Tom Belsø

Tom BELSO ( born August 27, 1942 in Copenhagen) is a former Danish racing driver.

Tom BELSO was the first Dane in Formula 1 and in the early 1970s, one of the best pilots in the formula 5,000. BELSO was originally a mechanic and started in the late 1960s on a private Volvo in his native races to go. In 1969, he won the Danish Touring Car Championship with a Ford Escort. The success earned him a contract for the European Formula Ford Championship 1970. 1971 he moved to the Formula Atlantic and finished the season as third overall in the championship.

There followed in 1972 the logical change in the Formula 2 European Championship. A fifth place finish in Albi was the best result of the season, which was marked by engine problems in his Brabham. Jack Epstein, the owner of the team " Shell Sport F 5000 ", noticed him and offered BELSO a long-term contract for the Formula 5000 on. BELSO drove three seasons ( 1973 to 1975 ) for Epstein and between races in 1974 for Frank Williams in Formula 1 but he managed only two qualifications. At the Grand Prix of South Africa at Kyalami, he left with a broken clutch on Iso - Marlboro FW01 Ford Cosworth. At the Grand Prix of Sweden in Anderstorp, this time with the FW02, after all, it was enough for eighth place.

In 1976, he was without a contract and drove no races. In 1977 he returned to Formula 5000 and signed a contract for John Jordan, who brought a Lola chassis for use.