Richard Attwood’s career is characterised by speed, precision and a passion for endurance racing. He will celebrate his 85th birthday on 4 April 2025. “We would like to wish Richard Attwood all the best and thank him for his dedication to the Porsche brand,” says Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development. “With his victory at Le Mans in 1970, he secured a place in motorsport history. His precise driving style, strategic skill and technical understanding make him one of the most outstanding drivers in our history.”
From Formula racing to the top of Porsche
Richard Attwood was born on 4 April 1940 in Wolverhampton, UK. His parents ran a car dealership, and he was interested in motorsport from an early age. At 19 years old, he was entering his first races – first with touring cars, then later with GT cars. In 1965, he competed in Formula 1 for the first time at the Monaco Grand Prix. By 1969, Attwood had driven for BRM, as well as for Lotus and Williams.
In 1967, he made his debut in a Porsche: Together with William Bradley, he finished second in Zeltweg driving a privately owned Porsche 906 Carrera 6. From 1969, Attwood was under contract as a Porsche works driver. He quickly made a name for himself as a reliable and precise racing driver. Attwood competed in numerous races in the World Championship for Makes with the Porsche 908/02 Spyder and won the 1000-km race at the Österreichring (Zeltweg) in 1969 – an important milestone in his career.
From the dress rehearsal to overall victory at Le Mans
1970 was to become his year and see the greatest moment of his career. He started the 1,000-km race at the Nürburgring, in a Porsche 908/03 Spyder, along with Hans Herrmann. The two raced an impressive race and finished second, but this was only the rehearsal for what was to follow a few weeks later in France: the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In the Porsche 917 KH, Attwood and Herrmann went up against Ferrari, Matra and Alfa Romeo. The race saw not only strong competition, but also extreme weather conditions. Heavy rain showers and a slippery road surface made the 13.5-km track a massive challenge. With tactical skill and a flawless performance, they steered the racing car with the starting number 23 and brought the Porsche masterfully over the finish line on 14 June 1970 at 4 pm.
After 343 laps and exactly 4607.811 km, Attwood and Herrmann secured Porsche its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This triumph marked the beginning of an unprecedented series of successes: with a record of 19 overall victories, Porsche is today the most successful manufacturer in the history of Le Mans.
Just one year after the most successful months of his career, in 1971 Attwood retired from active motorsport at just 31.
