Max de Terra

Max de Terra (6 October 1918 - 29 December 1982): Swiss racing driver from Zurich who participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, the 1952 and 1953 Swiss Grands Prix, scoring no championship points. De Terra was born and died in Zurich, living through Switzerland's transition from motorsport obscurity to producing world-class drivers. He began racing in the late 1940s after World War II, competing in Swiss national events with various cars. During the early 1950s, Swiss motorsport was limited by the country's ban on circuit racing following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, though the ban came after de Terra's Formula One appearances.

For the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten near Bern on 18 May, de Terra entered driving for Simca-Gordini as part of the Ecurie Espadon team, a Swiss privateer operation. The race was held on the daunting Bremgarten street circuit, a fast, tree-lined course considered one of the most dangerous in motorsport. De Terra qualified near the back of the grid and struggled during the race, retiring with mechanical failure—likely engine or transmission given the Gordini's reputation for fragility. He returned for the 1953 Swiss Grand Prix, again at Bremgarten, this time driving for Alfred Dattner.

Once more he qualified poorly and failed to finish, ending his Formula One career with two entries, two starts, zero finishes, and zero points. Following his Formula One disappointments, de Terra continued racing in Swiss national events through the mid-1950s before retiring from competitive motorsport. He lived quietly in Zurich for the remainder of his life, working in business unrelated to motorsport. De Terra passed away on 29 December 1982 at age 64.

His death received minimal coverage, reflecting his minor status in Formula One history. With an HPI (Historical Popularity Index) of 55.13, de Terra ranks as the 9th most famous Swiss racing driver in historical records—a testament to Switzerland's limited Formula One participation rather than his achievements. Known for his two appearances at the dangerous Bremgarten circuit, participation in Swiss national racing, and status as one of Switzerland's early Formula One drivers, Max de Terra represents the gentleman racers who competed at Formula One's highest level despite limited equipment and support, racing for the love of the sport rather than realistic championship prospects.