Porsche in Formula 1

In the racing department of the Louwman Museum, three Formula 1 race cars are on display: the (experimental) March 6-wheeler, the Toyota TF109 and the Porsche 718 of the Dutch Gentleman Racer, Jonkheer Carel Godin de Beaufort. This article takes a closer look at this Porsche.

The production of automobiles of the Porsche brand began shortly after the Second World War, initially in Gmund in Austria and later in Stuttgart in Germany, where the company is still based. After 1945 the German car industry operated under the auspices of the Allies and was initially only allowed to produce cars with a maximum engine capacity of 1500 cc. Porsche launched a sports car equipped with a power unit based on the 1100 cc Volkswagen boxer engine. Despite the small engine capacity, the car delivered solid performance thanks to its low weight. Taking part in races in Germany (competition abroad was not yet allowed) produced promising class victories, which brought the Porsche name into the public eye. In the early 1950s the company, with French drivers, took part for the first time in the 24 hour race at Le Mans, and with success.

The engines then became larger (up to 1500 cc) and more advanced than the original power units. Air cooling did remain a characteristic feature. During this period, the four cylinder boxer engine with double overhead camshafts emerged. It would go on to play an important role in the history of the Porsche brand.

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The Porsche 550 Spyder during a race[/caption]

This engine powered, among others, the 550A Spyder, a pure racing car with which Porsche broke through internationally, mainly in long distance races. One of these was the Carrera Panamericana, the notorious race in Mexico where Porsche achieved a resounding class victory. This success led to the addition of Carrera to the names of the more special Porsche models. The 550A and its successor, the RSK, were compact two seaters that, despite their relatively small engines, often managed to beat more powerful competitors.

The RSK model, whose engine (still 1500 cc) was by then producing almost 150 hp, could also be used in Formula 2 races that were sometimes held as support events or together with Formula 1 (Grands Prix). For F1 a maximum engine capacity of 2500 cc applied, but the Porsches seemed particularly well suited to Formula 2, for which a maximum of 1500 cc was in force.

Although the Formula 2 cars sometimes started in the middle of the Formula 1 cars, they still ran their own race. This also applied to the Dutchman Carel Godin de Beaufort, who in 1958 took part with his RSK in the Dutch Grand Prix at the Zandvoort circuit, finishing 11th there.

That same year there was a separate race for Formula 2 cars at the ultra fast Reims circuit. There the headstrong French driver Jean Behra took Porsches first victory in Formula 2. He had converted his factory entered Porsche into a single seater, with a seat in the middle.

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Behra's Porsche 718.[/caption]

Porsche then decided, as a manufacturer, to build a single seater with open wheels that could perform well on all circuits. The Formula 2 car, type 718/2, was born.

This Porsche made its debut in early 1959 at the Monaco circuit, with works driver von Trips at the wheel, but unfortunately an accident brought the debut to an end. Jean Behra had further developed his single seater into a conventional monoposto and, as a privateer, sometimes scored better results than the factory team.

The following year, 1959, saw limited use of the 718/2. The Swede Jo Bonnier finished third at Reims, but behind the Behra Porsche.

The announcement of a 'new' Formula 1 for 1961 and the following years offered perspective, because the maximum engine capacity was set at 1500 cc! Porsche could therefore, through a back door, begin to establish itself in the prestigious Formula 1. The year 1960 thus saw extensive use of the 718/2 model in Formula 2 races, so that any teething problems could be worked out of the car. In total, Porsche built 5 cars of the 718/2 type, which were mainly fielded by the factory with drivers such as Wolfgang von Trips, Hans Hermann, Edgar Barth, Joakim Bonnier and the American Dan Gurney. At major races in Germany, Graham Hill and John Surtees were even hired.

The car was successful, so much so that Stirling Moss also drove it. In the colors of the Rob Walker Racing Team (dark blue with a white nose band), Moss achieved successes with the car in Formula 2.

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Stirling Moss in the Porsche 718[/caption]

In the 1961 racing season, the Porsche had proven to be a reliable car. However, the Italian Ferrari had meanwhile developed the 'shark nose'. Powered by a six-cylinder V6 engine with more power than the Porsche, this car was dominant.

Participation in Formula 1 turned out to be more difficult than in Formula 2. For the 1962 season a new car was developed with an eight cylinder boxer engine (still air cooled) with which they were successful. This car was the type 804. Dan Gurneys victory in the French Grand Prix at the Rouen circuit was the highlight of the season.

The Dutchman Carel Godin de Beaufort had by then bought from Porsche the 718/2 in which Stirling Moss had driven, and as a completely private entrant he competed in Grands Prix and other Formula 1 races. On suitable occasions a second car was even entered, which was registered under `Ecurie Maarsbergen’. Promising, but paying, drivers were put in this car so that running it was at least cost neutral. The best known of these was Gerhard Mitter, who would later become a works driver for Porsche.

After just one year, Porsche turned its back on Formula 1. The emerging English constructors such as Lotus and BRM, powered by the very powerful Coventry Climax engines, and once again the Ferraris, made participation in the top class no longer attractive. Porsche returned to the branch of motorsport in which they truly excelled, namely endurance racing. It was left to a few private drivers such as Godin de Beaufort to uphold Porsche's honor with what was essentially an outdated model.

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Carel Godin de Beaufort in action in the Porsche 718/2[/caption]

Our compatriot managed in 1963 and the following year to score a few points for the World Championship with the 718/2. This in itself was already a remarkable achievement. During qualifying for the 1964 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, Carel Godin de Beaufort crashed his Porsche and died two days later from his injuries, only 30 years old.

To this day, Porsche has never again built a complete F1 car, but in later years it has supplied engines for Formula 1.