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Hans Herrmann
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Hans Herrmann (born 23 February 1928) is a retired Formula One and sports car racing driver from Stuttgart, Germany.
In F1, he participated in 19 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 August 1953. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of 10 championship points.
In sports car racing, he also scored the first overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche in 1970, in a Porsche 917.[1]
After the death of Tony Brooks in 2022, Hermann became the last surviving F1 podium finisher from the 1950s.
Early career
[edit]The racing career of Herrmann, who is a baker by trade, spans from cooperation with pre-war legends like Alfred Neubauer to the beginning of the dominance of Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He took part in now legendary road races like Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and Carrera Panamericana and is one of the few remaining witnesses of this era. Hans im Glück (lucky John) escaped from several spectacular incidents or accidents.
Herrmann had a remarkable Mille Miglia race in 1954, when the gates of a railroad crossing were lowered in the last moment before the fast train to Rome passed. Driving a very low Porsche 550 Spyder, Herrmann decided it was too late for a brake attempt anyway, knocked on the back of the helmet of his navigator Herbert Linge to make him duck, and they barely passed below the gates and before the train, to the surprise of the spectators.
Mercedes-Benz
[edit]From 1954 to 1955, he was part of the Mercedes-Benz factory team, as a junior driver behind Juan Manuel Fangio, Karl Kling, Hermann Lang and later Stirling Moss. When the Silver Arrows came back for the 1954 French Grand Prix to score a 1–2 win, Herrmann drove the fastest lap but had to retire. A podium finish at the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix was his best result in that year as he had to use older versions of the Mercedes-Benz W196, or the least reliable car.
In the 1955 Argentine Grand Prix his teammates Kling and Moss had to abandon early due to the extremely hot conditions on the southern hemisphere in January. Herrmann was called in to share his car with them for a 4th-place finish, giving one point each. Fangio won with two laps more. Hans was quick in the 1955 Mille Miglia with the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, comparably or even faster than Moss, but was less lucky than in 1954, as he had to abandon the race.
A crash in practice for the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix put Herrmann out for the ill-fated 1955 season, even though a comeback in the Targa Florio was intended.
Various marques
[edit]The next years saw Herrmann racing for many marques, in F1 for Cooper, Maserati and BRM. In Berlin's AVUS during the 1959 German Grand Prix the brakes of his BRM failed, he crashed in a spectacular way, being thrown out of the car and sliding along the track with the car somersaulting in the air.[2]
With different versions of the Porsche 718 being used as a sportscar and as a Formula Two car, Herrmann scored some wins for Porsche, mainly both the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring and Targa Florio. When the open wheeled single seater version of the Porsche 718 became eligible for Formula One in 1961 due to the rule changes, the results in F1 were disappointing. Herrmann finished 15th (last) in the 1961 Dutch Grand Prix, which was the first ever F1 World Championship race to have no retirements. He left Porsche at the beginning of the 1962 season feeling that he as a local from Stuttgart was No Prophet In His Own Land compared to Californian Dan Gurney and Jo Bonnier from Sweden. Gurney scored two F1 wins (one non-championship) with the new Porsche 804, but Porsche retired from F1 anyway at the end of 1962.
Abarth
[edit]With the small cars of the Italian Abarth marque Herrmann spent 1962 to 1965 driving in minor races and hillclimbing events. He only took outright wins in lesser sports car racing events, such as at AVUS or the 500 km Nürburgring. The Abarths were hard to beat in their classes from 850cc to 1600cc, though. Being the only pro in a small team Hermann learned a lot about testing and developing, which helped him later. However, being dissatisfied with the preparation of his car for the 1965 Schauinsland practice, Hans went home to witness the birth of his son, Dino. At the end of the year he left Abarth for good to return to the manufacturer closer to his home.
Porsche
[edit]
In 1966 he returned to Porsche for a comeback in the World Sportscar Championship, as Porsche started a serious effort there. Following several podium finishes with the still underpowered two liter Porsche 906 and later models, he won the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona in a 907 as well as the Sebring 12 Hours again, now together with Swiss Jo Siffert. The overall win of the 1000km Nürburgring always eluded him, even though Herrmann had taken part in each of these races at the Nürburgring since they were introduced in 1953, and had finished second three times in a row from 1968 to 1970, behind teammates Jo Siffert and/or Vic Elford.
