Torsten Palm (born 23 July 1947) is a former Swedish racing driver whose career spanned rallying, Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula One. Renowned for his versatility and speed, Palm enjoyed success across multiple disciplines, becoming a two-time Swedish Formula 3 Champion before reaching the pinnacle of motorsport in Formula One.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Birthplace | Kristinehamn, Sweden |
| Born | 23 July 1947 |
| First Grand Prix | 1975 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1975 Swedish Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1975 |
| Current/Last Team | Hesketh |
Early Career
The younger brother of legendary rally co-driver Gunnar Palm, Torsten first made his mark in rallying, competing as a co-driver himself. In 1967, he partnered Finnish driver Simo Lampinen to an impressive second-place finish in the Swedish Rally, demonstrating his talent long before focusing on circuit racing.
Formula 3 & Formula 2
Palm switched his attention to single-seater racing in 1969, making his Formula 3 debut and immediately establishing himself as one of Sweden’s brightest prospects. He finished runner-up in the Swedish Formula 3 Championship behind fellow rising star Ronnie Peterson before claiming back-to-back championship titles in 1970 and 1971.
His success earned him a move into the European Formula 2 Championship, where he continued to impress. In 1973, driving a Surtees, Palm set a new lap record at the Karlskoga circuit in Sweden in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators. He finished third in the race, while Ronnie Peterson came home fifth. Palm’s benchmark proved remarkable, remaining unbeaten until the circuit was rebuilt later in the decade.
Formula One
Backed by Polar Caravans, Palm stepped up to Formula One in 1975 with the Hesketh team. His Grand Prix debut came at Monaco, where he was unable to qualify for the race.
He returned for his home event, the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp, successfully qualifying for the race and finishing in 10th place. Although his Formula One career consisted of just two race weekends, reaching the sport’s highest level capped an already distinguished racing career.
Life After Racing
After retiring from professional competition, Palm remained involved in the automotive industry. Between 1993 and 2003, he owned and operated Torsten Palm Bil AB, a successful car dealership that served as an official Ferrari representative for three years, combining his passion for performance cars with a successful business career.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 2 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 21st |
| Best Race Finish | – |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 2 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Hesketh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 0 | NC |
