The Silvio Moser Racing Team was a Swiss privateer Formula One outfit founded and led by Swiss racer Silvio Moser. Operating intermittently between 1966 and 1971, the team primarily entered races under Moser's own banner with Brabham chassis before ambitiously commissioning and racing a bespoke Bellasi-designed car in 1970. Based in Lugano, Switzerland, the team epitomized the determination and spirit of gentleman racers who combined personal passion with engineering ingenuity to compete on the world stage.
Origins and Brabham Era[]
Silvio Moser first appeared in Formula One at the 1966 German Grand Prix, entering a Brabham BT16 under his own name. Though he qualified, he did not start the race. In 1967–68, he raced Cooper and Brabham machinery for Charles Vögele’s team, gradually honing his reputation in Formula One circles. By 1969, Moser established his own team, backed by Aldo Sonvico and Aldo Pessina, purchasing a Brabham BT24 powered by a Cosworth DFV engine. Throughout the 1969 season, he secured retirements and podium-worthy finishes—including seventh at the French GP and sixth at the USA GP, scoring the team’s first two championship points.
Bellasi Project[]
In pursuit of greater independence, Moser commissioned Italian engineer Guglielmo Bellasi to design a fully bespoke Formula One car for 1970. Built around a riveted aluminium monocoque and incorporating components from Moser’s former Brabham BT24, the vehicle—simply called the Bellasi F1‑70—used a Cosworth DFV engine and Goodyear tyres. Despite its engineering ambition, the Bellasi rarely made the grid: it failed to qualify at the Dutch, French, British, and German Grands Prix, finally starting only at the Austrian Grand Prix, where it retired after 13 laps due to radiator failure. It also failed to qualify at Monza and would appear once more in the non-championship 1971 Argentine Grand Prix under the Jolly Club banner before being retired.
Final Years and Legacy[]
Following the Bellasi’s unsuccessful campaign, Moser returned to Formula Two and briefly raced a Bellasi under Jolly Club entries in 1971 before refocusing on sports car and F2 competition. He continued racing into the mid-1970s, planning a comeback to F1 with a Brabham BT42, but a serious accident at Monza in 1974 led to his untimely death.
Despite scoring only three career points in F1 and failing to achieve major success with the Bellasi, the Silvio Moser Racing Team remains a testament to personal resolve and the entrepreneurial spirit of independent privateers during Formula One’s transitional era. Their story highlights both the technical challenges and the adventurous drive of individuals who sought to build and race cars they financed themselves—leaving behind a distinctive, if imperfect, legacy in motorsport history.
Team Names[]
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Silvio Moser |
| 1969–1970 | Silvio Moser Racing Team |
Complete Results[]
| Cars | Engines | Tyre | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
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| 1966 | 
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| Brabham BT16 | Ford Cosworth SCA L4 1.0 | D |  Silvio Moser
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DNS[1] | ||||||||||||
| 1969 | 
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| Brabham BT24 | Ford Cosworth DFV V8 3.0 | G | Silvio Moser
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Ret | Ret | 7th | Ret | Ret | 6th | 11th | ||||||
| 1970 |
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| Bellasi F1 70 | Ford Cosworth DFV V8 3.0 | G | Silvio Moser
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DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | ||||||||
Notes[]
- ↑ Classified as Formula Two.