Across the span of a 17 year racing career Hans Herrmann twice crossed the finish line first as the overall winner at Sebring, both times in a Porsche. The first of his victories took place in 1960 where he won the legendary 12 hour endurance race in a Porsche 718 RS60. He then repeated his win in 1968 at the wheel of a Porsche 908.
Many consider Herrmann’s 1960 victory at Sebring one of the most important in the history of Porsche motorsport. Herrmann’s Type 718 RS60 (a 1.6 liter car) was raced for the first time at this event. His win and the 2nd place finish of Porsche teammates Hobert/Schecheter (in a similar RS60) cemented Porsche in the minds of fans and competitors as they both crossed the lines in front of competitors with almost twice the engine displacement (the 3-liter class).
Born in on February 23, 1928 in Stuttgart, Herrmann compiled more than 80 overall wins and class victories for Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Borgward and Abarth. However, his greatest victories were all at the whee of Porsches; at the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Carrera Panamericana and in Le Mans, where he achieved Porsche’s first overall victory in a 917 in 1970. After his triumph at Le Mans, Hans Herrmann retired from active racing at the age of 42. Today he can be found at racing events around the world either receiving honors or helping honor others.
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