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{{short description|French motorsport administrator (1921–2008)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| caption = Balestre {{circa|1985}}
| office1 = President of the ''[[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]]''
| term_start1 = 1985
| term_end1 = 23 October 1993
| predecessor1 = [[Paul Alfons von Metternich-Winneburg]]
| successor1 = [[Max Mosley]]
| office2 = President of the ''[[Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile]]''
| term_start2 = 1978
| term_end2 = 1991
| predecessor2 = [[Pierre Ugeux]]
| successor2 = [[Max Mosley]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|04|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Saint-Rémy-de-Provence]], Bouches-du-Rhône, France
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|03|27|1921|04|09|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Saint-Cloud]], Paris, France
}}
'''Jean-Marie Balestre''' ({{IPA|fr|ʒɑ̃ maʁi balɛstʁ}}; 9 April 1921 – 27 March 2008) was a French [[motorsport]] administrator and [[sports journalism|journalist]]. From 1978 to 1991, Balestre served as president of the ''[[Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile]]'' (FISA); from 1985 to 1993, he also served as president of the ''[[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]]'' (FIA).
During [[World War II]], Balestre is said to have worked as an undercover agent for the [[French Resistance]], although the details of his activities during World War II are, in fact, unknown. After the war he established a successful French automobile magazine called [[Auto journal]]. He was a founding member of the [[Fédération Française du Sport Automobile]], a [[France|French]] national motorsport organization, in [[1950]], and in [[1961]] became the first president of the [[International Karting Commission]] of the FIA. He was elected president of the FFSA in [[1973]] and president of the [[FIA]]'s [[International Sporting Commission]] in [[1978]]. He was instrumental in trasforming the International Sporting Commission into the Federation Internationale de Sport Automobile ([[FISA]]) in [[1979]].▼
Born and raised in [[Saint-Rémy-de-Provence]], Balestre initially studied law before becoming an automotive journalist. He 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. After the war, he worked for [[Robert Hersant]] at ''[[L'Auto-Journal]]''. He became a founding member of the ''[[Fédération Française du Sport Automobile]]'' (FFSA) in 1950, and was elected as the inaugural president of the ''[[Commission Internationale de Karting]]'' (CIK) in 1962. After being elected president of the FFSA in 1973, and the FIA's ''[[FIA#Commissions|International Sporting Commission]]'' (CSI) in 1978, he transformed the latter into FISA that same year.
Jean-Marie was heavily involved in what is colloquially called the [[FISA-FOCA war]], a political battle over finances and control of the [[Formula One]] World Championships between [[1980]] and [[1982]]. Balestre and his opponent, [[Bernie Ecclestone]], settled the dispute after [[Enzo Ferrari]] brokered a compromise. 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.▼
Balestre led FISA through the [[FISA–FOCA war]] with the [[Formula One Constructors' Association]] in the early-1980s. The dispute led to the [[Concorde Agreement]] in 1987, with the FIA—who Balestre had been elected president of in 1987—retaining control of the sporting and technical regulations of [[Formula One]] and FOCA claiming the commercial rights. He was replaced as president of FISA after losing a leadership election to [[Max Mosley]], and resigned as FIA president in 1993. He remained president of the FFSA until 1996, when he retired from administration.
Balestre is credited with establishing specific [[crash test]] requirements for Formula One cars, significantly improving the safety of the sport. He was also a key proponent of the switch to [[naturally aspirated engine]]s in [[1989]], also arguing that such a move was essential for safety reasons.▼
Balestre is credited with several major safety reforms in motorsport, including the implementation of [[crash test]]ing and [[naturally aspirated engines]] in Formula One, as well as the decision to ban [[Group B]] in the [[World Rally Championship]]. He faced allegations of abusing his power to favour [[Alain Prost]] at the [[1989 Japanese Grand Prix]], following his [[Prost-Senna rivalry|title-deciding collision]] with [[Ayrton Senna]]; he did not intervene the [[1990 Japanese Grand Prix|following season]], this time favouring Senna.
