Florian Camathias (23 March 1924 – 10 October 1965) was a Swiss professional Grand Prix motorcycle and sidecar racer.
Born in Wittenbach, St. Gallen in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland, Camathias owned a garage Veytaux, near Montreux.
Race career Camathias began his motorcycle racing career in 1945. Camathias placed fifth in the World Sidecar Championship in 1956. In 1957, he entered his first Isle of Man TT, finishing in ninth place in the Lightweight 250 event on an NSU solo motorcycle, and in third place in the Sidecar TT driving a BMW.
Camathias won his first Grand Prix victory in the 1958 Dutch TT at Assen. He also finished as runner-up position in the British Sidecar Championship. Repeating the achievements in 1959, he was Swiss and British Champion in 1960 and once again finished fifth in the World Championship.
Camathias crashed in the 1962 Sidecar TT,TT '78, The Isle of Man TT Story, p.13 Accessed 16 December 2015 a race won by English racer Chris Vincent with a BSA-engined outfit.Sixty Years of Speed, 1967, p.35 Accessed 16 December 2015 Camathias won his one and only TT at the 1963 races.
Camathias was a renowned engine builder associated with the desirable BMW RS54 Rennsport overhead camshaft competition engine, and began an association with English sidecar racer Colin Seeley, who used Camathias' engine for the 1964 Sidecar TT, placing third on a machine he dubbed as FCSB — Florian Camathias Special 'B''',Sixty Years of Speed, 1967, p.57 Accessed 16 December 2015 whilst Camathias finished 15th in the same race using a Gilera engine.1964 Sidecar TT Results IoM TT database. Retrieved 15 December 2015
Death Camathias died after crashing during a race at Brands Hatch, Kent, England, on 10 October 1965.England and Wales death records Retrieved 12 December 2015 His passenger, Franz Ducret, was injured but recovered in West Hill Hospital, Dartford, Kent.Motor Cycle, 28 October 1965. p.627. Making good progress Accessed 12 December 2015
An inquest, presided over by Coroner for North Kent, Col. W.H. Harris, found that the crash was caused by welding failure where a front-fork tube had broken-away, and recorded a verdict of misadventure. Around 1,000 people attended the funeral with many from the motorcycle and car racing fraternity.Motor Cycle, 28 October 1965. p.633. Welding failure Accessed 12 December 2015
Legacy A European sidecar classic racing series was established named Camathias Cup Championship'' with classes for two engine capacities, under 750 cc and over 750 cc, with winners decided on the overall highest points score in each class. In 2015, 45 teams participated achieving full grids in five countries, including a 2-race short road-course event on the Billown Circuit at the Pre-TT races,Pre-TT Classic Road races Southern 100 Motorcycle Racing. Retrieved 13 December 2015 part the Isle of Man race festival.Camathias Cup News and Results 2015 . Retrieved 12 December 2015
Family connections Camathias was the uncle to Romeo Camathias, a car racer born in 1947, whose son Joël Camathias is also a car racer.The Family (connections) Joel Camathias.com Retrieved 13 December 2015
References
External links Florian Camathias Family connection at Joël Camathias' website Camathias Cup homepage