Florian Camathias was born in Wittenbach (San Gallo), Switzerland, and was one of the World's leading sidecar racers. He started off as a motorcycle mechanic and in 1945 opened a motorcycle showroom in Veytaux, near Montreaux (Suisse). He took part in his first motorcycle races that year riding a solo and finishing 3rd in the 500cc class at Losanna. In 1953 he decided to try sidecar racing achieved his first race win, and by the following year saw him driving for Gilera, winning in Barcelona and finishing 7th in the World Championships. By 1955, he was on a BMW, winning the French GP and winning the Swiss Championship. He came 5th in the 1956 World Championship. 1958 saw him take his first GP win at Assen, Holland. With Hilmar Cecco in the chair he managed runner-up position in the Sidecar Chamionship of GB. Repeating his achievements in 1959, and in 1960 he was the Swiss and British Champion and finished 5th in the World Championship.In 1961 his passenger was killed at Modena, and he cut back on his racing.1963 saw him win his one and only TT race - one of his proudest moments.1964 saw him try a Gilera outfit again but he soon returned to his BMW, and in 1965 won the French GP again.On 10 October that year he crashed at Clearways Bend at Brands Hatch, and was killed - and he failed to achieve his foremost ambition, the Sidecar World Championship.
Florian Camathias was born in Wittenbach (San Gallo), Switzerland, and was one of the World's leading sidecar racers. He started off as a motorcycle mechanic and in 1945 opened a motorcycle showroom in Veytaux, near Montreaux (Suisse). He took part in his first motorcycle races that year riding a solo and finishing 3rd in the 500cc class at Losanna. In 1953 he decided to try sidecar racing achieved his first race win, and by the following year saw him driving for Gilera, winning in Barcelona and finishing 7th in the World Championships. By 1955, he was on a BMW, winning the French GP and winning the Swiss Championship. He came 5th in the 1956 World Championship. 1958 saw him take his first GP win at Assen, Holland. With Hilmar Cecco in the chair he managed runner-up position in the Sidecar Chamionship of GB. Repeating his achievements in 1959, and in 1960 he was the Swiss and British Champion and finished 5th in the World Championship.In 1961 his passenger was killed at Modena, and he cut back on his racing.1963 saw him win his one and only TT race - one of his proudest moments.1964 saw him try a Gilera outfit again but he soon returned to his BMW, and in 1965 won the French GP again.On 10 October that year he crashed at Clearways Bend at Brands Hatch, and was killed - and he failed to achieve his foremost ambition, the Sidecar World Championship.
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