Antonio Branca (15 September 1916,

Sion, Switzerland Sion (, ; former ; ) is a Switzerland, Swiss List of towns in Switzerland, town, a municipality, and the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Valais and of the district of Sion (district), Sion. it had a population of (known as '' ...

– 10 May 1985,

Sierre Sierre (; ; ) is the capital municipality of the district of Sierre, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a population of 18,020. Sierre is nicknamed City of the Sun () for its average of 300 days of sunshine a year. It is t ...

, Switzerland) was a

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

racing car driver from Switzerland who competed in three World Championship races. His motor racing career was allegedly financed by an admiring Belgian countess, the Vicomtesse de Walkiers. Branca mainly competed in privately owned Maserati 4CLT, in Formula One and Two races. Branca made his Formula One debut at the

1950 Swiss Grand Prix The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix, formally titled the ''Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile'', was a Formula One motor race held on 4 June 1950 at Bremgarten. It was race four of seven in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers. The 42-lap race w ...

, finishing 11th, and briefly led the non-championship Formula One race in Circuit des Nations at Geneva in a

Simca-Gordini Gordini () is a division of Renault Sport Technologies (Renault Sport). In the past, it was a sports car manufacturer and performance tuner, established in 1946 by Amédée Gordini (1899–1979), nicknamed "Le Sorcier" (The Sorcerer). Gordini b ...

. He scored a number of top-six placings in other minor races, his best finish being fourth at a Formula Two race at the Aix les Bains Circuit du Lac, before entering the and finishing in 10th place. Branca continued to race in 1951, retiring from the Formula One and finishing sixth in the non-championship Pescara Grand Prix, but finished competing in Grand Prix racing at the end of the year. Branca competed at a lower level until the mid-1950s, racing in

hillclimbs Hillclimbing, also known as hill climbing, speed hillclimbing, or speed hill climbing, is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course. It is one of the oldest forms of motorsport, since the firs ...

and competed twice in the

24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...

race. Racing with a Moretti 750cc, in 1955 the car was not ready and did not get to the starting line in time, and in 1956 the car broke down before his turn to drive.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Branca, Toni 1916 births 1985 deaths Swiss racing drivers Swiss Formula One drivers Sportspeople from Sion, Switzerland