Stefan Bellof, Ringmeister

Stefan Bellof (20 November 1957 – 1 September 1985) was a racing driver from Germany. He was one of the fastest drivers of the time, and could have had a fantastic career in Formula One, if…

Bellof took the 1984 Drivers’ World Endurance Championship, driving for the factory Rothmans Porsche team, partnered with Derek Bell.

Bellof’s teammate Derek Bell on his stunning performance in the Porsche 956 at the Nürburgring: “You can’t do a 1000 km race like that. Any team official should have slowed him down.”

A year earlier, his lap record of 6 minutes and 11.13 sec, five seconds faster than anyone else that day, at an average speed of 202.073 km/h on the the 22 km long Nürburgring, set while qualifying for the 1000 km in 1983, stood for 35 years (picture below).

He also competed and shone with the Tyrrell Formula One team during 1984 and 1985. Sadly, Stefan Bellof was killed in an accident, while trying to pass the sister Porsche 956 driven by Jacky Ickx, at the Eau Rouge corner, during the 1985 1000 km of Spa.