Charles de Tornaco was a Formula One driver from Belgium. He participated in 3 grands prix, debuting on June 22, 1952. He scored 0 championship points.
A Belgian aristocrat from a family which included a former Belgian Prime Minister, deTornaco started racing in 1948, at the age of 21, when he bought a pre-war MG sports car and drove it in the Spa 24 Hours with his best friend Jacques Swaters.
DeTornaco finished seventh at the Belgian GP, driving the Ferrari 500.
There was no doctor present at the circuit and deTornaco had to be taken to hospital in a private car.
The wealthy son of twenties racer Baron deTornaco, the young Charles, encouraged by his long-time friend Jacques Swaters, took part in the 1949 Spa 24 Hours with a BMW, and then drove a Veritas in the 1950 event, before helping found Ecurie Belgique.
In truth, he was not a talented driver, but his enthusiasm was such that when the team regrouped as Ecurie Francorchamps in 1952, he remained, racing their Ferrari T500, though his best result that year was a fourth place at Chimay in an HWM.
DeTornaco raced less regularly in 1953, but in practice for the Modena GP he rolled the team's Ferrari, fracturing his skull and breaking his neck.
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