Wiet Huidekoper (1953-2023) may not be the best-known name in modern motorsports. Outside the sport, his name is certainly not familiar to the general public. Yet this modest and somewhat unassuming Dutchman has played a significant role in the design and development of an impressively wide range of race cars across various racing classes. A book about him has now been published, and it was unveiled to the world on June 26, 2026 at the Louwman Museum.
The English-language biography of Louis “Wiet” Huidekoper is no less than 288 pages long and recounts the life and achievements of one of the most innovative and ingenious engineers and designers that motorsports has known over the past four decades.
Among the highlights of Huidekoper’s work are the Lola T92/10, the various versions of the Porsche 911 GT1, and the Dauer 962 LM GT.
In his heyday, Wiet Huidekoper moved in the highest circles of motorsports. He played a key role in two of Porsche’s victories at Le Mans. But what exactly set this hands-on freelancer apart from his fellow designers? To find out, author Glen Smale conducted a long series of lively conversations with Wiet before the self-taught designer succumbed to pneumonia with complications in January 2023.
He also interviewed Wiet’s family and friends, as well as dozens of people with whom he had collaborated – from fellow designers to the drivers who raced his cars.
The richly illustrated book is an initiative of three close friends of Wiet, who have come together to form the Wiet Design Foundation. Through the foundation, the book was subsequently brought to life thanks to many generous contributions from his peers and admirers. It invites the reader to dive into the world of a visionary who loved to chart his own course, blaze his own trail, and was not afraid to break with traditional ways of thinking.
About the book
- Hardcover with 288 richly illustrated color pages.
- Based on interviews with Wiet himself, his family and friends, and the many motorsports personalities around him: drivers, fellow designers, engineers and mechanics, journalists, entrepreneurs, and industry decision-makers.
- A comprehensive overview of Wiet’s entire career, from his early design work at Fokker to his Geric project involving carbon-fiber rims.
- A unique snapshot of motorsports in the Netherlands, Europe, and the world from the late 1970s to the late 2010s, as seen through the eyes of an independent spirit in the field of race car design.
- Written by Glen Smale, author of 13 motorsports books, winner of the 2007 Laurin and Klement Design Writer of the Year Award, and renowned Porsche expert.
- Foreword by Harm Lagaaij, designer of the Porsche 996.
- Produced by the team at autosport.nl.
- In English, printed in a limited edition.
- Published by the Wiet Design Foundation, made possible in part by his colleagues and admirers.
“Wiet Huidekoper, The Life and Legacy of a Race Car Designer” costs €58, excluding shipping costs, and can only be ordered online. After placing your order, order takers will receive a digital invoice.
