Tom Belsø

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} Tom Belsø (27 August 1942 – 12 January 2020)<ref name="orc">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was a motor racing driver, credited as the first Formula One driver from Denmark.

Early career

Belsø started out in touring cars, where he won his debut race and went on to become Scandinavian Touring Car Champion in 1969.<ref name="Motor Sport Magazine 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He became a Formula Two racer in 1972, with his best result being a fourth place at the Albi Grand Prix, finishing 17th in the European F2 Championship. In 1973 he raced a Lola in Formula 5000. He also raced in a few non-championship Formula One races, finishing 7th in the 1973 Race of Champions and 8th in the 1973 BRDC International Trophy, and retiring in the 1974 BRDC International Trophy and 1975 Race of Champions. He contested the 1974 Rothmans 5000 European Championship winning at Snetterton and finishing 8th in the Series. He also competed in the 1977 Shellsport 5000/Libre series and finished fifth in a Radio Luxemburg-sponsored Lola T330-Chevrolet.

Formula One

Belsø qualified a Formula One Iso-Marlboro for the Frank Williams Racing Cars team at the 1973 Swedish Grand Prix, but could not start the race because his sponsorship money did not arrive. In 1974 he tried four times to qualify for Williams, but was only successful in South Africa and Sweden. In South Africa, the clutch on Belsø's FW failed on the first lap of the race. In Sweden, he finished his only complete Grand Prix, in eighth place.

Racing record

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	WDC	Points
1973	Frank Williams Racing Cars	Iso-Marlboro IR	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE Template:Small‡	FRA	GBR	NED	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA	NC	0
1974	Frank Williams Racing Cars	Iso-Marlboro FW	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA Template:Small	ESP Template:Small	BEL	MON	SWE Template:Small	NED	FRA	GBR Template:Small	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA	NC	0
Template:Small {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

‡ Belsø took part in practice only. The car was driven in the race by Howden Ganley.<ref name="Small"/>

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year	Team	Car	Class	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Template:Tooltip	Pts	Class
1969	Tom Belsø	Ford Escort TC	Template:Tooltip	BRH	SIL	SNE	THR	SIL ovr:5 cls:2	CRY	MAL	CRO	SIL	OUL	BRH	BRH	26th	6	7th
1970	British Vita Racing	Ford Escort TC	Template:Tooltip	BRH	SNE	THR	SIL	CRY	SIL	SIL	CRO	BRH	OUL	BRH	BRH ovr:14 cls:7	NC	0	NC
Template:Small {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Personal life

In 1977 he founded Belso Cereals, a food manufacturing company based in Peterborough.<ref name="Motor Sport Magazine 2017"/>

On 12 January 2020 Belsø died from stomach cancer;<ref name="orc"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he was 77 years old.

External links

• Profile on F1 Rejects