03.04.2020We congratulate: Richard Attwood turns 80

Congratulations, dear Richard Attwood! The Brit is one of the most successful works drivers of Porsche and is going to celebrate his 80th birthday on April 4th, 2020. 50 years ago, Attwood made the first overall victory for the manufacturer from Stuttgart together with Hans Herrmann at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The modelcars of the legendary Porsche 917 in the red and white livery of the Salzburg team Porsche Konstruktionen KG / Porsche KG Salzburg are currently still available in scale 1:18 from CMR under the item number CMR134 and in format 1:12 (125706623) from Minichamps. Our spring sale is currently offering a good opportunity to buy them with a 15 percent discount, for which other models of Attwood's racing cars, for example in Gulf livery, are also available. We take the milestone birthday as an opportunity to look back on the life of the jubilee.

Attwood was enthusiastic about racing early on - inspired by the parental car dealership. After beeing in Formula-Sport with triumph and BRM, he first met the brand Porsche in 1967. In Zeltweg he drove with William Bradley on a private Porsche 906 Carrera 6 to the second place. Two years later, 1969, Attwood got a commitment from Porsche for the Sports Car Championship and has been under contract since then. He competed in the races of the World Brand Championship with a Porsche 908/02 and finished second with Vic Elford in Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen. We also have Minichamps 1:43 (437692006) modelcars for this vehicle, which are limited to a total of 500 pieces. At the season finale in Zeltweg he finished third with Brian Redman, who unfortunately failed at Le Mans in 1970, in 917.

On the Porsche 908/03 Attwood and Hans Herrmann reached the second place at the 1000 Kilometers of the Nürburgring 1970. After all, one of the greatest racing successes in the history of the sports car manufacturer from Zuffenhausen is the first overall victory in the most important endurance race in the world. On June 14th, 1970, Porsche achieved the first of a total of 19 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After exactly 4,607.811 kilometers or 343 laps, Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann were the first to cross the finish line in the legendary Porsche 917 KH from Porsche Salzburg with starting number 23. “Contrary to many expectations, I never tested the 917. I drove a 917 for the first time in a qualifying race in 1969,” Attwood looks back. He didn't think he had any chance of winning.

In 1971, he achieved another victory in the 1000-kilometer race at the Austrian-ring (Österreichring). At the age of 31, Richard Attwood retired from active racing at the end of the season. He achieved his last podium finish in 1971 with third place together with Derek Bell in the 917 KH at the season finale of the World Sports Car Championship in Watkins Glen. In 1984 he reached 15th place in Daytona with a Porsche 928, but the 80-year-old does not really think about retirement. Today Attwood still accompanies the Porsche Museum on his driving assignments at renowned classic events all over the world. For example, it is used at the "Festival of Speed" in Goodwood, at the "Sound Night" and at historic motorsport events. In the following list we summarize his most important Porsche racing successes.

Here: Click to the modelcars to Richard Attwood

1967

2nd place 500km Zeltweg, Porsche 906 Carrera 6

1969

7th place 12h Sebring, Porsche 908/02
2nd place 6h Brands Hatch, Porsche 908/02
4th place 1000km Spa, Porsche 908 LH
4th place 1000km Nürburgring, Porsche 908/02
2nd place 6h Watkins Glen, Porsche 908/02
3rd place 1000km Österreichring, Porsche 917
1st place 9h Kyalami, Porsche 908/02

1970

3rd place 1000km Brands Hatch, Porsche 917 KH
5th place Targa Florio, Porsche 908/03
9th place 1000km Spa, Porsche 908/02
6th place 1000km Spa, Porsche 917 KH
2nd place 1000km Nürburgring, Porsche 908/03
1th place 24h Le Mans, Porsche 917
3th place CanAm Watkins Glen, Porsche 917 KH
4th place 1000km Österreichring, Porsche 917 KH

1971

2nd place 24h Le Mans, Porsche 917 KH
1st place 1000km Österreichring, Porsche 917 KH
3rd place 6h Watkins Glen, Porsche 917 KH