Belgian former Formula 1 driver Jacques Swaters has died at the age of 84.
Born in Brussels in 1926, Swaters began his racing career in the 1948 Spa 24 hours, sharing an MG with Paul Frere. He made his Formula 1 debut at the Nurburgring for the 1951 German Grand Prix, standing in for the injured Andre Pillete in the Ecurie Belgique – a team Swaters helped to create.
He took part in six more grands prix, with a best result of seventh, again at the Nurburgring two years later.
Swaters was more successful for the team in sports cars when he finished fourth at Le Mans and third at Reims in 1954, driving a C-Type Jaguar.
He finished third at La Sarthe a year later, in the fateful 1955 race, having decided to concentrate on endurance racing. He was also a co-founder of the famous Ecurie Francorchamps team, and ran a Ferrari business, having been a close friend of Enzo Ferrari.