When Rothmans International Racing Team failed to qualify for the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix with their March-Cosworth, an irreparable scar was left on a doomed project. Thus, Rothmans joined the never-ending list of sponsors to be spat out of the Formula One piranha pool. However, the ideal tonic for the Monte Carlo hangover sat just around the corner.

“We had failed at Monaco in F1” remembers Rothmans’ sponsorship boss of the era, Richard Watling. Initially, Rothmans’ backing of the Porsche sports car team was seen by the company as a side show to the grand dream of Formula One glory. Yet, after only one race with Porsche, the power of optimism pushed this endurance racing campaign to the forefront of Rothmans attention. “We’d just come back from Silverstone and won the Group C class. We were then just about to go to Le Mans, so it suddenly became very important to us.”

On arrival at the annual festival of motorsport that is the 24 hours of Le Mans, Porsche’s intent to dominate the new Group C era was vivid and ominous. The Weissach crew fielded three of their revolutionary 956 prototypes, piloted by a crack team of works drivers. Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell hoped to repeat their 1981 triumph in. Car #2 was entrusted to Vern Schuppan and Jochen Mass, a key player in the formation of the Porsche/Rothmans alliance. A third 956 boasted an all-American line up with Hurley Haywood and Al Holbert. Designed by the all-star engineering squad of Norbert Singer, Helmuth Bott and Hans Mezger, the new Porsche 956 boasted ground effect aerodynamics and a brand-new chassis design. Compared to the ageing open cockpit 936 pulled from Porsche’s Museum to win Le Mans in 1981, the 956 signified an enormous leap in technical achievement.

From a sporting and technical perspective, Porsche had all the ingredients to win the 50th edition of the 24 hours of Le Mans. However, the German marque possessed a secret weapon to succeed on television and in the press as well. As promised, the might of Rothmans PR department kicked into gear. In car cameras, immaculate uniforms and a route to the world’s media ensured that both Porsche and Rothmans would reap the richest rewards should their trio of 956s win the world’s most important endurance race.

During practice, the #1 Rothmans Porsche crew of Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx oozed confidence. “I’m very happy so far. We’re on pole position at the moment. We’re quicker than we’ve ever been before. I think Jacky and I are certainly the quickest pair so far” beamed the ever-upbeat Bell. Ickx radiated the serenity of a driver who made Le Circuit de la Sarthe his own. “It’s nice to drive with Derek because we have the same thought about how to try to win a race like the 24 hours of Le Mans. He is a co-driver I can trust. I’m sure he will save the car and not try to overtake another car in a desperate way. I am sure when I am back in the car that it will be exactly the same as when I left it. You can’t wish for better than that” smiled the suave Belgian.

Prior to the start, Bell and Ickx’s peacefulness contrasted with the unbridled hullabaloo on the grid. Barely a spare inch of tarmac remained throughout the length of the pit straight as fans and guests swarmed the cars and drivers. Amongst the carnage, the Rothmans Porsche drivers waited patiently to get down to business. Even for those not taking the start, wearing the pristine Rothmans branded racing overalls was compulsory.

Swaggering with characteristic pomposity, FISA president Jean-Marie Balestre appeared particularly pleased with himself as he examined the 33 entries in his new Group C category. Keeping up one of many Le Mans traditions, a parachute squad landed to deliver the flag for starting the race. After a particularly abrupt landing, the brave stuntmen quickly found the comfort of the scantily clad Hawaiian Tropic promotional team. Approaching 4pm on a bright, yet breezy summer’s afternoon, Rothmans Porsche were ready to embark on their first attempt at the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Following an agonisingly lengthy tour behind a wobbling Mercedes limousine pace car, Jacky Ickx led the fifty-five strong field into the day long race. Standing at the Dunlop bridge, Derek Bell watched anxiously as Ickx attempted to fend off an attack from the #2 car, driven by Jochen Mass. While Ickx made an uncharacteristically steady start, Mass displayed no such hesitance and burst ahead. Meanwhile, the #3 Rothmans Porsche crew settled into their own rhythm, a little further behind.

Heading into the night, Rothmans Porsche #1 and #2 remained embroiled in battle with the Rondeau of Migault, Spice and Lapeyre. However, the inimitable staying power of the Porsches forced the French squad into submission. Engine issues eventually thwarted Porsche’s main rival in the ninth hour.

Striking under the cover of darkness, Ickx and Bell asserted their authority on the race during a critical phase of any 24 hours of Le Mans race. As day broke, the #1 car marched ahead. “We drove very fast in the night” confirmed Bell. “While I was driving, we got up into the lead. I’m not quite sure why, but I overtook a lot of people. We consolidated quite well during the night. We’ve stayed in the lead virtually ever since.”

While Bell and Ickx led a Rothmans Porsche 1-2 from the #2 car of Mass and Schuppan, doubts remained over the wounded #3 Rothmans Porsche of Haywood and Holbert. Grappling with engine issues, the American pairing faced a steep climb back to the podium. Furthermore, a concern over running out of the allocated fuel lingered for all three Rothmans Porsches. Running as much as fifteen seconds off the ultimate pace, each crew tip toed their way to the flag.

After a storming drive back up the order, Holbert and Haywood hauled the #3 car into the podium places in the final ninety minutes, just in time to complete a co-ordinated cruise to the finish line with their Rothmans’ Porsche comrades.

With two laps to go, all three Rothmans Porsche 956s gathered into a flying formation for the run to the finish. On just the second competitive outing for the 956, Porsche’s new machine had triumphed in emphatic fashion. Taking in the adulation and atmosphere on the final eight-mile tour of Le Circuit de la Sarthe, nothing could prepare the Porsche trio for the carnage that awaited them at the finish. Reportedly, the race organisers had not paid for support from the ‘Gendarme’ for crowd control and hysteria overwhelmed the front straight. Memories of the pre-race bustle twenty-four hours before became a distant memory among the unmitigated chaos.

Approaching the finish line, the #1 Porsche became engulfed by the swarm of delirious fans, all desperate to catch a glimpse of the winner. Once Derek Bell could be extracted from the cockpit, the well-mannered Briton joined Ickx on the cramped podium to receive the spoils of a well-earned victory. Fifteen years after Dan Gurney exhibited the decadent irrigation qualities of a Moet Magnum on the Le Mans podium, Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell followed suit. During this ceremonial champagne shower, two crazed fans scaled the tower to the podium until standing eye to eye with their heroes. Bell appeared as perplexed as he was determined to hold onto his bottle of bubbly. Meanwhile, the unflappable Ickx generously offered a swig to the audacious climbers.

Ceremonial calamities aside, the alliance between Porsche and Rothmans had delivered from the outset. A year later, Hurley Haywood and Al Holbert would avenge their misfortune with a measured victory alongside Vern Schuppan in a Rothmans backed car. Two more victories followed with the 962 in 1986 and 1987. In Haywood’s superb book – Hurley: From the beginning – the American superstar hailed Rothmans Porsche as “Arguably, the best endurance racing team in the history of the sport.” Who could argue with that?

Catch up on previous episodes

Part 1

Part Three