Herrmann missed the win in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Porsche 908 by only 120 meters [1], but it was he who finally scored the long-awaited first overall victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours for Porsche in 1970. He was assigned to Porsche Salzburg, the Austria-based factory-backed team owned by the Porsche family, which mainly entered cars painted red and white, the Austrian colors. In heavy rain, he and his teammate Richard Attwood survived with their Porsche 917K #23 as the best of only seven finishers.
Retirement
[edit]Half jokingly, Herrmann had promised to his wife before the Le Mans race that he would retire in case of a win there. Having witnessed fatal accidents of colleagues too many times, e.g. before the 1969 German Grand Prix when his teammate and neighbor Gerhard Mitter died, the 42-year-old announced his retirement on TV, after having driven the winning car in a parade through Stuttgart from the factory to the town hall. To get out of his contract with Porsche Salzburg, Herrmann had to recommend a replacement driver to Louise Piëch.
Using his contacts, Herrmann built a successful company for automotive supplies. He was kidnapped once in the 1990s and kept in a car trunk for many hours before escaping.
Herrmann has remained engaged in the racing community through his retirement, demonstrating historical cars at events such as the Solitude-Revival.[3]
Racing record
[edit]Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]
Complete Formula One World Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
- Notes
- ^1 – Shared drive with Karl Kling and Stirling Moss
References
[edit]- ^ "1970 24 Hours of Le Mans Results and Competitors". 2 May 2017.
- ^ "German Grand Prix Crash". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 August 1959. p. 6. Retrieved 7 October 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Solitude Revival 2008 Review". Solitude Revival. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
Further reading
[edit]- Frank Wiesner: Hans Herrmann Story, Motorbuch Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02871-5
- Bernhard Völker: Hans Herrmann – Ein Leben für den Rennsport, Motorbuch Verlag, 1998, ISBN 3-613-01880-2
- Hans Herrmann – Ich habe überlebt, Motorbuch Verlag, 1971 [2]
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hans Herrmann (driver).
- official Homepage of Hans Herrmann
- F1 results
- Porsche 908 races
- Porsche 917 races
- The famous Hans Herrmann race at Le Mans 1969 on DVD!
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![[1]](http://www.imca-slotracing.com/images/908LH-LeMans69.jpg){kind=link}
Hans Herrmann
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Early Life
Childhood and Family
Hans Herrmann was born on February 23, 1928, in Stuttgart, Germany.[7][5] When he was eight years old, his father was killed, leaving his mother to raise the family amid growing political and economic tensions in pre-war Germany.[5] Herrmann's family owned two cafés in Stuttgart, and as the son of café proprietors, he was groomed to follow the family trade.[8] During World War II, he completed an apprenticeship as a baker and confectioner, earning a scholarship in the profession that exempted him from military service; however, wartime shortages of essentials like flour, eggs, and sugar prevented him from fully practicing his craft.[8][5] In the chaotic post-war recovery period, with Stuttgart heavily devastated by Allied bombings, Herrmann helped run the family cafés, establishing himself as a baker by trade and contributing to the household's survival in the rationed economy.[9][7][8] As a child and young adult escaping the surrounding turmoil, Herrmann often daydreamed about motor racing, idolizing German legends Rudolf Caracciola and Bernd Rosemeyer, whose exploits provided a mental refuge from the war's hardships.[5] This fascination with speed contrasted sharply with his practical training in baking, underscoring his non-motorsport professional foundation before he began competing in 1952.[9]Initial Involvement in Motorsports
Hans Herrmann entered the world of motorsports in 1952 by acquiring a private Porsche 356, with financial assistance from his mother, who sold a gold bracelet to help fund the purchase. This rear-engined sports car served as his first race vehicle, purchased through personal means derived from his work in the family bakery business in Stuttgart. Herrmann, who had apprenticed as a baker and confectioner while helping manage the family's cafés after World War II, funded his early racing endeavors with family support, balancing the demands of the bakery with his growing passion for speed.[7][9][5] His debut competitions that year focused on touring car events, hillclimbs, rallies, and reliability trials across Germany, where he quickly demonstrated promise in the under-1.5-liter category. By 1953, Herrmann expanded his participation to more prominent international races, including his first circuit outing and endurance challenges, honing his skills on varied terrains from winding mountain roads to closed circuits. These early outings, often in the Porsche 356, built his reputation for precise handling and endurance, leading to his selection for factory support from Porsche later that year.