Tom Belsø
Nation: | Denmark | ||||||||
Automobile world championship | |||||||||
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First start: | 1974 South African Grand Prix | ||||||||
Last start: | 1974 Swedish Grand Prix | ||||||||
Constructors | |||||||||
1974 Williams | |||||||||
statistics | |||||||||
World Cup balance: | no World Cup placement | ||||||||
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World Cup points : | - | ||||||||
Podiums : | - | ||||||||
Leadership laps : | - |
Tom Belsø (born August 27, 1942 in Copenhagen - † January 11, 2020 ) was a Danish racing driver and entrepreneur .
Career
Tom Belsø was the first Dane to compete in Formula 1 and in the early 1970s one of the best drivers in the European Formula 5000 Championship . Originally a mechanic, Belsø started racing a private Volvo in his home town in the late 1960s . In 1969 he won the Danish touring car championship with a Ford Escort . The success brought him a contract for the European Formula Ford Championship in 1970. In 1971 he switched to Formula Atlantic and finished the season in third place overall in the championship.
The logical change to the Formula 2 European Championship followed in 1972 . Fifth place in the race in Albi was the best result of the season, which was characterized by engine problems on his Brabham . Jack Epstein, the owner of the Shellsport F 5000 team , noticed him and offered Belsø a long-term contract for the Formula 5000. Belsø drove three seasons (1973 to 1975) for Epstein and between the 1974 races for Frank Williams in Formula 1. However, he only managed two qualifications. At the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami , he retired with a damaged clutch on the Iso-Marlboro FW01 - Ford - Cosworth . At the Swedish Grand Prix in Anderstorp , this time with the FW02, it was enough for eighth place.
In 1976 he remained without a contract and did not race. In 1977 he returned to Formula 5000 and signed a contract for John Jordan, who used a Lola chassis. After the end of his driving career, he founded a company that produced baked goods and muesli products in South Africa . He became a wealthy man and sold Belsø Cereals to the South African baking company Bokomo in 2005 .
He died in January 2020.
literature
- Steve Small: Grand Prix Who's Who, 3rd Edition . Travel Publishing, London 2000, ISBN 1-902007-46-8
Web links
- Image. Tom Belsø in the 1973 Formula 5000 Lola T330 at Brands Hatch
- Tom Belsø at Motorsport Magazine
Individual evidence
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Belsø, Tom |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Danish racing driver |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 27, 1942 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Copenhagen |
DATE OF DEATH | January 11, 2020 |