Hanstein joined Porsche, then a small sports car manufacturer, serving as a kind of ambassador especially to foreign markets like France, which were rather difficult for Germans at the time.

Due to his aristocratic background and diplomatic skills, he succeeded both in selling cars as well as passing technical inspections before races, like at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where he led Porsche 356 to class wins.

Without Hanstein's aristocratic skills, the Porsche team promptly ran into trouble at 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans due to misunderstandings with the French.

Michael Schumacher, describing one of the most prominent figures of international motor sports, says: "For decades and generations, Huschke von Hanstein was one of the most scintillating personalities to be found on and near race tracks."

Safety features as diverse as helmets for driver head protection as early as 1938, later fireproof driving suits, and striped pedestrian cross-walks all owe their existence to his efforts.

His expertise and his ever-masterful, professional demeanor, molded by an aristocrat's cosmopolitan familiarity with the world, captivated his racing contemporaries, colleagues and rivals alike.