Jean BEHRA and Porsche cooperation

[JTR70]

Great series as usual Gerard! Thank you!
As far as the system posting before you hit "submit" I have not run into that problem directly. But, if you're hitting the "enter" key with the Cursor out of the text box this will initiate the upload. This is most likely what's happening?
Thanks again for sharing this great story!
Justin

[Meissen540]

Very interesting, thanks for taking the time to post this

[Paolo]

[JOP]

Thank you Gerard,

Really intresting reading about Behra.

When you start digging into racing in those days it seams that everybody knew each other.
I myself have had a great intrest in Otto Mathe and also he and Jean Behra were friends.

They both have similar background with motorbikes and their love for technic and racing.
Otto who also invented " modern skiboots" due to his unability to use of his right arm.
Both enjoyed skiing, enclosed a photo from the Cortina d'Ampezzo
/ Per

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This same 1957 year, Jean Behra met Hushcke Von Hanstein during a formula 1 race, and they became quite friend
Hushcke was Porsche race director and he was looking for pilots to drive the new RSK in sport car races outside Europe and had the idea to take profit of Jean Behra desillusion with BRM to offer him a seat
Jean Behra first race as official Porsche pilot was the Buenos Aires 1000 km race on January 26th 1958
For this race the new RSK was not quite ready and Jean Behra associated to Stirling Moss had to drove a 550 RS
With their small 1.5 L engine, they finish the race 3rd overall behind 2 Testa Rossa 3 L Ferrari

[Porschinelle]

Sorry forget the first picture car race number 20 who was taken six months later at the Avus Gd prix in Berlin

[Porschinelle]

Here the correct pic
Jean Behra (checkered helmet in discussion with Stirling Moss (in the middle without helmet) and Peter Collins

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Three months later Jean Behra drive the new RSK with Edgar Barth (father of Jurgen Barth and also Porsche engineer at the race dept) for the Sebring 12 hours race
They did not succeed to finish the race

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Two weels after Sebring Jean back to France attend the Pau 3 hours race (April 7th)

with his personnal 356 Carrera and finish 3rd in the under 1.5 L class

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By May 11th Jean is again official Porsche pilot for the Targa Florio
He share a 718 RSK with the Italian pilot Giorgio Scarlatti
With their small 1.5 engine, again they achieved a 2nd place overall behind a 3 L Ferrari Testa Rossa but also in fron, of 2 other TR Ferrari
This race is very well documented and I have found a lot of pics

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Some more

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