Dickie Attwood, the man who gave Porsche its first victory at Le Mans, celebrates his 85th birthday

A great figure. Often unknown. But who played an important role in motorsport. Former Formula 1 and endurance driver, Richard Attwood had a career that many drivers would have liked to have had.

Even if he doesn’t have the biggest track record in the world, the Briton managed to achieve one of the greatest performances in the world. Giving Porsche its first victory at Le Mans. In 1970, the Stuttgart brand triumphed for the first of nineteen times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Porsche factory driver was already ready to win the race in 1969. But the 917 was terrible. And still, the word is weak considering how this prototype frightened the men who got inside it. Designed by Ferdinand Piëch, this car was extremely lightweight and insanely powerful. The only problem lay in its aerodynamics, which were practically nonexistent. Enough to make it uncontrollable and almost undriveable.

« Difficult to drive is an understatement. Rolling coffin would be more accurate. It was a monster. It was designed like a bullet, but there wasn’t enough pressure to keep it on the ground. So the faster you went, the more unstable it became, recounted Dickie Attwood in The Grand Tour.

Monstrous domination

For its first participation in Le Mans, the 917 claimed its first victim. Right in the first lap of the race, John Woolfe hit the wall and was ejected from the prototype because he hadn’t yet fastened his seatbelt. The car was split in two and took Chris Amon’s Ferrari out of the race. The accident delayed more than half of the field for several minutes, stuck behind the burning Porsche.

Ferdinand Piëch, ready to do anything to succeed, injected insane amounts into his project. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy. Practically all the employees, even the secretaries, worked on it to meet the regulations and to be ready for the deadline.

To correct the many defects of the car, the German brand hired one of the engineers from the Ford GT40. Some improvements were made here and there. And the 917K was back on the starting grid of the 24 Hours. The performance of the car was already proven. It remained to be seen if reliability and handling would be part of the equation.

“It was very physical. You had to be very careful. There wasn’t much room for error if we made a mistake,” Richard Attwood acknowledged many years after this event.

« She’s an old friend »

After two turns of the clock, the result is clear. A five-lap lead for the Herrmann/Attwood duo over the second car, another 917. The first non-Porsche-badged prototype finished far behind. Very far behind. Thirty laps down. The most complete humiliation. Thanks to their tactical skill and flawless performance, they drove the race car bearing the number 23 and brilliantly led the Porsche to the finish line on June 14, 1970, at 4 p.m., Porsche recounts.

And yet, it is not the domination of 1971. Helmut Marko and Gjis van Lennep completed 5,335 kilometers that year. A distance record only beaten by two other winners: Audi in 2010 and Porsche in 2015.

A mind-blowing speed machine. That scared many drivers. But at the time, it didn’t matter; you had to get in. If you didn’t, you were sidelined and someone else took your place. Despite its danger, the 917K remained in the Briton’s heart. In fact, he drove it several times after retirement: at Goodwood and for filming an episode of The Grand Tour. It’s an old friend.

Second in Monaco

BRM, Lotus, Cooper. No, this is no longer Le Mans. Here, it’s Formula 1. Because the great Dickie Attwood also had the honor of participating in several Grand Prix. Even if his stint in single-seaters was not the most dazzling, he managed to achieve some performances. This is evidenced by his second place at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix behind Mister Monaco, Graham Hill.

A sparkling performance. But not enough. The following races being less glorious, the Briton was replaced. He returned only once more to the top category of motorsport. In the Principality, the following year. At the wheel of a car still in development, the Lotus, he managed to secure a fourth place. His F1 journey ended here. In narrow streets where he often managed to stand out. Like in 1963 when he won in Formula 3.

Richard Attwood. A figure known by few enthusiasts. But who, thanks to his driving skills, managed to launch a dynasty. To challenge the greats of the sport. At 85, the man who began his career as an apprentice at Jaguar is still full of energy and always ready to climb into one of the Porsche 917s. He just has to take off his famous cap and put on his helmet. And off he goes.