[1][5] A breakthrough came at the 1953 Mille Miglia, where Herrmann, co-driving a Porsche 356 1500 Super with Erwin Bauer, finished 11th in the S2.0 class and 30th overall, completing the grueling 1,000-mile Italian road race with an average speed of 118 km/h. This result, achieved on public roads fraught with hazards, underscored his adaptability and attracted attention from manufacturers, transitioning his self-funded efforts toward professional opportunities.[10][5] The following year's Mille Miglia further highlighted Herrmann's resilience during a dramatic near-miss. Piloting a factory Porsche 550 Spyder with co-driver Herbert Linge, they approached a closed level crossing just as a train barreled toward them; in a split-second decision, Herrmann accelerated under the barriers, clearing the tracks by mere inches as the locomotive thundered past. This incident, later recounted by Herrmann as a testament to survival in racing—"Glück hat, wer als Rennfahrer überlebt" (Luck for a racing driver is to survive)—exemplified the perilous nature of early 1950s motorsports and his unflinching determination.[1]Formula One Career
Early Entries (1953–1955)
Hans Herrmann's transition to single-seater racing began in 1953 with a debut in Formula Two machinery, marking his entry into competitive open-wheel events. Driving a Veritas Meteor, he competed in several national and international F2 races that year, achieving victories in supporting events and demonstrating strong potential despite limited prior experience in the category. His single-seater breakthrough came during the non-championship races, where he secured wins that highlighted his adaptability to the demanding Veritas chassis, often powered by a BMW-derived engine. These successes, combined with his growing reputation from Porsche sports car outings, positioned him for World Championship contention.[4][9] Herrmann's first World Championship appearance occurred at the 1953 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, where he piloted the Veritas Meteor to a respectable ninth-place finish after completing 17 of 18 laps. Although the result yielded no points under the era's scoring system, it represented a solid introduction to Grand Prix racing, navigating the challenging 22.8 km circuit amid a field dominated by Ferrari and Maserati entries. This outing, held under Formula Two regulations that year, underscored Herrmann's quick learning curve in single-seaters, building on his earlier Porsche sports car preparations for high-speed endurance.[11] In 1954, Herrmann joined the Mercedes-Benz works team, aligning with legends like Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling in the revolutionary W196 streamliner. His season started promisingly at the French Grand Prix at Reims, where he set the fastest lap time of 2:32.9 despite retiring due to mechanical issues, showcasing the car's superior straight-line speed on the high-speed circuit. Later that year, at the Swiss Grand Prix in Bremgarten, Herrmann claimed his maiden—and only—World Championship podium by finishing third, earning four points and contributing to Mercedes' dominant campaign. He followed this with a fourth-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, adding three more points, though retirements in the German Grand Prix due to fuel system failure and the Spanish Grand Prix due to fuel pump failure tempered the season. These results with Mercedes highlighted Herrmann's precision in handling the advanced desmodromic engine and aerodynamic bodywork.[12][4][13] Herrmann's 1955 Formula One efforts were limited to the season-opening Argentine Grand Prix at Buenos Aires, where he finished fourth in the Mercedes W196, earning three points. A severe crash during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix in May left him with serious injuries, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. This occurred before Mercedes' withdrawal from racing following the Le Mans disaster in June. No further Championship entries followed that year as Herrmann shifted focus to sports cars. Over the 1953–1955 period, he accumulated ten World Championship points, all from his Mercedes tenure, establishing a foundation for sporadic later appearances.[14][15][4]Later Appearances (1957–1969)
