787, the first F1 Porsche

In 1961, Porsche launched the Type 787. Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, the founder’s grandson, was involved (with chief designer Wilhelm Hild), in the design of what would become Porsche’s first Formula One car.

The 787 was powered by the air-cooled four cylinder boxer that had been developed by Ernst Furhrmann and that had powered the 550 Spyders and 718 series until then.

Only two 787s were ever built and were successively driven by Swede Joakim Bonnier, American Dan Gurney and German Hans Herrmann (picture). The cars suffered poor handling and were down on power, and the best results that these very competent drivers could achieve, were a tenth and eleventh place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Hans Herrmann remembers: “The 787 was not as competitive as we hoped, but I was really proud to be a Porsche works driver.”

Picture above: Hans Herrmann steering his Porsche 787 at Zandvoort (Dutch Grand Prix 1961) where he finished 15th.