BrancaAquilino Branca and his team were based in Buscate on the outskirts of Milan and for some 20 years built a limited number of cars for Formula Junior and F3. The cars were sometimes named Moretti but since there was a Fiat conversion specialist in Turin with the same name, Branca was often used instead. The company first produced an F3 car in 1952 but owing to the popularity of Formula Junior in Italy a change to this formula was quickly adopted with a front-engined Fiat 1100 engine powered chassis. A change to a rear engined car followed but success was limited against the all conquering Stanguellini cars and the later British models. A switch to sports cars was the next chapter of the Branca story and then in 1964 a new F3 on Brabham lines with a Ford engine was introduced with some success. Branca continued intermittently building F3 cars until 1978 when they withdrew from racing.
Thimgs were quiet for Branca until 1967 when Giancarlo Baghetti won a F3 slipstreamer at Monza. For the first time Branca employed a monocoque chassis and later in the season a wedge shaped body was applied.
During the middle of 1971 a Nova engined car appeared called the Branca 71 and Giovanni Salvati won another race at Monza. Half a dozen drivers used a Branca during 1972 with minor success. That seemed to be almost the end of Branca with only the occasional appearance through to 1978.
During 1974 a 2-litre Lancia engined car finished 6th at a race at Thruxton in August, the car was driven by Bruno Beccaro.
This would seem to be the last of the F3 Brancas. Racing in 1978 it is notable for the slimness of the tub, however this is somewhat negated by the front suspension and the rear radiator being hung well out in the breeze!
Drivers:
1964
Aquilino Branca, Carlo Facetti, Salvatore Giglio, Domenico Lo Coco, Ettore Rovida.
1965
Aquilino Branca, Giancarlo Gagliardi, Domenico Lo Coco.
1966
Giancarlo Baghetti, Ernesto Brambilla, Giancarlo Gagliardi.
1967
Scott Anderson, Giancarlo Baghetti, Lella Lombardi, Manfred Möhr, Luciano Pavesi.
1968
Enzo Corti, Carlo Franchi, Franco Galli, Lella Lombardi, Aldo Maggi, Luciano Pavesi, Giorgio Pianta, Pino Pica, Pier-Giorgio Provolo.
1970
Aldo Maggi.
1971
Aldo Maggi, Luciano Pavesi, Giovanni Salvati.
1972
Bergami, Aldo Maggi, Gaudenzio Mantova, Renzo Zorzi.
1974
Bruno Beccaro.
1976
Bruno Beccaro.
1978
Bozzetto
CLASSIC F3