After his more consistent early involvement in Formula One, Hans Herrmann made sporadic returns to the World Championship between 1957 and 1961, primarily driving for privateer teams with Maserati and Cooper machinery, though these efforts were hampered by mechanical unreliability and yielded no championship points. In 1957, he entered the German Grand Prix with Scuderia Centro Sud's Maserati 250F but retired after 14 laps due to engine failure.[16] The following year, 1958, saw three appearances in the same Maserati 250F: an engine-related retirement in Germany for Scuderia Centro Sud, a valve issue sidelining him early in the Italian Grand Prix for Jo Bonnier's team, and a ninth-place finish in Morocco, again with Bonnier, marking his only completion in this period without scoring.[16] Herrmann's 1959 season included two non-finishes: a gearbox failure at the British Grand Prix in Scuderia Centro Sud's Cooper T51-Maserati, and a crash during the German Grand Prix while driving British Racing Partnership's BRM P25, highlighting the era's reliability challenges for non-factory entries.[16] By 1960, he switched to Porsche System Engineering's Porsche 718 for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, finishing sixth but earning no points under the 8-6-4-3-2 scoring system.[16] In 1961, Herrmann contested three races with Porsche 718s: ninth at the Monaco Grand Prix for Porsche System Engineering, fifteenth in the Netherlands for Ecurie Maarsbergen after qualifying issues, and thirteenth in Germany for the factory team, all non-points results amid ongoing mechanical and competitive difficulties.[16] Herrmann's Formula One appearances grew even rarer in the mid-to-late 1960s, reflecting his primary focus on sports car racing, though he made privateer entries in mixed Formula One and Formula Two events at the German Grand Prix. In 1966, driving Roy Winkelmann Racing's 1-liter Brabham BT18-Ford Cosworth (a Formula Two car), he qualified 22nd and finished 11th overall, fourth in the F2 class after 14 laps, one behind the leaders.[17] His final World Championship entry came in 1969 at the German Grand Prix, entered in a Team Lotus 59B-Ford Cosworth for Roy Winkelmann Racing, but he was a non-starter due to car availability issues in the mixed F1/F2 field.[18] These later forays added 10 World Championship starts to Herrmann's career tally, all without points, underscoring the transition to his more successful sports car endeavors during this period. Overall, Herrmann competed in 18 World Championship Grands Prix, scoring 10 points from earlier podiums and finishes, along with one fastest lap. He also gained experience in non-championship Formula One races, such as a 1957 retirement due to engine trouble at the Syracuse Grand Prix in a Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati 250F.[19]Sports Car Racing Career
Mercedes-Benz Period (1950s)
Following his successes with Veritas in Formula 2 during 1953, where he secured the German Sportscar Championship title, Hans Herrmann was recruited to the Mercedes-Benz factory team by racing director Alfred Neubauer for the 1954 season.[20][4] This affiliation marked a pivotal shift, aligning him with one of the era's most dominant manufacturers in both Grand Prix and sports car disciplines, though his endurance reputation solidified through the latter.[9] In 1955, Herrmann's primary focus turned to sports car racing aboard the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, an evolution of the groundbreaking 300 SL with enhanced aerodynamics, direct fuel injection, and a 3.0-liter straight-eight engine producing approximately 300 horsepower.[21] The car's mechanical superiority provided a clear edge in endurance events, enabling Herrmann to compete alongside elite teammates like Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, and Karl Kling under Neubauer's strategic oversight.[4][22] Herrmann's season began with the Mille Miglia on May 1, where he piloted the #704 300 SLR alongside co-driver Fritz Eger, starting 18 minutes ahead of Moss in a calculated team tactic.[23] Demonstrating exceptional pace on the 1,000-mile Italian road course, he held second place overall for much of the event, reportedly matching or exceeding Moss's speeds in sections, before retiring after a crash caused by fuel spilling into his eyes from an improperly closed fuel cap during the return leg from Rome.[5][24] The 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 11-12 followed, with Herrmann entered in a 300 SLR for the Daimler-Benz squad, but the race ended disastrously for Mercedes when Pierre Levegh's car crashed into the barriers, ejecting engine components into the spectator area and causing 83 fatalities; the team withdrew its remaining entries, including Herrmann's, prioritizing safety amid the tragedy.[25][21] This incident profoundly impacted Herrmann, who later reflected on it as a turning point, though he escaped unscathed.[5] Herrmann contributed to Mercedes' enduring success at the Targa Florio on October 16, serving as a relief driver for Moss and Collins in their 300 SLR (#104), helping secure the overall victory and bolstering the marque's World Sports Car Championship campaign, which it clinched that year despite limited starts.[25][21] Throughout this period, Herrmann's reliability and adaptability earned him respect within the Mercedes hierarchy, complementing his concurrent early Formula One appearances with the W196.[4] However, the Le Mans disaster prompted Daimler-Benz to suspend its racing program indefinitely in July 1955, effectively ending Herrmann's factory tenure by late that year as the team shifted resources away from competition.[4][5]Various Marques and Abarth (1950s–1960s)
