Porsche 917 KH (short-tail)

1970

Sindelfingen native and seasoned professional, Hans Hermann, is a fast and efficient driver. At Le Mans he starts from 23rd on the grid together with British driver Richard Attwood, in the red-and-white 917 short-tail with 4.5-litre engine, racing under the Porsche Salzburg name. In heavy rain and disastrous weather conditions it becomes impossible to overtake at times – even on the long straights. For the first time ever drivers start the race already strapped in, abandoning the famous “Le Mans start” on foot. One hour later and Hermann is only in ninth place. Jo Siffert leads the field in a Porsche 917, followed by Jacky Ickx in a Ferrari 512 S. Siffert later misses a gear change, over-revving and breaking the engine; Ickx crashes his red racer before the Ford chicane; many other cars experience failures during the race. Race veteran Hans Hermann takes the opportunity to shine with his brilliantly matched teammate Attwood, and despite the tough conditions, they take the 917 to victory and secure the first Porsche overall win at Le Mans. A little later, back home in Stuttgart, the Porsche victory is celebrated with a motorcade through the city and in the main square.

Year: 1970
Engine: 12-cylinder V 180˚
Displacement: 4,494 ccm
Output: 426 kW (580 PS)
Weight: 800 kg
Top speed: 360 km/h

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1971: Porsche 917 KH (short-tail)
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