Carel Godin de Beaufort

Born and raised in Maarsbergen, Carel Godin de Beaufort hailed from a noble family.

Godin de Beaufort debuted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956, aged 22, with Wolfgang Seidel. He made his Formula One debut at the 1957 German Grand Prix, driving a privateer Porsche RS550 under his Ecurie Maarsbergen banner. In his debut year at Le Mans, he won his class. He returned at the Dutch and German Grands Prix in 1958, the former marking his first entry in Formula One machinery. He also finished fifth overall at Le Mans that year.

Godin de Beaufort made further intermittent performances in 1959 and 1960. In 1961, he entered six of the eight rounds, driving his orange Porsche 718. He scored his maiden points in 1962 with sixth-placed finishes at the Dutch and French Grands Prix. He repeated this feat in Belgium and the United States in 1963. During 1963, he also achieved three podiums in non-championship events at the Syracuse, Rome, and Austrian Grands Prix.

During practice for the 1964 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, Godin de Beaufort suffered fatal head injuries. He lost control of his Porsche 718 at the Bergwerk corner.

Godin de Beaufort was driving the Porsche 718 in practice for the 1964 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring when the car veered off the track at the Bergwerk section. The Porsche sustained minimal damage, but in an era before seat belts, he was ejected from the vehicle and sustained severe injuries to his head, chest, and legs. He was initially taken to a hospital in Koblenz, and the following day was transferred to a neurological centre in Cologne, where he died that evening.

Carel Godin de Beaufort participated in 31 World Championship Grands Prix. He was one of the last amateur drivers in Formula One. He ran his own cars, painted orange, under the Ecurie Maarsbergen banner, named after his country estate. In his early years, he was considered by some to be a mobile chicane and a potential danger to other drivers. However, he matured into a competent and popular competitor. He was always a Porsche enthusiast, driving only two World Championship races in other machinery. Godin de Beaufort was a regular sight at both Championship and non-Championship races in his orange Porsche 718, which he purchased from the Rob Walker Racing Team. Despite the 718 being outclassed even in its first year with him, he continued to use it as it was the only design that accommodated his large frame. The car's size, combined with de Beaufort's self-deprecating humour, led to it being nicknamed "Fatty Porsche." With a characteristic aristocratic eccentricity, he often drove without shoes. At his final race in Germany, he was observed taking practice laps wearing a Beatles wig instead of his helmet.

Godin de Beaufort debuted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956. He entered four further editions of Le Mans between 1959 and 1963, retiring from each.

Godin de Beaufort was the first Dutch driver to score points in Formula One.