Following his departure from the Mercedes-Benz factory team in 1955, Hans Herrmann entered a phase of remarkable versatility as a privateer driver, competing for multiple marques in sports car events across Europe during the late 1950s. He piloted a Ferrari 290 MM for Scuderia Ferrari at the 1956 Targa Florio, finishing fourth overall alongside Olivier Gendebien after navigating the challenging Sicilian roads.[25][26] In 1957, Herrmann drove Maserati 300S and 450S models in endurance races, including the Mille Miglia where he retired due to mechanical failure, and practiced but did not start the 1000 km of Nürburgring.[25] He also campaigned a Borgward in 1958 German national events, securing an outright victory at the Aspern Grand Prix and a fourth place at the Rheinland-Pfalz Trophy at Nürburgring.[25] These outings highlighted his adaptability, often entering as a semi-works or customer driver in a mix of prototypes and production-based cars. Herrmann's independent status during this era brought inherent challenges, including securing sponsorship and managing logistics without full factory support, which limited his entries to select events while he balanced commitments in Formula One with Maserati and BRM.[27] A notable incident occurred at the 1956 Mille Miglia, where his Porsche 550 suffered an accident, forcing retirement early in the rally.[25] Despite such setbacks, he achieved podiums and class wins in sprints and endurance races, demonstrating resilience in an era when privateers competed against better-resourced factory teams. For instance, at the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Porsche 718 RSK, he finished third overall with Jean Behra, contributing to Porsche's growing reputation in sports cars.[25][1] In the early 1960s, Herrmann joined Abarth as a works driver, shifting focus to the Italian preparer's lightweight Fiat-Abarth models in hillclimbs, sprints, and smaller circuit races from 1962 to 1965. He competed primarily in the 1000 cc and 1300 cc categories with cars like the Fiat-Abarth 1000 Bialbero and Abarth-Simca 1300, excelling in technical events that suited Abarth's agile designs.[19] A highlight came in 1963 at the 3 Hours of Sebring, where he won his class in a Fiat-Abarth 1000, outperforming similar small-displacement rivals.[25] That year, he also secured outright victories at the Aspern Grand Prix in the sports car category and the DARM GT race at Norisring, while posting second places in hillclimbs at Consuma and Schauinsland.[25] Herrmann's Abarth period emphasized precision driving in over 70 events, many hillclimb-focused, where the cars' power-to-weight advantages shone on twisty courses. He achieved second in the 1963 Hillclimb of Rossfeld (GT class) and consistently podiumed in national-level sprints, contributing to Abarth's success in under-2-liter categories.[25] Twice during this tenure, he finished third overall in the European Hill Climb Championship, underscoring his expertise in the discipline despite competing against larger-engined prototypes.[19] Mechanical reliability issues led to several retirements, such as at the 1962 500 km of Nürburgring, but his results helped Abarth refine their competition program. This experience with nimble machinery honed skills that later proved valuable in his return to Porsche.[25]Porsche Years (1960s–1970)
Hans Herrmann's association with Porsche deepened in the early 1960s when he joined the factory works team, initially competing in models such as the 356 and later the 718 RS60 Spyder. In 1960, driving the 718 RS60, he secured Porsche's first overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring alongside Olivier Gendebien, covering 1,070 miles at an average speed of 89.17 mph, marking a significant milestone for the marque in American endurance racing. Later that year, Herrmann partnered with Jo Bonnier to win the Targa Florio in Sicily, navigating the challenging 45-mile mountain road course in the same model to claim overall honors by a margin of over four minutes. These successes highlighted his growing reputation within the Porsche team, though he briefly departed in 1962 to drive for Abarth as a stepping stone to broader experience.[1][28][29] Returning to the Porsche works team in 1966, Herrmann progressed to more advanced prototypes, including the 904 and culminating in the 907 during the late 1960s. His tenure peaked in 1968 at the 24 Hours of Daytona, where he shared driving duties in the Porsche 907 long-tail with Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Rolf Stommelen, and Jo Siffert, contributing to Porsche's first overall victory in the event through a dominant 1-2-3 finish by the team's 907s; their car completed 673 laps, covering 3,504 miles at an average of 146 mph. Herrmann also achieved multiple class victories at the Nürburgring 1000 km races throughout the decade, including strong performances in the 907 and 908 models, underscoring his adaptability on the demanding Eifel circuit. These results solidified Porsche's dominance in prototype sports car racing and showcased Herrmann's precise driving style in high-stakes endurance formats.