Rainer W. Schlegelmilch: Porsche Racing Moments.

It’s not just flashing, snarling Porsche cars that racing photographer Rainer W. Schlegelmilch captures in these shots from 1963 to 1988—though his zoom effect lifts them dramatically off the page. It’s his story over the years, it’s the reality of the track, drivers’ conversations, mechanics’ dirty hands. Feel the vibrations and smell the oil!

Life in the Fastest Lane

25 years of Porsche Racing through the lens of Rainer W. Schlegelmilch

In 1962, Rainer W. Schlegelmilch had his first experience of motorsport – the 1,000 km at the Nürburgring – and it was this that sparked a lifelong passion for both Porsche and racing that still burns today.

Beginning in 1963, this wholly captivating collection of breathtaking shots transports you to another time and another world, taking you on a journey through the history of Porsche endurance racing, from Le Mans to Monza, via the Targa Florio and Spa-Francorchamps. And with his own words accompanying the pictures, Schlegelmilch shows and tells fascinating stories from track and trackside.

Naturally, the cars are the heroes of this book – there’s a genuine love of Porsche cars on these pages, a real admiration in pictures for each evolution of the legendary designs. From the purpose-built prototypes of the mid-60s – the 550, 718, RS and RSK models – followed by the more powerful 907 and 908, and through to arguably the most iconic racing car designs of all time, the 917, the 962 and of course the ageless 911, this is Schlegelmilch’s pictorial love letter to his own "Porsche Racing Moments".

He pays tribute to each of them with his unique zoom technique, that converts the movement and phenomenal speed of the racing cars into a totally absorbing and almost dizzying feast of depth and energy. Whether it’s in black and white or colour, it’s as if you can feel the rush of air on your face as the cars speed by.

But while this book is perfect for those who live and breathe Porsche, there’s more to it than the cars. From the shots of experienced teams to the drivers deep in conversation, from the greasy hands of the mechanics tinkering under the hood to the stained and cracked track, Schlegelmilch takes you to the real racing world, behind the glamour and into the dusty, oil-scented universe of motorsport.

The photographer

Rainer W. Schlegelmilch is a living legend in the field of motorsport photography and one of the most important chroniclers of international racing. He has produced around 40 illustrated books on motorsport and automobiles, and his photographs were also shown at international exhibitions. His books The Golden Age of Formula 1, The Roaring 70's, Schlegelmilch – 50 Years of Formula 1 Photography as well as his limited edition series The Great Challenge, five books on the driving eras of Formula 1 world champions Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher, received worldwide recognition.

Rainer W. Schlegelmilch. Porsche Racing Moments. 45th Ed.Hardcover, 15.6 x 21.7 cm, 1.17 kg, 512 pages

ISBN 978-3-7544-0134-7

Edition: English