Editors: Marcel Visbeen, Dennis Drenthe, Mattijs Diepraam. Feedback: feedback#carelgodindebeaufort.nl (# = @). This tribute site is in no way connected to the Beaufort family.

Ben Pon

b Leiden (The Netherlands), December 9, 1936

Co-founder of the original Racing Team Holland, along with Rob Slotemaker and Hans Hugenholtz, Pon tried to get Carel involved with the team. An heir to the Dutch Volkswagen and Porsche importer empire, Pon had obvious ties to the Porsche factory. This led to his single GP appearance in a works-prepared 787 entered by Ecurie Maarsbergen. Lining up next to Carel in the 1962 Dutch GP, Ben tried to outrace his team leader from the start only to crash out severely.

Ben lives in California today. His Bernardus Lodge vineyard is the realisation of a childhood dream. Bernardus wines are among the most respected of Californian wines.


Four pictures of Ben Pon in the 1962 Dutch GP.


The car that Carel and Ben shared in the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hrs.

Carel and the people in his presence

This section features the stories about the people who were around him while he was alive – his family, his friends, his mechanics, his entourage, his co-drivers, his rivals.