[30][31] The apex of Herrmann's Porsche career arrived in 1970 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he co-drove the Porsche 917K short-tail coupe with Richard Attwood for the Porsche Salzburg team. Facing intense competition from Ferrari's 512s and treacherous weather that turned the Circuit de la Sarthe into a slippery ordeal, the duo employed a conservative strategy, prioritizing reliability over aggressive pacing—Herrmann handled much of the night stint in heavy rain, while Attwood managed the drying conditions toward dawn. Their measured approach paid off as mechanical failures sidelined rivals, allowing the #23 917K to cross the finish line first after 343 laps, covering 2,873 miles (4,622 km) at an average of 119.7 mph, securing Porsche's inaugural overall Le Mans victory and Herrmann's career highlight. Known for his unflappable consistency in long-distance events, Herrmann amassed approximately 20 victories with Porsche across various international races during this period. Following Le Mans, he retired from competition at age 42, having driven his final races that season in the 917 at events like the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.[32][33]Retirement and Later Life
Retirement from Competition
Following his victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14, 1970, Hans Herrmann, then aged 42, announced his immediate retirement from competitive racing. Driving the Porsche 917K with co-driver Richard Attwood, Herrmann fulfilled a pre-race promise to his wife Magdalena to end his career upon securing the win, viewing the triumph—Porsche's first overall at Le Mans—as the perfect capstone to his professional journey. He cited the intense risks of endurance racing, particularly in variable conditions like the heavy rain that defined the 1970 event, as a key factor in his decision, emphasizing a desire to step away at the height of his success rather than tempt fate further.[5][4][34] In reflecting on his nearly two-decade career spanning 1952 to 1970, Herrmann expressed a strong preference for sports car racing over Formula One, where his appearances were sporadic and yielded limited results, including just one podium and 10 World Championship points across 17 Grands Prix. He harbored no regrets about his modest F1 record, instead highlighting the camaraderie, endurance challenges, and manufacturer loyalty—particularly with Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Abarth—that defined his successes in prototypes and grand tourers. Herrmann often described his path as one of calculated risks and fortunate survivals in an era of high danger, underscoring his fulfillment from team-oriented victories rather than individual accolades in single-seaters.[34][35] Herrmann's career statistics reflected his dominance in sports car disciplines, with at least 12 overall wins and 25 podiums across major events, complemented by numerous class victories in national and international series. Standout achievements included overall triumphs at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1970), 24 Hours of Daytona (1968), Targa Florio (1960), and 12 Hours of Sebring (1960 and 1968), alongside consistent top finishes in races like the 1000 km Nürburgring and Mille Miglia. These results established him as a versatile privateer and works driver, though he never pursued the exhaustive point-chasing of modern championships.[36][25][4] Upon retiring, Herrmann shifted his focus to business endeavors, founding and leading Hans Herrmann Autotechnik, a successful trading company specializing in automotive accessories and parts. This transition allowed him to leverage his extensive industry connections while maintaining ties to motorsport through advisory roles and event appearances, marking a seamless pivot from the track to commerce.[4][37]Post-Racing Activities and Personal Challenges
After retiring from competitive racing in 1970, Hans Herrmann founded Hans Herrmann Autotechnik in 1971, a company specializing in automotive accessories and supplies based in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, Germany.[9] The business leveraged his extensive industry contacts and grew successfully, allowing him to transition into a prominent role as an entrepreneur while maintaining ties to the automotive world.[19] Herrmann continued to operate the company for decades, focusing on trading car parts and accessories, and it remains active as of 2025.[38] Herrmann has been married to Magdalena since the 1960s, and the couple has resided near Stuttgart in Sindelfingen, Germany, throughout his post-racing years.[5] Limited public details are available regarding children, with no confirmed records of offspring in biographical accounts.[39] The couple's life in the region emphasized a stable family environment, occasionally intersecting with motorsport events through Herrmann's ongoing community involvement. On 13 December 1991, Herrmann was abducted by three unknown criminals near his home in a kidnapping motivated by extortion. His wife Magdalena was forced to pay a ransom of 600,000 German marks. Approximately 12 hours after the abduction, police located the vehicle on a parking lot and rescued Herrmann from the trunk, unharmed. The perpetrators were never apprehended despite extensive investigations following hundreds of leads.[40][41] Born on 23 February 1928, Herrmann turned 97 in 2025 and remains in good health, residing in Germany.[42] Following the death of Tony Brooks in May 2022, he became the last surviving Formula One podium finisher from the 1950s, marking his exceptional longevity among his era's drivers.[43]Legacy
