German post-war icon of motor racing Hans Herrmann dies at 97

German racing driver Hans Herrmann has died at the age of 97, Porsche, the company he won the Le Mans 24-hour race for in 1970, announced on Friday.

Herrmann, known as "Lucky Hans" in Germany, was one of the most successful German racing car drivers of the post-war era, serving as a model for an entire generation of drivers.

His greatest victory was the Le Mans in 1970, which he shared with English driver Richard Attwood in their 4.5-litre red-and-white Porsche 917K. But he also drove in many F1 races, starting in 1953.

He announced his retirement after the Le Mans victory. "I didn't want to tempt fate any longer," he once said.  "I was well aware of the luck I'd had, given the many friends that were lost over the years."

His nickname came as a result of the many crashes from which he emerged - usually unscathed. But he did suffer a serious accident in the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix.

"The news of Hans Herrmann’s death has deeply affected us all," said Thomas Laudenbach, head of Porsche Motorsport.