​​​The Historic Porsche 962 Collection

​Porsche 962-008 Works

​​​​Last works Rothmans Porsche built, ran as Number 17 driven by Derek Bell and Hans Stuck and finished on the podium in every race entered. Wearing its Shell-Dunlop livery, this was driven by the Andretti trio in the 1988 Le Mans 24hrs

  • Porsche 962-008 Works

    Raced with PDK Transmission

    Driven by Derek Bell and Hans Stuck
    Podium in every finished race in first season (1987)

    Pole at Le Mans 1987

    Mass, Wollek and Schuppan

    Rebuilt to the new MP1.7-spec of the 1988 works Le Mans

    The 'Three Andrettis' car

    2nd at 1000km of Fuji 1988

    1st 1000km of Fuji 1989

  • An interesting car, even by works Group C Porsche standards. 

    Not only was it the last 962 to be built to race in Rothmans colours, it was also one of relatively few 962s to race with a PDK, double-clutch transmission. The double-clutch gearbox is a common item these days but even in the rarefied world of racing in the late 1980s, it was an unknown, untried and therefore unproven concept.

    The appeal was easy to see, particularly for racing Porsches that had long been hampered by the factory’s insistence on using synchromesh transmissions that were slow but far harder for drivers to damage. PDK would allow much quicker upshifts and continuous power delivery, so eliminating turbo lag between gears. On the way down through the gears the car would not be able to be destabilised by a hamfisted gear change from an exhausted driver. On the downside, PDK was heavy and not always blessed with Porsche-style reliability.

In its first season, as the other of two new lightweight-spec cars built to take on Jaguar, 008 took Derek Bell and Hans Stuck to the podium of every race it finished, and it finished them all up until Le Mans. 

Here the car was handed to Mass, Wollek and Schuppan and promptly earned itself pole position. But it was not to be: within 16 laps, suspect poor fuel had made the engine run lean, burning a piston.

Rebuilt to the new MP1.7-spec of the 1988 works Le Mans team entry and repainted in Shell Dunlop colours, it became the car in which Mario, Michael and Jeff Andretti tried to become the first family affair to win the race. Had they done so, Mario would have also joined Graham Hill as the only person to have claimed racing’s holy trinity: the F1 world championship, the Indy 500 and Le Mans. In the end, after running as high as second place, sixth was the final result.

It was shipped to Japan at the end of the season to tackle the 1000km of Fuji, where it came second. Despite Omron sponsorship this was still a works entry and, as it would transpire, the final works entry of the Group C era. Vern Schuppan bought the car at the season’s end and raced it in Japan throughout 1989, winning the Fuji 1000km and achieving second and third places at Fuji, too. 008 was also entered at Le Mans, its third visit there. Driven by Schuppan, it ran as number 55 in Omron colours.

The race was going well and the car was up to fourth place overall, behind the two Mercedes C9s and ahead of all the Jaguars by eight o’clock in the morning. It held this position for the next four hours, when Vern became too concerned about some fuel fires to other 962s in the race, and called 008 in to renew all the fuel lines, being totally sympathetic – even then – as to how special this car’s history was. Losing almost two hours in the pit stop, it returned to the race with 3.5 hours remaining and claimed tenth in Group C.

The following year, the last the of the traditional Group C formula, it was less successful and the car was sold to an American collector before being returned to the Shell Dunlop livery it wears today, complete with 1988 Le Mans body.

962-008 Works History

1987 ROTHMANS # 17 Last works World championship / Rothmans car built. Bell / Stuck 2nd at Jarama & Monza, 3rd Jerez & Silverstone
1987 ROTHMANS # 18 Le Mans - POLE and led Le Mans. Last works world championship race - 2nd at Fuji, OMRON sponsored for factory
1988 SHELL DUNLOP # 19 Le Mans - Three ANDRETTI's. Ran in 2nd / 3rd for 8 hrs. Finished 6th. Sold to Vern Schuppan
1989 OMRON # 55 Raced by Vern Schuppan in JAPAN. 1st - Fuji 1,000 km's - Le Mans running in 4th until fuel lines renewed
1990 OMRON # 55 Raced by Vern Schuppan in JAPAN. 4th - Fuji 1,000 km's
1989 OMRON # 55 Raced by Vern Schuppan in JAPAN. 1st - Fuji 1,000 km's - Le Mans running in 4th until fuel lines renewed
1990 Restored back to 88 works Le Mans spec and sold to collector in USA

962-008 Competition History

            
1987 Season

            
PDK Transmission, Kevlar bodywork

  • Race Date

  • Race

  • Drivers

  • Car No.

  • Result

  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    22/03/1987
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    Jarama
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    D. Bell / H-J. Stuck
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #17
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    2nd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    29/03/1987
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Jerez
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    D. Bell / H-J. Stuck
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #17
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    3rd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    12/04/1987
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Monza
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    D. Bell / H-J. Stuck
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #17
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    2nd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    10/05/1987
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Silverstone
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    D. Bell / H-J. Stuck
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #17
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    3rd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    13 - 14/06/1987
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    24 Hours Le Mans
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    J. Mass / B. Wollek / V. Schuppan
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #18
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    DNF
    
              
            
1988 Season - Shell Dunlop

            
Rebuilt to Bosch MP 1.7 spec.

  • Race Date

  • Race

  • Colours

  • Drivers

  • Car No.

  • Result

  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    11-12/06/1988
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    24hrs Le Mans
    
              
  •                 
    Colours
    
                
    Shell Dunlop
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    M / M / J. Andretti
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #19
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    6th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    26/06/1988
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    200 Meilen
    
              
  •                 
    Colours
    
                
    Shell Dunlop
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    H.J. Stuck
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #1
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    2nd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    07/08/1988
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    ADAC Diepholz
    
              
  •                 
    Colours
    
                
    Shell Dunlop
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    K. Ludwig
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #26
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    5th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    09/10/1988
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Kms Fuji
    
              
  •                 
    Colours
    
                
    Omron
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    Ludwig / P.Cobb
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #17
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    2nd

10/9: Sold to Vern Schuppan

1989 Season - Omron

  • Race Date

  • Race

  • Drivers

  • Car No.

  • Result

  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    12/03/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    500Km Fuji
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    2nd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    09/04/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    480Km Suzuka
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    8th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    30/04/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Fuji
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    1st
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    23/07/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    500 Miles Fuji
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    DNF
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    28/08/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000 Km Suzuka
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    3rd
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    10-11/06/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    24 Hours Le Mans
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh / G. Brabham
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    13th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    09/04/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    480KM Suzuka
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    12th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    12/03/1989
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Suzuka
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    V. Schuppan / E. Elgh
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    DNF

1990 Season

  • Race Date

  • Race

  • Drivers

  • Car No.

  • Result

  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    30/04/1990
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Fuji 
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    E. Elgh / T. Mezera 
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    4th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    26/08/1990
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    1000Km Suzuka
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    VV. Schuppan / E. Elgh / T. Mezera
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    11th
    
              
  •                 
    Race Date
    
                
    16/09/1990 
    
              
  •                 
    Race
    
                
    500Km Sugo
    
              
  •                 
    Drivers
    
                
    E. Elgh / T. Mezera 
    
              
  •                 
    Car No.
    
                
    #55
    
              
  •                 
    Result
    
                
    9th