Major Achievements and Records
Hans Herrmann amassed over 80 overall and class victories throughout his motorsport career, the majority achieved driving Porsche vehicles in sports car racing.[1] His successes spanned multiple disciplines, with a particular emphasis on endurance events where his reliability and pacing earned him a reputation as a specialist in long-distance races. Herrmann's consistency in 24-hour competitions, including multiple finishes in the top positions at Le Mans, Sebring, and Daytona, underscored his ability to manage both mechanical challenges and fatigue over extended durations.[5] In sports car racing, Herrmann secured several landmark outright wins, including the 1960 Targa Florio alongside Joakim Bonnier in a Porsche 718 RS 60, marking Porsche's second consecutive victory in the event.[4] He also triumphed at the 12 Hours of Sebring twice—first in 1960 with Olivier Gendebien in a Porsche 718 RS 60, and again in 1968 with Jo Siffert in a Porsche 907—contributing to Porsche's growing dominance in American endurance racing.[9] That same year, Herrmann and Siffert delivered Porsche's inaugural overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona in the Porsche 907, a result that highlighted the marque's engineering prowess in prototype sports cars.[4] Earlier, he claimed class victories in the Mille Miglia in 1953 and 1954 driving a Porsche 550, establishing his early talent in high-speed road races.[19] The pinnacle of his career came in 1970 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he co-drove the Porsche 917K to overall victory with Richard Attwood, securing Porsche's first win at the prestigious event and laying the foundation for the team's 1970s supremacy in endurance racing.[5] Herrmann's foray into Formula One yielded more modest but notable results across 17 World Championship starts, where he scored 10 points, achieved one podium finish—third place at the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix for Mercedes-Benz—and set one fastest lap at the 1954 French Grand Prix. These accomplishments, detailed further in his racing record, demonstrated his versatility beyond sports cars while reinforcing his status as a reliable performer in single-seater competition during the 1950s.[9]Recognition and Influence
Hans Herrmann is widely recognized as a motorsport legend by Porsche, the manufacturer for which he secured numerous victories, including the marque's first overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970.[1] In 2018, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Porsche issued official tributes highlighting his enduring contributions to the brand's racing heritage, describing him as one of its most successful and popular works drivers.[1] More recently, in 2024, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest featured Herrmann's career in a dedicated article titled "The Spell-Binding Story of Hans Herrmann," emphasizing his pivotal role in Porsche's endurance racing legacy.[5] Herrmann's influence extends to Porsche's dominance in endurance racing, where his consistent performances helped establish the brand's reputation for reliability and strategic driving in long-distance events. His approach—prioritizing precision and endurance over flashy risks—has inspired generations of low-profile drivers who value dependability in high-stakes competitions, as noted in retrospective interviews where he shares insights from his career-spanning partnership with Porsche.[44] This understated style contributed to the marque's technical advancements in sports car design, influencing subsequent Porsche teams focused on sustained performance.[45] Media coverage of Herrmann's career has included books and documentaries centered on the 1970 Le Mans victory, such as the 2018 publication Our Le Mans: The Movie - The Friendship - The Facts, which features his firsthand account alongside co-driver Richard Attwood of the race's dramatic conclusion.[46] Additionally, the 2021 DVD and book Porsche 917: The Film chronicles the car's development and racing history, with Herrmann's contributions highlighted as key to its success.[47] Interviews, including a 2020 discussion in the Motorheads podcast series, have revisited survival stories from his career, such as the infamous 1954 Mille Miglia incident where he and co-driver Herbert Linge navigated under a railway crossing barrier to avoid an oncoming train, underscoring his quick thinking and resilience.[48][49] In contemporary contexts, Herrmann holds the distinction as the oldest living survivor of a 1950s Formula One podium finish, a status affirmed following the death of Tony Brooks in 2022, with recent articles in 2025 praising his remarkable longevity and consistent achievements across decades.[43] Mercedes-AMG F1 Team also honored him on his 97th birthday in February 2025 as the last surviving works driver from the marque's 1950s era, filling gaps in historical narratives with emphasis on his reliability.[50] No public records indicate involvement of his family in racing foundations or related initiatives.Racing Record