Balestre was elected as president of the FIA, while remaining president of FISA, in [[1986]]. He was replaced as president of FISA in 1991, when he lost the election to [[Max Mosley]]. In 1993 the merger of FISA and the FIA saw Max Mosley assume the role of president of the remaining body which retained the FIA name. Balestre maintained the presidency of the FFSA until the end of 1996.▼
==Early life==
{{f1-stub}}▼
Balestre was born at [[Saint-Rémy-de-Provence]], [[Bouches-du-Rhône]]. He studied law in Paris, and afterwards worked as a journalist on a number of publications.<ref name="GObi">{{cite web|title=Obituary: Jean-Marie Balestre|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/mar/31/motorsports.mainsection|work=The Guardian|first=Alan|last=Henry|date=31 March 2008|access-date=30 October 2014}}</ref>
[[Category:Formula One people|Balestre, Jean Marie]]▼
===World War II===
▲[[es:Jean-Marie Balestre]]
Details of Balestre's activities during World War II are unknown. He was a member of the French Nazi division of the [[SS]]. When photographs began to circulate of Balestre wearing a German uniform, he took unsuccessful legal action to suppress their publication. He later claimed to have been an undercover agent for the [[French Resistance]],<ref name="GObi" /><ref name=GPObi>{{cite web|last1=Saward|first1=Joe|title=Jean-Marie Balestre|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20183.html|website=GrandPrix.com|publisher=Inside F1|access-date=30 October 2014|date=28 March 2008}}</ref><ref name=Lovell>{{cite book|last1=Lovell|first1=Terry|title=Bernie Ecclestone - King of Sport|date=2009|publisher=John Blake Publishing|isbn=978-1844548262|page=98}}</ref> and received the [[Legion of Honour]] for service to France in 1968.<ref name="GObi" />
▲[[ro:Jean-Marie Balestre]]
==Career==
▲
In the late 1970s, photographs began to circulate of Balestre wearing a German SS uniform, and he took unsuccessful legal action to suppress their publication.<ref name="GObi" /><ref name=GPObi />
▲
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, [[List of fatal World Rally Championship accidents|WRC driver fatalities]] peaked in 1989.
▲Balestre is credited with establishing specific [[crash test]] requirements for Formula One cars, significantly improving the safety of the sport. He was also a key proponent of the switch to [[naturally aspirated engine]]s in
However, Balestre has also been accused of using his power for more than it was intended. In {{F1|1989}}, after [[Ayrton Senna]] and [[Alain Prost]] collided at Suzuka, there were implications in ''[[Autosport]]'' magazine that Balestre was involved in manipulating the World Championship in favour of Prost, as Senna would be disqualified from the race, fined, and suspended. This ultimately led to [[Max Mosley]]'s decision to run for the FISA presidency.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jean Marie Balestre, 1921-2008 |url=http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/jean-marie-balestre-1921-2008 |publisher=Speed |access-date=March 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411131457/http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/jean-marie-balestre-1921-2008/ |archive-date=April 11, 2008 }}</ref> Senna fell out with Balestre, who threatened to revoke his super license but was included on the 1990 entry list.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former FIA president Balestre dies aged 86|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-racing-balestre-idUKL2801170220080328|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305203235/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-racing-balestre-idUKL2801170220080328|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2016|publisher=Reuters|access-date=March 28, 2008}}</ref> However, when Senna collided with Prost in 1990 at the same circuit, Balestre did not intervene or sanction the Brazilian. Years later, after leaving the presidency of FIA, Balestre admitted to having acted to benefit Prost in 1989.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reali Júnior|first=Elpídio|date=November 6, 1996|title=Balestre admite ter ajudado Prost contra Senna|work=[[O Estado de S. Paulo]]|publisher=|url=http://acervo.estadao.com.br/pagina/#!/19961106-37639-spo-0038-esp-e8-not|access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>
▲Balestre was elected as president of the FIA, while remaining president of FISA, in
==Death==
Balestre died on 27 March 2008, aged 86.<ref>[https://www.lequipe.fr/Formule1/breves2008/20080328_152040Dev.html Balestre est décédé] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826103624/http://www.lequipe.fr/Formule1/breves2008/20080328_152040Dev.html |date=2011-08-26 }}, ''[[L'Équipe]]''. {{in lang|fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66160 | work=Autosport | title=autosport.com - F1 News: Balestre passes away aged 86}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box | before = [[Claude Bourillot]] | title = President of the [[Fédération Française du Sport Automobile]] | years= 1972–1996 | after= [[Jacques Regis]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Pierre Ugeux]] | title = President of the [[Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile]] (FISA) | years= 1978–1991 | after= [[Max Mosley]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Paul Alfons von Metternich-Winneburg|Paul von Metternich]] | title = President of the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] | years= 1985–1993 | after= [[Max Mosley]]}}
{{FIA}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balestre, Jean Marie}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence]]
[[Category:French Waffen-SS personnel]]
[[Category:Auto racing executives]]
[[Category:French motorsport people]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Bouches-du-Rhône]]
[[Category:FIA people]]
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