Jacques Swaters

Jacques Joseph Edmond "Jacky" Swaters (30 October 1926 - 10 December 2010) was a Belgian racing driver, team owner, and Ferrari importer who became one of the most important figures in Belgian motorsport and Ferrari's history. Born in Belgium, Swaters made his racing debut at the 24 Hours of Spa driving an MG, co-driven by his friend Paul Frère, a racer who later became a renowned automotive journalist. The entry competed under the Ecurie Francorchamps banner, beginning Swaters' long association with that famous team name. In 1950, Swaters, Frère, and André Pilette established Ecurie Belgique, a racing team banner under which they prepared cars for themselves and other Belgian racers in both Grand Prix and sports car racing.

In 1952, Swaters, along with fellow Belgian Charles de Tornaco and British driver Geoff Richardson, restarted Ecurie Francorchamps, a racing stable that became primarily associated with Ferrari. The team's distinctive yellow livery became as famous in racing circles as Ferrari's traditional "rosso corsa" red. Swaters drove the team's Ferrari 500 Formula Two car in a small number of events and managed to take victory at the 1953 Avusrennen, a Formula Two race, demonstrating his competence as a racing driver. His Formula One World Championship career was brief, participating in one race, but he also competed in several non-championship Formula One races during the 1950s.

Swaters' most significant contribution to motorsport came through his business relationship with Ferrari. In 1953, after buying a Ferrari 500 Formula 2 car for his racing team, he was contacted by Ferrari to resolve a customs problem for a car they were displaying at the Brussels Motor Show. Swaters successfully handled the customs issue and took charge of Ferrari's exhibition stand, making a sale at the show. Impressed by his business acumen, Ferrari appointed him as the official Ferrari importer for the Benelux countries the same year, beginning a relationship that would last over 50 years.

Under Swaters' management, Ecurie Francorchamps became a top contender in sports car racing, achieving occasional overall victories and frequent class wins and podiums. The team's crowning achievement came with an overall victory at the 1965 500km of Spa, while their greatest international success was a class win at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. In recognition of their long-standing relationship, Ferrari unveiled the Ferrari 456 GT to the world at Garage Francorchamps in Brussels in 1992. At the same time, Ferrari introduced "Blue Swaters" as an official Ferrari color to celebrate 40 years of partnership between Ferrari and Swaters, an honor bestowed on very few individuals in Ferrari's history.

Swaters became one of the world's most important Ferrari dealers and a major collector of Ferrari automobilia, amassing an extraordinary collection of cars, memorabilia, and Ferrari-related items. His Garage Francorchamps became legendary among Ferrari enthusiasts worldwide. Jacques Swaters passed away on 10 December 2010 at the age of 84, remembered not primarily for his driving career but as one of Ferrari's most loyal partners and as a central figure in Belgian motorsport history for over five decades.