24 Hours of Le Mans Results
Hans Herrmann competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans across several decades, primarily with Porsche and other teams, achieving class victories and an overall win in 1970.[51] His participations are detailed in the table below, drawn from verified racing archives.[25][2][52]| Year | Team | Co-driver | Chassis | Engine | Laps | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Porsche KG | Helm Glöckler | Porsche 550 Coupe | 1.5 L flat-4 | 247 | 16th overall; 1st in S 1.5[53] |
| 1954 | Porsche KG | Helmut Polensky | Porsche 550/4 RS Spyder | 1.5 L flat-4 | 148 | DNF (accident)[54] |
| 1956 | Porsche KG | Umberto Maglioli | Porsche 550 A | 1.5 L flat-4 | 136 | DNF (engine) |
| 1957 | Automobiles Porsche | Richard von Frankenberg | Porsche 550 A | 1.5 L flat-4 | 87 | DNF (overheating)[55] |
| 1958 | Porsche KG | Jean Behra | Porsche 718 RSK | 2.0 L flat-4 | 291 | 3rd overall[56][5] |
| 1959 | Porsche KG | Umberto Maglioli | Porsche 718 RSK | 2.0 L flat-4 | 78 | DNF (engine) |
| 1960 | Porsche | Maurice Trintignant | Porsche 718/4 | 2.0 L flat-4 | 57 | DNF (piston) |
| 1961 | Porsche System Engineering | Edgar Barth | Porsche 718/4 RSK | 2.0 L flat-4 | 306 | 7th overall; 1st in GT 2.0 |
| 1962 | Porsche System Engineering | Edgar Barth | Porsche 356B Carrera Abarth GTL | 2.0 L flat-4 | 287 | 7th overall; 1st in GT 2.0[57] |
| 1963 | Abarth & C. S.n.c. | Lucien Bianchi | Abarth-Simca 1300 Bialbero | 1.3 L straight-4 | 0 | DNA |
| 1966 | Porsche System Engineering | Herbert Linge | Porsche 906/6 LH | 2.0 L flat-6 | 338 | 5th overall; 1st in P 2.0[58] |
| 1967 | Porsche System Engineering | Jo Siffert | Porsche 907 LH | 2.0 L flat-6 | 358 | 5th overall; 1st in P 2.0[59] |
| 1968 | Porsche System Engineering | Jo Siffert | Porsche 908 LH | 2.2 L flat-8 | 59 | DNF (clutch)[60] |
| 1969 | Porsche System Engineering | Gérard Larrousse | Porsche 908 LH | 3.0 L flat-8 | 372 | 2nd overall; 1st in P 3.0[61][62] |
| 1970 | Porsche KG Salzburg | Richard Attwood | Porsche 917 K | 4.5 L flat-12 | 343 | 1st overall |
Formula One World Championship Results
Hans Herrmann participated in 18 official Formula One World Championship Grands Prix from 1953 to 1966, driving for teams including Veritas, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Cooper, BRM, and Porsche, and accumulating 10 championship points in total.[63] His notable achievements included a third-place finish in the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix, fourth places in the 1954 Italian and 1955 Argentine Grands Prix, and setting the fastest lap in the 1954 French Grand Prix despite retiring from that race.[64][65] Multiple retirements due to mechanical issues marked his career, with no further World Championship entries verified beyond 1966 and no new historical discoveries reported post-2022.[66] Non-championship Formula One events, such as the 1953 Avus Grand Prix, are excluded from this overview.| Year | Grand Prix | Team | Engine | Qualifying | Race Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | German | H Klenk | Veritas L6 | 14 | 9th | 0 |
| 1954 | French | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 7 | DNF (engine; FL) | 0 |
| 1954 | German | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 4 | DNF (fuel line) | 0 |
| 1954 | Swiss | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 7 | 3rd | 4 |
| 1954 | Italian | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 8 | 4th | 3 |
| 1954 | Spanish | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 9 | DNF (fuel pump) | 0 |
| 1955 | Argentine | Daimler-Benz | Mercedes L8 | 10 | 4th | 3 |
| 1957 | German | Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati L6 | 11 | DNF (engine) | 0 |
| 1958 | German | Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati L6 | 20 | DNF (engine) | 0 |
| 1958 | Italian | Jo Bonnier | Maserati L6 | 18 | DNF (valve) | 0 |
| 1958 | Moroccan | Jo Bonnier | Maserati L6 | 18 | 9th | 0 |
| 1959 | British | Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati L4 | 19 | DNF (gearbox) | 0 |
| 1959 | German | British Racing Partnership | BRM L4 | 11 | DNF (accident) | 0 |
| 1960 | Italian | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche F4 | 10 | 6th | 0 |
| 1961 | Monaco | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche F4 | 12 | 9th | 0 |
| 1961 | Dutch | Ecurie Maarsbergen | Porsche F4 | 12 | 15th | 0 |
| 1961 | German | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche F4 | 11 | 13th | 0 |
| 1966 | German | Roy Winkelmann Racing | Repco V8 | 22 | 11th (14 laps) | 0 |