Gianfranco Brancatelli


Gianfranco Brancatelli is a former racing driver from Italy.

Career

Brancatelli's racing career began in 1973, in the Formula Abarth series. In 1975, he advanced to Italian Formula 3 racing. Brancatelli entered 3 Formula One Grands Prix in 1979 with Kauhsen and Merzario.
After his departure from Formula 1, Brancatelli went on to race in several Touring Car series, with some success. He would finish 4th in the [European Touring Cars|Touring Car Championship|1984 European Touring Car Championship] driving a BMW 635 CSi for Eggenberger Motorsport. For the 1985 ETCC, Eggenberger switched to the turbocharged Volvo 240T, and along with Swedish driver Thomas Lindström, Brancatelli became the European Touring Car Champion, winning six out of fourteen races, along with three 2nd places and two 3rd places.
In 1986, Brancatelli switched to Tom Walkinshaw Racing where he drove a Rover Vitesse in the 1986 FIA International Touring Car Championship, but dropped to 12th in the standings winning only once at Andestorp. In 1987, he would again switch teams, driving a BMW M3 for Italian outfit CiBiemme Sport in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship where he partnered another former Formula One driver Johnny Cecotto to win the 500 km de Bourgogne at Dijon-Prenois. He finished eighth in the WTCC while finishing fifth in the 1987 ETCC, also for CiBiemme, winning twice at Estoril and Zolder.
The 1988 ETCC saw Brancatelli on the move again, this time going back to Eggenberger Motorsport where he would serve as a driver in the team's 3rd Texaco Ford Sierra RS500 in a number of rounds. Brancatelli would also win the 1988 Italian Touring Car Championship driving a privately Jolly Club entered Alfa Romeo 75.
Other than his success in the 1985 ETCC, arguably Brancatelli's biggest wins in touring car racing were the 1985 Guia Race of Macau driving a Volvo 240T, and the 1989 Spa 24 Hours driving an Eggenberger Ford Sierra RS500 along with Bernd Schneider and Win Percy. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Brancatelli also travelled to Australia to drive in the Bathurst 1000 touring car race, though success would generally elude him. His best finish was in the 1987 WTCC round, the 1987 James Hardie 1000 where he and Johnny Cecotto would finish seventh outright and 3rd in class, though as they were the first registered WTCC drivers to finish the race they would receive top points for the round. His three other races at Bathurst in 1989, 1990 and 1991 would result in two failed to finish and one disqualification due to a technical infringement.
Brancatelli also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on five occasions. His best finish was second place in the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Sauber C9 for Team Sauber Mercedes, co-driving with ex-Formula One drivers Mauro Baldi and Kenny Acheson. His four other races at Le Mans all saw him fail to finish the race.
Brancatelli would continue racing until his retirement in the late 1990s.

Racing record

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011DCPts
1987CiBiEmme SportBMW M3MNZJAR
ovr:8
cls:6		DIJ
ovr:1
cls:1		NÜR
Ret		SPA
Ret		BRN
ovr:5
cls:3		SIL
Ret		BAT
ovr:7
cls:3		CLD
ovr:4
cls:2		WEL
Ret		FUJ
ovr:6
cls:3		8th158

† Despite finishing 7th outright at Bathurst, as the highest placed registered WTCC car Brancatelli was awarded 1st place points for the round.

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCarClass12345678910111213DCPtsClass
1988Eggenberger MotorsportFord Sierra RS500SILOULTHRDONTHRSILSILBRHSNEBRHBIRDONSIL
ovr:1
cls:1		23rd109th

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

YearTeamCar12345678910111213141516171819202122Pts
1989Ford Motorsport EggenbergerFord Sierra RS 500 CosworthZOL
1
23		ZOL
2
Ret		HOC
1
14		HOC
2
8		NÜR
1
10		NÜR
2
10		MFA
1
11		MFA
2
13		AVU
1
DNS		AVU
2
DNS		NÜR
1
13		NÜR
2
11		NOR
1
11		NOR
2
Ret		HOC
1
9		HOC
2
11		DIE
1
5		DIE
2
2		NÜR
1
11		NÜR
2
10		HOC
1
4		HOC
2
9		9th162