Hans Herrmann

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Herrmann, a baker by trade, raced from the era of pre-war legends like Alfred Neubauer to Porsche's Le Mans dominance. He took part in the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Carrera Panamericana. In the 1954 Mille Miglia, driving a low Porsche 550 Spyder, he and navigator Herbert Linge ducked under railroad gates just before a fast train passed. From 1954 to 1955, Herrmann was part of the Mercedes-Benz factory team as a junior driver behind Juan Manuel Fangio, Karl Kling, Hermann Lang, and later Stirling Moss. At the 1954 French Grand Prix, he drove the fastest lap but retired. A podium at the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix was his best result that year, using older W196 versions or the least reliable car. In the 1955 Argentine Grand Prix, he shared his car with Kling and Moss for a fourth-place finish. A crash in practice for the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix put him out for the ill-fated 1955 season. Later, he raced for Cooper, Maserati, and BRM; at the 1959 German Grand Prix, his BRM's brakes failed, causing a spectacular crash. With Porsche, he won the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring and 1960 Targa Florio. In 1961, he finished last in the Dutch Grand Prix. He left Porsche in 1962, feeling undervalued compared to Dan Gurney and Jo Bonnier. From 1962 to 1965, he drove for Abarth in minor races and hillclimbs, winning lesser events. Returning to Porsche in 1966, he scored best results at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona and Sebring 12 Hours. He won the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona and Sebring 12 Hours with Jo Siffert. He finished second at the 1000km Nürburgring three times in a row from 1968 to 1970. In 1969, he missed winning Le Mans by 120 meters. In 1970, driving for Porsche Salzburg, he and Richard Attwood won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in heavy rain. Herrmann retired after that win, having promised his wife he would. He built a successful automotive supplies company, was kidnapped once in the 1990s, and remained active in the racing community. He died on 9 January 2026, aged 97.

In Their Own Story

The 1955 Monaco Grand Prix practice session marked a tragic turning point for Herrmann's season with Mercedes-Benz. A crash during these sessions put him out of competition entirely, preventing him from racing in the ill-fated 1955 season despite an intended comeback at the Targa Florio. Earlier that year, he had faced different challenges in Argentina. The southern hemisphere January conditions were extremely hot, forcing his teammates Karl Kling and Stirling Moss to abandon their cars early. Herrmann stepped up to share a vehicle with them, navigating the intense heat to secure a fourth-place finish, earning one championship point for each driver while Juan Manuel Fangio cruised to victory by two laps. His time in the Silver Arrows was defined by resilience; whether driving older W196s to a podium in Switzerland or setting the fastest lap only to retire in France, he remained a key figure until the Monaco accident ended his tenure.

Reader's Guide

Herrmann's career spanned from the 1950s to 1970. He raced for Mercedes-Benz in 1954–1955, then for various marques including Cooper, Maserati, BRM, and Porsche. His F1 highlights include a podium at the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix and fastest lap at the 1954 French Grand Prix. In sports cars, he won the 1960 Sebring and Targa Florio, the 1968 Daytona and Sebring, and the 1970 Le Mans. He retired after his Le Mans win.

Did You Know?

• Herrmann was a baker by trade before racing.
• He survived a crash at the 1959 German Grand Prix where his BRM's brakes failed and he was thrown from the car.
• He scored the first overall win for Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970.
• After the death of Tony Brooks in 2022, Herrmann became the last surviving F1 podium finisher from the 1950s.