VIN: the works / Rene Mazzia Porsche 911 2.0 R chassis 305876S R1
History of chassis 305876S R1
Chassis 305876S, better known as R1, was the first of four 911 R prototypes built for works use during 1967.
R1 to R4 were followed by a run of 20 production cars manufactured between late 1967 and early 1968.
Chassis R1 made its public debut as a practice hack at the Mugello GP World Sportscar Championship race on July 23rd 1967 (the 911 R’s first competition outing). It was flogged around the 66km Tuscan road course by Vic Elford and Gijs van Lennep who went on to finish third overall and first in class with one of R1’s sister cars (chassis R2).
The 910s of Schutz / Mitter and Neerpasch / Stommelen finished first and second to give Porsche a clean sweep of the podium at Mugello.
R1 next appeared on September 24th when Gerhard Mitter took the wheel for the Schwabische Alb-Nueffen Hillclimb in Baden-Wurttemberg, southern Germany.
Mitter, the 1966 and 1967 European Mountain champion for Porsche, used R1 instead of his usual Flat 8-engined 910 Bergspyder. He finished third overall and won the two-litre Prototype class.
Eight months passed before R1 ran in public again; it was selected as the T-car for the 1968 Nurburgring 1000km in which Porsche went on to finish first (Siffert / Elford 908), second (Herrmann / Stommelen 907) and fourth (Neerpasch / Buzzetta 907).
R1 then went on to make what was the sole competition appearance for a factory-owned 911 R in 1968; it was loaned to the Swiss-based Hart Ski Racing Team for the Mugello GP on July 28th.
Hart Ski was a personal sponsor of Jo Siffert and during 1968 also backed the 910 driven by Rico Steinemann / Dieter Spoerry.
The Hart Ski Racing Team entered their Porsche 910 for Jo Siffert / Rico Steinemann and R1 for Dieter Spoerry / Ben Pon.
After a fast and consistent run, Spoerry / Pon claimed the final podium spot in their 911 R. They eventually crossed the line 22 minutes behind second-placed Siffert / Steinemann who had been relegated to the runner’s up spot after Steinemann hit a rock and picked up a puncture.
Porsche did not race R1 again. In March 1969 the car was sold to French privateer, Rene Mazzia.
That year, Mazzia primarily used R1 for hillclimbs and picked up a couple of outright victories.
R1’s last outing of ‘69 was on the Tour de France where Mazzia teamed up with Jean-Pierre Bodin.
The 1969 Tour de France was the first running of the event since 1964 after a lack of sponsorship had seen it drop off the calendar. The eight day contest took place from September 18th to the 26th and unusually took place in almost perfect weather.
Mazzia and Bodin finished the gruelling event in seventh overall (one of five 911s in the top seven to include the works 911 R of Larrousse / Gelin that won outright).
Mazzia in turn sold R1 to another French privateer, Pierre Capdevielle, who purchased the car in April 1970. Capdevielle used R1 for a handful of events during 1970 before selling it to the first of several private owners in January 1971.
Notable History
Porsche System
Registered: S-YZ 28
23/07/1967 WSC Mugello GP (G. van Lennep / V. Elford) T-car (#T)
24/09/1967 GMC Schwabische Alb-Nueffen Hillclimb (G. Mitter) 3rd oa, 1st 2.0 P class (#320)
19/05/1968 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (H. Linge) T-car (#T)
28/07/1968 IND Mugello GP (D. Spoerry / B. Pon) 3rd oa, 3rd P2.0 class (#9) Hart Ski Racing Team
03/69 sold to Rene Mazzia, Normandy, France
Registered 284 AJ 92 and 355 MP 72
23/02/1969 IND Rallye du Maine (R. Mazzia) ran (#??)
23/03/1969 IND Rallye de l'Ouest (R. Mazzia) ran (#??)
13/04/1969 IND Rallye Cote d'Armor (R. Mazzia) 1st oa (#??)
27/04/1969 IND Foret Auvray Hillclimb (R. Mazzia) ran (#??)
08/06/1969 IND d'Hebecrevon Hillclimb (R. Mazzia) ran (#??)
18/08/1969 IND Rallye Haute Normandie (R. Mazzia) 1st oa (#??)
26/09/1969 IND Tour de France (R. Mazzia / J.P. Bodin) 7th oa, 2nd P2.0 class (#177)
21/02/1970 IND Rallye du Maine (R. Mazzia) 1st oa (#7)
08/03/1970 IND Rallye International de la Cote Fleurie (R. Mazzia / J.P. Bodin) ran (#6)
04/1970 sold to Pierre Capdevielle, France
16/08/1970 IND d'Arette Hillclimb (P Capdevielle) 5th oa, 2nd in class (#??)
17/10/1970 IND Rallye Bayonne Cote Basque (P. Capdevielle) DNF (#??)
01/1971 sold
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
