1. From 1978 to 1991, Balestre served as president of the Federation Internationale du Sport Automobile ; from 1985 to 1993, he served as president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile.
27 Facts About Jean-Marie Balestre
1. 2.
Jean-Marie Balestre was a member of the Schutzstaffel during World War II, reportedly in an undercover role for the French Resistance, receiving the Legion of Honour for services to France in 1968.
3.
Jean-Marie Balestre became a founding member of the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile in 1950, and was elected as the inaugural president of the Commission Internationale de Karting in 1962.
4.
Jean-Marie Balestre was replaced as president of FISA after losing a leadership election to Max Mosley, and resigned as FIA president in 1993.
5.
Jean-Marie Balestre remained president of the FFSA until 1996, when he retired from administration.
6.
Jean-Marie Balestre is credited with several major safety reforms in motorsport, including the implementation of crash testing and naturally aspirated engines in Formula One, as well as the decision to ban Group B in the World Rally Championship.
7.
Jean-Marie Balestre faced allegations of abusing his power to favour Alain Prost at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, following his title-deciding collision with Ayrton Senna; he did not intervene the following season, this time favouring Senna.
8.
Jean-Marie Balestre studied law in Paris, and afterwards worked as a journalist on a number of publications.
9.
Jean-Marie Balestre was a member of the French Nazi division of the SS.
10.
When photographs began to circulate of Jean-Marie Balestre wearing a German uniform, he took unsuccessful legal action to suppress their publication.
11.
Jean-Marie Balestre later claimed to have been an undercover agent for the French Resistance, and received the Legion of Honour for service to France in 1968.
12.
Jean-Marie Balestre continued to work with Hersant as he expanded his publishing operations, which made Balestre wealthy.
13.
Jean-Marie Balestre was a founding member of the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile, a French national motorsport organization, in 1950, and in 1962 became the first president of the Commission Internationale de Karting.
14.
Jean-Marie Balestre was elected president of the FFSA in 1973 and president of the FIA's International Sporting Commission in 1978.
15.
Jean-Marie Balestre was instrumental in transforming the International Sporting Commission into the Federation Internationale du Sport Automobile in 1978, winning the election by 29 votes to 11 over Tom Binford.
16.
Jean-Marie Balestre signed the first Concorde Agreement, under which FOCA was granted the commercial rights to Formula One while the FIA retained control of all sporting and technical regulations.
17.
In 1986, a few hours after the death of Henri Toivonen and Sergio Cresto in a crash, Balestre announced the unilateral decision of FISA to ban Group B rallying in favour of the slower, less technically advanced Group A Despite this decision, WRC driver fatalities peaked in 1989.
18.
Jean-Marie Balestre is credited with establishing specific crash test requirements for Formula One cars, significantly improving the safety of the sport.
19.
Jean-Marie Balestre was a key proponent of the switch to naturally aspirated engines in 1989, arguing that such a move was essential for safety reasons.
20.
However, Jean-Marie Balestre has been accused of using his power for more than it was intended.
21.
In 1989, after Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost collided at Suzuka, there were implications in Autosport magazine that Jean-Marie Balestre was involved in manipulating the World Championship in favour of Prost, as Senna would be disqualified from the race, fined, and suspended.
22.
Senna fell out with Jean-Marie Balestre, who threatened to revoke his super license but was included on the 1990 entry list.
23.
However, when Senna collided with Prost in 1990 at the same circuit, Jean-Marie Balestre did not intervene or sanction the Brazilian.
24.
Years later, after leaving the presidency of FIA, Jean-Marie Balestre admitted to having acted to benefit Prost in 1989.
25.
Jean-Marie Balestre was elected as president of the FIA, while remaining president of FISA, in 1986.
26.
Jean-Marie Balestre was replaced as president of FISA in 1991 when he lost the election to Max Mosley in October by a vote of 43 to 29.
27.
Jean-Marie Balestre maintained the presidency of the FFSA until the end of 1996.