le Mans:

• 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

mostly 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 MBE 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.

Justin Bell is his son and also a racer. The two raced together in the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans until the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bell is currently an operating partner of Bentley Naples in Naples, Florida

[edit] Complete Formula One Results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Team	WDC	Points
1968	Ferrari	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	DUT	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA Ret	CAN	USA Ret	MEX				Ferrari	-	0
1969	McLaren	RSA	ESP	MON	DUT	FRA	GBR Ret	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX					McLaren	-	0
1970	Tom Wheatcroft	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL Ret	DUT	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA 6	MEX			Surtees	22nd	1
1971	Surtees	RSA	ESP	MON	DUT	FRA	GBR Ret	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA					Surtees	-	0
1972	Tecno	ARG	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	FRA DNQ	GBR	GER Ret	AUT	ITA DNQ	CAN DNS	USA Ret				Tecno	-	0
1974	Surtees	ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE	DUT	FRA	GBR DNQ	GER 11	AUT DNQ	ITA DNQ	CAN DNQ	USA	Surtees	-	0

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