Hans Herrmann: 1928 – 2026

      Today flags are flying at half-mast above the headquarters of Mercedes‑Benz and Porsche – the two German companies and their motorsport divisions are mourning Hans Herrmann, the famous German racing driver who died yesterday at the age of 97.

      He was the last of those who, in the 1950s, raced for the factory Mercedes Formula 1 team, was a teammate of Juan Manuel Fangio, and stood on the podium at the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix – the last time the race was held at the Bremgarten circuit.

      In some unfathomable way Hans Herrmann survived an era when motorsport was the province of people willing to risk their lives every time they got behind the wheel of a racing car.

      Interestingly, his first "civilian" profession was as a pastry chef, but it was not that highly respected trade, which he had successfully learned in Stuttgart in his youth, that brought him world fame, but motor racing. At the same time, in the paddock he acquired the nickname Hans im Glück, which can be loosely translated as "Lucky Hans."

      The thing is, he managed to survive the most incredible situations that seemingly should have led to the worst outcome; one only needs to recall the crash he had at the AVUS circuit in Berlin in 1959. At the time we wrote about both that circuit and the astonishing crash that Herrmann was involved in.

      "We honor the memory of Hans Herrmann with deep gratitude," said Markus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes‑Benz Heritage GmbH, the Stuttgart group's division responsible for the brand's historical heritage. "Thanks to his irresistible charisma and passionate love of motorsport, he was equally popular with fans and fellow drivers."

      In the 1960s Herrmann continued his career in endurance racing, so we will now turn to the Porsche Motorsport press release dedicated to this outstanding figure.

      Over his career Hans Herrmann claimed more than 80 victories; it was marked by unforgettable moments connected with Le Mans and races such as the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio. The German driver achieved his greatest successes behind the wheel of Porsche cars.

      "The passing of Hans Herrmann has deeply saddened all of us," said Thomas Laudenbach, head of Porsche Motorsport. "He was one of Porsche's most successful factory drivers. Together with Richard Attwood he went down in history by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 behind the wheel of a Porsche 917."

      After that Hans Herrmann ended his active motorsport career — he was 42 at the time. But for many decades afterwards he continued to collaborate with both Porsche and Mercedes, and he competed in historic car races.