Jean-Marie Balestre (April 9, 1921 – March 27, 2008) was president of FISA from 1979 to 1991 and of the FIA from 1986 to 1993. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA was the governing body for Motor racing events Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar)

During World War II, Balestre was a member of the French SS but later claimed to have been an undercover agent for the French Resistance^[1], although the details of his activities during World War II are, in fact, unknown. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German After the war he established with Robert Hersant a successful French automobile magazine called Auto journal. Robert Hersant ( Vertou, 30 January 1920 &ndash Saint-Cloud, 21 April 1996 was a French Newspaper magnate with Right-wing political He was a founding member of the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile, a French national motorsport organization, in 1950, and in 1961 became the first president of the International Karting Commission of the FIA. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Commission Internationale de Karting ( CIK or CIK-FIA) is the primary international sactioning body for Kart racing. He was elected president of the FFSA in 1973 and president of the FIA's International Sporting Commission in 1978. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) He was instrumental in transforming the International Sporting Commission into the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) in 1979. The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA was the governing body for Motor racing events Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar)

Balestre 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. The FISA-FOCA war was a political battle contested throughout the early 1980s by the two representative organizations in Formula One motor racing the Fédération Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Balestre and his opponent, Bernie Ecclestone, settled the dispute after Enzo Ferrari brokered a compromise. Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930 near Bungay Suffolk, England) is the president and CEO of Enzo Anselmo "the Commendatore" Ferrari ( February 20, 1898 &ndash August 14, 1988) was an Italian car driver and entrepreneur 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. The Concorde Agreement is a contract between the FIA, the Formula One teams and Formula One Administration which dictates the terms by which

Balestre is credited with establishing specific crash test requirements for Formula One cars, significantly improving the safety of the sport. A crash test is a form of Destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in Crashworthiness and He was also a key proponent of the switch to naturally aspirated engines in 1989, also arguing that such a move was essential for safety reasons. A naturally-aspirated engine or normally-aspirated engine (or "N/A" - Aspiration meaning breathing refers to an Internal combustion engine Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) However, Balestre has also been accused of using his power for more than it was intended. In 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 favor of Prost, as Senna was disqualified from race victory, fined, and suspended. Ayrton Senna da Silva ( pronounced, March 21, 1960 &ndash May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver and triple Alain Marie Pascal Prost, OBE (born 24 February 1955 is a French racing driver Autosport is the title of a weekly Magazine covering Motorsport, published in the United This ultimately led to Max Mosley's decision to run for the FISA presidency. Max Rufus Mosley (born 13 April 1940 is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA a non-profit association that represents the interests of However, when Senna deliberately rammed Prost in 1990 at the same Suzuka circuit, Balestre did not intervene or sanction the Brazilian.

Balestre was elected as president of the FIA, while remaining president of FISA, in 1986. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) He 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. Max Rufus Mosley (born 13 April 1940 is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA a non-profit association that represents the interests of Facing certain defeat in the re-election to the FIA presidency in October of 1993, Balestre elected to stand down, and proposed that FISA be abolished and Mosley replace him as president of the FIA. Balestre maintained the presidency of the FFSA until the end of 1996.

In 1968 for his services to France during the war Balestre received the Legion d'Honneur^[2].

Balestre died on March 27, 2008, aged 86. ^[3][4]

References

Sporting positions
Preceded by ?	President of the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile 1979 - 1991	Succeeded by none, position abolished
Preceded by none, position established	President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile 1986 - 1993	Succeeded by Max Mosley

The Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA was the governing body for Motor racing events Max Rufus Mosley (born 13 April 1940 is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA a non-profit association that represents the interests of

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