1962 Porsche 804

I took this photograph in the paddock at Aintree in July 1962 during practice for the British Grand Prix.

Number 8 is the 1962 Porsche 804 of Dan Gurney in which he qualified in sixth position on the grid and finished the race in ninth position. Number 10 is that of his team mate Joakim Bonnier who took seventh place on the grid but he retired after 27 laps of the 75 lap race.  Porsche had first built a single seat racing car in 1959, the 718, using the 1,498cc flat-four boxer engine from their sports car to create a Formula 2 car. In 1961 the engine capacity for Formula 1 cars was reduced to 1½ litres and the Porsche 718 was able to compete in Formula 1 races that season. The Porsche 804 was built to compete in Formula 1 races in the 1962 season using a new Flat-eight engine of 1,494cc, and with this car Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix and finished in third place in the German Grand Prix to end the season in fifth place in the World Drivers' Championship. Jo Bonnier's best finish was fifth place in the Monaco Grand Prix and he finished in fifteenth place in the Championship. Porsche finished in fifth place in the World Constructors' Championship. That first place in the 1962 French Grand Prix is Porsche's only Grand Prix victory.

Dan Gurney

I took this photograph in the paddock at Aintree on the Friday practice day for the British Grand Prix in July 1962.

It's Dan Gurney getting ready to go out on a practice session in the 1962 Porsche 804 in which he qualified in sixth position on the grid and finished the race in ninth position. Porsche had first built a single seat racing car in 1959, the 718, using the 1½ litre flat-four boxer engine from their sports car to create a Formula 2 car. In 1961 the engine capacity for Formula 1 cars was reduced to 1½ litres and the Porsche 718 was able to compete in Formula 1 races that season. The Porsche 804 was built for the following season using a new Flat-eight engine of 1,494cc, and with this car Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix and finished in third place in the German Grand Prix to end the season in fifth place in the World Drivers' Championship. His team mate Jo Bonnier's best finish was fifth place in the Monaco Grand Prix and he finished in fifteenth place in the Championship. Porsche finished in fifth place in the World Constructors' Championship. That first place in the 1962 French Grand Prix is Porsche's only Grand Prix victory.

1962 Porsche 804

I photographed this car on the approach to Waterway corner at Aintree during practice for the British Grand Prix in July 1962.

It's Dan Gurney in the 1962 Porsche 804 in which he qualified in sixth position on the grid and finished the race in ninth position. Porsche had first built a single seat racing car in 1959, the 718, using the 1½ litre flat-four boxer engine from their sports car to create a Formula 2 car. In 1961 the engine capacity for Formula 1 cars was reduced to 1½ litres and the Porsche 718 was able to compete in Formula 1 races that season. The Porsche 804 was built to compete in Formula 1 races in the 1962 season using a new Flat-eight engine of 1,494cc, and with this car Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix and finished in third place in the German Grand Prix to end the season in fifth place in the World Drivers' Championship. His team mate Jo Bonnier's best finish was fifth place in the Monaco Grand Prix and he finished in fifteenth place in the Championship. Porsche finished in fifth place in the World Constructors' Championship. That first place in the 1962 French Grand Prix is Porsche's only Grand Prix victory.

1962 Porsche 804

 I took this photograph in the paddock at Aintree in July 1962 during practice for the British Grand Prix.

It's the 1962 Porsche 804 of Dan Gurney in which he qualified in sixth position on the grid and finished the race in ninth position. Porsche had first built a single seat racing car in 1959, the 718, using the 1½ litre flat-four boxer engine from their sports car to create a Formula 2 car. In 1961 the engine capacity for Formula 1 cars was reduced to 1½ litres and the Porsche 718 was able to compete in Formula 1 races that season. The Porsche 804 was built to compete in Formula 1 races in the 1962 season using a new Flat-eight engine of 1,494cc, and with this car Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix and finished in third place in the German Grand Prix to end the season in fifth place in the World Drivers' Championship. His team mate Jo Bonnier's best finish was fifth place in the Monaco Grand Prix and he finished in fifteenth place in the Championship. Porsche finished in fifth place in the World Constructors' Championship. That first place in the 1962 French Grand Prix is Porsche's only Grand Prix victory.

Porsche 804

This is the 1½ litre flat-8 air cooled engine of the Porsche 804 that Joakim Bonnier drove in the 1962 British Grand Prix at Aintree in July 1962.

Jo Bonnier retired from the race, but his team mate Dan Gurney (in car no. 8 alongside) finished in ninth place.

Porsche 804

Here's a couple of photographs taken during practice for the British Grand Prix at Aintree in July 1962.

This is the Porsche 804 of Dan Gurney who qualified in sixth place on the grid and finished the race in ninth place.

Here's his team mate Jo Bonnier's car with the top half of the bodywork removed. Jo Bonnier qualified in seventh place on the grid but retired after 27 laps of the 75 lap race.

Porsche 718/2

Here's a couple of photographs taken on practice day at the British Grand Prix at Aintree in July 1961 of the two works Porsche 718/2 cars.

This is Jo Bonnier's car in which he qualified in third place on the grid and ended the race in fourth place.

This is Dan Gurney's car. He started in twelfth place on the grid and finished the race in seventh place, a lap behind the winner. Three of the four works Ferrari 156 'sharknose' models filled the first three places, the winner being Wolfgang von Trips. There was one other Porsche 718/2 in the race, the private entry of Carel Godin de Beaufort who finished in sixteenth place.

Porsche 804

This is a photograph I took in the paddock at Aintree at the Friday practice for the British Grand Prix in July 1962.

It's Dan Gurney going out for a practice run in his Porsche 804. From 6th place on the grid he finished the race in 9th place the following day, a disappointing result after winning the previous race, the French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts. That victory is the only one won in a Grand Prix race by a Porsche.

Eagle Weslake Mk1

The Eagle Weslake Mk1 was a Formula One racing car built by Dan Gurney's Anglo American Racers team and driven by Dan Gurney and others for four seasons starting in 1966. In winning the Belgian Grand Prix in 1967 Dan Gurney became only the second driver (after Jack Brabham) to win a Formula One Grand Prix in a car of their own construction. It's also the only Formula one victory for a USA-built car. Thanks to Wikipedia for confirming those details.

The Eagle at the Coys International Historic Festival at Silverstone, July 2000. Entrant Ben Liebert.

Ben Liebert leaving the pits on a practice run at the Silverstone Historic Festival meeting, August 2001.