Few Dutch racing drivers have left a mark on international motorsport like Gijs van Lennep. A two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula 1 driver, endurance specialist and Porsche legend, Van Lennep became one of the most successful Dutch racers long before the rise of modern stars from the Netherlands.
His love affair with motorsport began at an early age. In 1948, at just six years old, he witnessed Prince Bira winning the first international race at Zandvoort. Living nearby, young Gijs regularly cycled to the circuit, often sneaking under the fences to watch his racing heroes in action. His passion quickly turned into practice: by the age of nine he was driving, and at fifteen he had built his own kart and even managed a few unofficial laps around the famous Dutch circuit.
Van Lennep's competitive career started in modest fashion. He first entered slalom events with his father's Fiat 600, before switching to a Volkswagen Beetle fitted with a Porsche engine. His talent soon attracted the attention of Ben Pon, the Dutch Volkswagen and Porsche importer, who became one of the key figures in his early career.
After success in Formula Vee, Van Lennep progressed to Porsche sports cars and quickly established himself as a rising star. Victories at Zandvoort and strong performances with Racing Team Holland brought him international recognition. By the mid-1960s he was racing Porsche prototypes across Europe, collecting class wins and impressive results at circuits such as the Nürburgring, Zeltweg and Montlhéry.
Photos from 1966 with Porsche 906:
Trophy of the Dunes: #7 Ben Pon, #8 Van Lennep 1966: 1000 km Spa
1966: 1000 km Nurburgring
Accidents and Determination
The path to success was not always straightforward. Serious accidents at Spa and Brands Hatch interrupted his progress and forced him to spend periods away from racing. Nevertheless, Van Lennep repeatedly returned stronger than before.
Alongside sports car racing, he competed in Formula 3, including outings with the innovative DAF-Gemini equipped with the famous Variomatic transmission. His versatility became one of his greatest strengths, allowing him to adapt to almost any racing discipline.
By 1969 and 1970, Van Lennep had become a respected figure in European endurance racing. Driving for Abarth (see photo below, 1969 Nurburgring 1000km)and Porsche. In 1970he became a driver in the Finnish-BackedWihuri-Racing Team (AAW) as team mate of Hans Laine. He collected podium finishes and victories while building a reputation for speed, consistency and mechanical sympathy. They finished fourth in the 1000 km Brands Hatch and the Targa Florio and had P5 at Spa.
Tragedy struck in 1970 when his teammate Hans Laine lost his life during practice for the Nürburgring 1000 km.
No time to be sad. Just one week later he was driving in the 24h Le Mans again with Wihuri next to David Piper. They were leading the race, when Piper got off-track and repairs took 6 minutes. Later Gijs had a tyre exploding on the Hunaudieres straight.
Van Lennep was then active in the Interserie. He finished second behind Jurgen Neuhaus at the Norisring, P2 at Hockenheim and won at Keimola. He was second in the final standings.
The defining moment of Van Lennep's career came in 1971.
His performance at Le Mans got the attention of the Martini Racing Team. This team was run by Hans-Dieter Dechent, not a great fan of Van Lennep; Helmut Marko had serious words with him to get Gijs as team mate.
The first race, the1000 km Buenos Aires, was already over after 2 laps (engine). In Daytona, he was teamed with Vic Elford: retired. Together with Gerard Larrousse, he finished P9 at Brands Hatch and his team mate Willy Kaushen overrevved the engine in the 3h of Le Mans.
No results in Monza and Spa, this time teamed with Marco.
Driving the Martini Racing Porsche 917 alongside Helmut Marko, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While the faster Gulf-Porsche entries encountered mechanical problems, the Dutch-Austrian duo combined speed and reliability to secure victory.
The triumph was made even more remarkable by the distance record they set: 5,335 kilometres in 24 hours, a record that stood for decades. It was the first major international triumph for a Dutch driver at Le Mans and firmly established Van Lennep among the world's elite endurance racers.
A few weeks after his F1 debut at Zandvoort, he got a call from John Wyer to replace Pedro Rodriguez, who got his fatal accident at the Norisring. He went on to second place in the 6H Watkins Glenn with Jo Siffert and a win in the Paris 1000 km with Derek Bell.
There was no way that Gijs van Lennep could race in the F1 in 1972, so he turned his attention to the F5000. With a Surtees TS1- Chevrolet V8 he won two races, stood eight times on the podium and became the champion. He stayed active in the endurance with the new Gulf Mirage M6-Ford from the John Wyer- David Horseman team. A fourth place at the 1000 km Spa and Nürburgring (together with Derek Bell) were the best results.
Gijs also did the 24h Le Mans again. This time as member of the team of Joackim Bonnier and driving the Lola T280. Unfortunally, team boss Bonnier lost his life n a fatal accident during the race.
While Gijs van Lennep built his reputation in endurance racing, Formula 1 remained the category he most wanted to conquer. Unlike many contemporary Grand Prix drivers, however, he never enjoyed the financial backing required for a full Formula 1 programme. As a result, his Formula 1 career consisted of a series of one-off appearances and short-term opportunities spread between 1971 and 1975.
His Formula 1 debut came at the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in a Surtees TS7 entered by Stichting Autoraces Nederland. In wet conditions, Van Lennep delighted the home crowd by battling with established stars such as Jackie Stewart, Denny Hulme and Graham Hill. Although he finished outside the points in eighth position, many observers considered the performance one of the highlights of the race. Impressed by his speed, John Surtees offered him further opportunities, but Van Lennep lacked the sponsorship budget needed for a permanent seat.
Two years later, Frank Williams called on the Dutchman to drive the Iso Marlboro-Ford. At the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix, Van Lennep rewarded Williams with a sixth-place finish, scoring a World Championship point under the points system of the era. He remained with the team for the German and Italian Grands Prix, demonstrating once again that he could perform competitively despite limited preparation and machinery.
Williams gave him another opportunity in 1974, but the results were less satisfying. Van Lennep disliked the Nivelles circuit and struggled with the car's competitiveness. His frustrations grew later that season when he failed to qualify for his home Grand Prix at Zandvoort, convincing him that Formula 1 would never become his primary focus.
His final Formula 1 campaign came in 1975 with the Ensign N175. At Zandvoort he finished ninth, followed by fifteenth place in France. His finest Formula 1 result came at the 1975 German Grand Prix, where he finished sixth and scored his second World Championship point. It would prove to be the final Formula 1 race of his career.
