Porsche 718/2 F2 (1959)
Premiere: 1959 May 10, Monaco F1 / Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cam flat-4
For 1959, Porsche created a completely new Formula 2 car instead of the Mittellenker-version of the 718 RSK. For some reason the new car was still called 718, more exactly 718/2 or 718 F2. According to the F2 rules, the engine size was limited to 1.5 litres. Porsche’s 4-cylinder 4-cam Furhmann engine was the natural choice. Interestingly, the debut of the 718 F2 took place at the Formula 1 event (F1 cars were allowed engines up to 2.5 litres). Wolfgang von Trips entered the Monaco F1 race with the new Porsche F2 car on May 10, 1959, but unfortunately crashed on the second lap breaking the front axle. Skipping the Pau F2 and Zandvoort F1 races, the Porsche 718 F2 was again at the starting line at the Reims Formula 2 race where the first success came – Jo Bonnier finished third!
While Porsche had sniffed the Formula racing scene and entered just a few races until 1959, it had serious plans for the 1960 F2 season. The 718 F2 got some modifications, too. These cars (718 F2 version 3) can be visually told by the rear part of the body.
In addition to the second place at Heysel, Stirling Moss scored second also at Goodwood F2 in 1960. Then a Porsche 1-2-3 victory was achieved at the XV B.A.R.C. 200 Formula 2 race on the Aintree circuit in England. The race was won by Stirling Moss, followed by Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill. The three Porsche formula cars were followed by around 20 Cooper-Climax and a few other.
Porsche was really after the 1960 Formula 2 title, so a heavyweight factory team was lined up at the homeground race in Stuttgart. The Solitude GP was won with a Ferrari driven by Wolfgang von Trips (who used to drive Porsches scoring many wins with the 718 RSK Spyder a couple of years earlier). Then came the Porsche 2-3-4-5 finish: 2nd Hans Herrmann #5, 3rd Jo Bonnier #4, 4th Graham Hill #6 (all with 718 F2). Finishing 5th was Dan Gurney #22, who drove a new experimental version of the 718/2 (718/2-05). The last of the drivers in the Porsche factory team, John Surtees, spinned his 718 F2 four laps before the end of the race and retired.
A week later, at the F2 race on Nürburgring Südschleife, the Porsche team was present again with all of its F2 cars: four 718/2 and the single one-off 718/2-05 formula car. Jo Bonnier in 718 F2 #6 won the race. He was followed by the 718/2-05, this time driven by Wolfgang von Trips. Jack Brabham scored 3rd in a Cooper-Climax and then came the rest of the Porsches: 4th Graham Hill #8, 5th Hans Herrmann #14, 6th Edgar Barth #7. All the six fastest drivers finished on the same lap and the rest of the Lotuses and Cooper-Climaxes were all lapped.
Then, Jo Bonnier scored 3rd at the III Kentish 100 Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch and another Porsche 1-2-3 victory came at Zeltweg, Austria, on September 18, 1960: Stirling Moss won and was followed by Hans Herrmann (both in 718/2). Third place was taken by Edgar Barth in the 718/2-05.
1960 was a good season for Porsche in F2. In addition to the two triple victories and other podium places, VI Gran Premio di Modena Formula 2 race in Italy on October 2 was won by Jo Bonnier and the Austrian Innsbruck F2 race (I Preis von Tirol) on October 8 by Hans Herrmann. This was the last victory for the 718/2 as the Formula 2 rules would change from next year making all the 1960 F2 cars obsolete for F2 in 1961. Porsches participated in 14 of the 25 races in the 1960 Formula 2 Championship calendar. It should be mentioned that in addition to the championship races there were non-championship races, too.
From 1961, the Formula 2 engines were limited to 1-litre and Formula 1 engines were downgraded from 2.5-litre to 1.5-litre. So, the 1960 F2 cars were basically eligible for the 1961 F1 season. The competition in F1 was naturally very strong, so you needed something more than an F2 car from previous season to be competitive.
In addition to the new, but not so good 1961 Porsche 787 F1, the 718/2 cars (which now became F1 cars) raced the full 1961 F1 season. 718/2 participated in all of the eight races of the 1961 season, with up to 4 cars in a single race (Nürburgring). Dan Gurney scored three times second with the 718/2. So, the 718/2 brought podiums for Porsche in F1 in 1961, while the new 787 F1 didn’t. Gentleman-driver Carel de Beaufort drove his 718/2 throughout the 1961, 1962, 1963 seasons without notable results until killing himself in the beginning of the 1964 F1 season.
A Visual History
© Stuttcars.com
1959 July 5, Reims, III Coupe Internationale de Vitesse Formula 2 race, where Jo Bonnier scored 3rd. The photo shows the first version of the Porsche Formula 2 car. Let’s call it 718 F2 version 1. Distinctive to the first version are the openings left and right behind the driver (can be seen here behind the arm of Bonnier).
Wolfgang von Trips in a 718 F2 (ver.2) and Jean Behra in a Behra-Porsche posing on AVUS. The photo shows the cars the gentlemen planned to use at the August 2, 1959, Formula 1 German GP. Unfortunately Behra killed himself on August 1 sports car race driving the 718 RSK Spyder. Following the tragedy, von Trips didn’t participate in the F1 race. Trips himself got killed two years later at the Monza F1 race (the accident involving his Ferrari and a Lotus also killed a lot of spectators). © Porsche
This photo shows the shape of the engine room hatches on the second version of the 718 F2. © Porsche
This is a cut from a 1960 Porsche poster. It shows Stirling Moss scoring 2nd at the 1960 Heysel F2 race (II Grand Prix de Bruxelles). Note the shape of the engine cover – this is 718 F2 version 3. © Porsche
April 1960, Aintree, inspection of the 718 F2 of Stirling Moss. © Porsche
April 1960, Aintree, the BARC 200 Formula 2 winning 718 F2 #7 of Stirling Moss (R.R.C. Walker Racing Team). © Porsche
April 1960, Aintree, both of the Porsche factory team 718 F2 – #6 of Jo Bonnier (he can be seen pushing the car from the back) and #5 of Graham Hill. © Porsche
Porsche factory team truck. © Porsche
This photoshoot was made of the Jo Bonnier’s #6 second place car as the Aintree winning 718 F2 #7 of Stirling Moss wasn’t a factory team car. © Porsche
© Porsche
1960 July 31, Nürburgring Südschleife Formula 2 race was won by Jo Bonnier. Like most of the fast drivers of the era, he later killed himself racing (at the 1972 Le Mans driving a Lola). © Porsche
1960 September 18, Zeltweg Formula 2 race winner Stirling Moss. Car specs: 114 kW, 456 kg/1005 lb. © Porsche
1964 August 1, Nürburgring GP training became the last for Carel Godin de Beaufort after he lost the control of his 718/2 after Bergwerk.
