Porsche 917 KH (short-tail)

1971

It’s 9 May 1971 at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium – the sixth of 11 World Sportscar Championship races with the highest elevation of any endurance race staged at that time. Porsche is on track to win this prestigious championship for the third consecutive time. The two 917 KH (short-tail) cars, sporting the renowned Gulf colours, battle for the top podium spot along the 14.1-kilometre high-speed circuit of the 1,000-kilometre race. Driving with starting number 20, driver Jo Siffert sets a great record time in practice, with an average speed of 260.8 km/h. But in the end, Siffert and his teammate Derek Bell are given team orders during the race to let the team’s other 917 KH pass, driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Jackie Oliver. After four laps at an average speed of 249.069 km/h, they allow Rodriguez and Oliver take the lead, though they skilfully do so by only four tenths of a second. With eight overall victories, Porsche wins the 1971 World Sportscar Championship by a considerable margin.

Year: 1971
Engine: 12-cylinder V 180˚
Displacement: 4,999 ccm
Output: 463 kW (630 PS)
Weight: 800 kg
Top speed: 360 km/h

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1970: Porsche 917 KH (short-tail)