Charles de Tornaco

Charles de Tornaco (June 7, 1927 - September 18, 1953): A Belgian racing driver and team founder whose promising career was tragically cut short at the age of 26. Born into a privileged background, de Tornaco became a co-founder of Ecurie Belgique, which later evolved into the renowned Ecurie Francorchamps racing team. Most of his racing career was spent driving Ferraris for this team, representing Belgian motorsport on the international stage. He made his Formula One debut on June 22, 1952, at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, marking Ecurie Francorchamps' first World Championship appearance.

He qualified 13th and finished seventh, three laps behind race winner Alberto Ascari. De Tornaco participated in four Formula One World Championship Grands Prix during 1952 and 1953. In 1953, both he and team co-founder Jacques Swaters entered the Belgian Grand Prix, though neither started the race. Beyond Formula One, de Tornaco competed in sports car racing, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1953, where he partnered with Roger Laurent in the number 20 Jaguar C-Type, finishing ninth.

His life and career came to a tragic end during practice for the 1953 Modena Grand Prix in Italy. On September 18, 1953, de Tornaco's car rolled during the practice session, and he suffered severe head and neck injuries. He died that same day, robbing motorsport of a talented driver and Belgium of one of its pioneering racing figures. His legacy lives on through Ecurie Francorchamps, the team he helped establish.