RE: Time For Tea? Derek Bell laps Le Mans

RE: Time For Tea? Derek Bell laps Le Mans

Thursday 3rd January 2013

Time For Tea? Derek Bell laps Le Mans

Onboard with Derek Bell to kick start the 24-hour fever and build excitement for Le Mans 2013



OK, there's been quite a big Porsche presence on PH recently. Indulge us in this one though, this being a combination of two of our favourite things. Three really, if you include the driver for this onboard slice of La Sarthe. We have Derek Bell, we have a Porsche 962 and we have a qualifying lap for last year's Le Mans Group C race, held just before the main event in June. What more needs to be said than that?

It doesn't give you much this video - it's just a camera strapped to the dashboard and given a slightly ethereal effect by YouTube's anti wobble witchcraft. But as any film director will tell you, it's as much what you don't show as what you do that makes for thrilling footage. You can't see Bell or his inputs into the car but you can just tell by the sounds that the 962 isn't like a modern racing car. There's no flappy-paddle automation here, just a physical-sounding monster of a car devouring the track it was built for and making even a driver of Bell's ability work for it too. Throttle applications are measured and at times cautious. Gear changes deliberate and well thought out. All because they have to be. But by heck when he does let it off the leash does it go some.

You can read more about Bell from when Riggers met him a little while back and we even POTW'd this car not long after. Top Gear's Piers Ward had a go with this very car last year and his impressions can be seen here, Chris Harris's view from the wheel of another 962 here. But here's the man himself, letting rip with 'his' 962 down the Mulsanne Straight. Enjoy.

 

Photo: www.derekbell.com/Martin Overington

Author
Discussion

Oddball RS

Original Poster:

1,757 posts

217 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
I think that was half warm up lap and a run to the line to start a hot lap proper?

Felix7

464 posts

259 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Oddball RS said:
I think that was half warm up lap and a run to the line to start a hot lap proper?
You could well be right, from memory this is the second lap after coming into the pits for the first time to have the car looked over. Bear in mind this was his 4th or 5th lap around Le Mans in a car he had only driven in a brief shake down at Dunsfold so he was still making sure the set up was right. When he does put the right foot down the car really does shift, a real shame that the race itself coincided with a deluge at Le Mans!

jimed

1,500 posts

205 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Still pretty awesome stuff though - excellent to watch!
Jim

UltimaCH

3,155 posts

188 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Great footage and that sound is so toxic and a pleasure to hear. I wonder how the fly or insect which happens to land on the dashboard around 3/4 of the video got there....?

legalknievel

352 posts

196 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Let me be the first to wheel out an old favourite from the Group B days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ia9dxjvW8

It's also the best Ring lap walk through I've seen.

tomellingham

71 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Bizarre!

Shewie

553 posts

189 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
legalknievel said:
Let me be the first to wheel out an old favourite from the Group B days
Group C surely? I know those old rally cars were quick but it doesn't look like a Delta S4!!

fatboy18

18,930 posts

210 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Have to say, Having Driven the Full Le mans circuit with the TVR Chaps on the 'parade' laps last year, Its amazing how fast the race cars get round the circuit! They have my total respect. I do wish we could go back a bit in time though to when the Mulsanne straight was just that. Need to get rid of those two chicanes wink Arr the Good ole days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd9f9siBJfs

Roll on June. Can't wait driving

dudleybloke

19,718 posts

185 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
great vid.

my fav car driven by my fav driver of the era.

MocMocaMoc

1,524 posts

140 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
legalknievel said:
Let me be the first to wheel out an old favourite from the Group B days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ia9dxjvW8

It's also the best Ring lap walk through I've seen.
Great video.

But you can hear a thousand nerds 'nodding' in agreement* after playing GT5 too much**.



  • can you hear nerds nodding? Yes. Yes you can.
  • I'm one of those nerds.

Antj

1,041 posts

199 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Speaking of Le Mans, when do ph release booking for this years event

Speed_Demon

2,662 posts

187 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
How long until the RUF yellow bird vid is posted? hehe

Mastodon2

13,818 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
That anti wobble thing was weird, the footage looked steady but the borders at the top and bottom of the screen were pretty odd. It also gave the effect of the car cornering absolutely level and flat, with not a milimetre of roll.

rumple

11,671 posts

150 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Great video, great driver 10/10bow

Dusty964

6,919 posts

189 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
The best car with the best driver going around the best track.

Not much to add.


Shuttle Cock

400 posts

207 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Get a copy of 'In car 956' for a proper qualifying lap with Mr Bell!

legalknievel

352 posts

196 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Shewie said:
legalknievel said:
Let me be the first to wheel out an old favourite from the Group B days
Group C surely? I know those old rally cars were quick but it doesn't look like a Delta S4!!
D'oh!

legalknievel

352 posts

196 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
MocMocaMoc said:
Great video.

But you can hear a thousand nerds 'nodding' in agreement* after playing GT5 too much**.



  • can you hear nerds nodding? Yes. Yes you can.
  • I'm one of those nerds.
Unfortunately for me, Gran Turismo has proved to be a gateway drug to the real thing.

Just say nein!

legalknievel

352 posts

196 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Speed_Demon said:
How long until the RUF yellow bird vid is posted? hehe
You know it's gonna happen!

Dangermouse78

120 posts

172 months

Friday 4th January 2013
quotequote all
2:47 "meep meep, out the way Group 44 Jag, Derek Bell coming through"