Herbert Linge is 75

Racing driver, technician, safety expert and manager all in one

Herbert Linge is 75

Stuttgart. Motor race spectators knew him as one of the fastest and most reliable Porsche drivers in near-series GT cars and powerful sports prototypes. For the mechanics in Porsche’s experimental department he was the all-seeing head of their workshop; for many other racing drivers a ministering angel who solved their problems. In the 1950s, American Porsche drivers valued his sports-car expertise, and even in the early nineteen-nineties, Carrera Cup drivers experienced him as he strove determinedly for the success of that still-young Porsche brand series. We are of course speaking about Herbert Linge, one of the pillars of Porsche since the company’s earliest days, who celebrates his 75th birthday on June 11th, 2003. Porsche AG is holding a reception in his honor, as a tribute to his exceptional services to the company during a 40-year period as a Porsche employee. 

A quick flashback to the year 1943: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen took on a young man named Herbert Linge as its first trainee mechanic. When a team of ten employees assembled the first 356 to be built in Stuttgart, this young apprentice not only exhibited great interest and an awareness of technical matters, but clearly revealed a true feeling for how both two- and four-wheeled vehicles should be handled. Thanks to this combination of talents, his advice and suggestions were much valued within the still-growing company. In 1952, Ferry Porsche decided personally to send him to America on after-sales service work. His dedication to this task made a big contribution to the image and success of sports cars from Zuffenhausen in the USA. 

After working hard every day, Herbert Linge’s main interest in his leisure time, as a budding racetrack talent, was finding the ideal line through the bends: his ambition was to challenge the best riders and drivers, and for twenty years he was a frequent entrant in both motorcycle and car races. It would be quicker to list the international racing circuits on which he has not ridden and driven than those with which he was familiar and on which he drove as a Porsche works team entrant. He started motorcycle racing in 1951 and car racing three years later – as Hans Herrmann’s co-driver in the Mille Miglia. This was when the first professional navigator’s notes were created: during practice for this long-distance road race, Linge made notes at various points along the route, such as “full throttle” or “fast bend”. 

He then showed Herrmann, at the wheel of the open and therefore extremely noisy ‘Spyder’, a green card for “flat out” and a red one for “brakes”. At one point, however, Herrmann surprised his passenger, who had his nose deep in his navigation notes: he pressed his head down between his knees for safety and whisked the car through a level crossing that had closed unexpectedly just as they arrived.

In 1965, when the Porsche 911 began to demonstrate its motor-sport talents in the Monte Carlo Rally, Herbert Linge was one of the drivers. His co-driver was Peter Falk, later to become a legendary racing-team manager. And when a double was needed for the unforgettable Steve McQueen during the shooting of the movie “Le Mans”, the name that appeared on the cast list was – Herbert Linge. He went to the starting line on 15 occasions in Le Mans, his greatest success being a fourth place in 1965 with the Porsche 904/6. Linge is still proud of this success today: “We won the index category for the best ratio of power output, fuel consumption and speed”, he comments.

Herbert Linge’s proverbial trustworthiness brought him career success as well as victories behind the wheel: from 1982 to 1987 he was Operations Manager at the company’s Development Center in Weissach. 

As a technician and racing driver rolled into one, as it were, safety on the racing circuit was always of great concern to Herbert Linge. He recalls sadly: “In those days, we had to attend the funerals of fellow-racing drivers up to three times a year.” He was fortunate in being able to avoid serious injuries, but his sense of responsibility allied to his long experience in motor sport led him to initiate the world-famous ONS Safety Team in 1972, one of the tasks of which was to look after the entire Formula One field. He remained Technical Manager until 1990, then although already retired, began to run the Porsche Carrera Cup, a task he retained until 1993. Even now, at the request of Porsche Museum director Klaus Bischof, he willingly drives a museum exhibit at a presentation or race meeting – fast, flawlessly and reliably as always. 

For 75 years, Herbert Linge has remained a loyal citizen of Weissach, where he was born. From his house close to the test track he keeps a watchful eye on the Development Center there, to which he has contributed so much. “When my former colleagues try out something new, I can see and hear them!” he remarks with a contented smile. “Take the ten-cylinder engine for the Carrera GT. It sounds wonderful –genuine music in my ears!”

GO



Herbert Linge – a career in brief

Personal particulars: 

Activities and successes: 

World champion several times with the Porsche works team in GT and sports-car race series. More than 90 class wins and six international records. Took part in over 40 world championship and classic long-distance races.


Awards: