Gérard Crombac

{{Short description|Swiss motorsport journalist (1929–2005)}} {{Infobox person | name = Gérard Crombac | image = Gérard_Crombac.jpg | alt =  | caption = Crombac at the [[1976 Monaco Grand Prix]] | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|3|7|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Zurich]], Switzerland | death_date = {{Death date and age|2005|11|18|1929|3|7|df=y}} | death_place = [[Paris]], France | other_names = Jabby | occupation = {{ubl|Journalist|Author}} | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }}

'''Gérard''' "'''Jabby'''" '''Crombac''' (7 March 1929, Zurich – 18 November 2005, Paris) was a Swiss auto-racing journalist and author.

==Biography== In 1954 Crombac bought the [[Lotus Mark VI]] previously owned by Lotus founder [[Colin Chapman]] and began racing with this car. While this marked the start of a long friendship with Chapman, Crombac realised he was not racing driver material, and stood down in 1958.

In 1959 he began managing the interests of [[Jo Schlesser]] in association with [[Jean Lucas (racing driver)|Jean Lucas]], while working for French discount retailer [[Prisunic]].

In 1962, after leaving Prisunic, Crombac partnered with Lucas to found the French magazine ''[[Sport auto (France)|Sport Auto]]'', where he was chief editor until 1989. In 1973 he and a ''Sport Auto'' team composed of [[Thierry Lalande]], [[Luc Melua]] and [[Jean-Louis Moncet]], assembled a kitcar in one week-end.<ref name="sa-feb1973"/>

He shared an apartment in Paris with racer [[Jim Clark]] during the time that Clark listed his official residence as Switzerland for tax purposes.

In 2001, Crombac launched a new magazine called ''Formula 1 Magazine'' (renamed ''F1i Magazine'' in 2003) with [[Pierre van Vliet]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nos différents abonnements à F1i Magazine |url=https://f1i.autojournal.fr/abonnements/ |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=f1i.autojournal.fr |language=fr-FR}}</ref> During five years, he had several columns on racing history. He wrote his last one for the November 2005 issue, called ''[[wiktionary:filer à l'anglaise|Filer à l'anglaise]]''.

Crombac and his wife Catherine had a son, who was named Colin James in honour of close friends Chapman and Clark.

Crombac died from cancer in a hospice in Paris on 18 November 2005. His funeral was held on 28 November 2005 at the Crematorium in [[Père Lachaise Cemetery]] in Paris. It was attended by three-time Formula One champion [[Jackie Stewart]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-11-07 |title= En souvenir de Gérard Crombac fondateur du magazine 'Sport Auto' | first = Gilles | last = Gaignault | url=http://www.autonewsinfo.com/2007/11/07/en-souvenir-de-gerard-crombac-fondateur-du-magazine-sport-auto-5604.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201026235725/http://www.autonewsinfo.com/2007/11/07/en-souvenir-de-gerard-crombac-fondateur-du-magazine-sport-auto-5604.html | archive-date=2020-10-26 |website=Autonewsinfo |language=fr-FR}}</ref> In August 2007, in accordance with his wishes, his ashes were scattered in the Gulf of [[Saint-Tropez]], where he lived during his last few years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=Après la disparition de Gérard Crombac |url=http://www.autonewsinfo.com/2007/11/07/apres-la-disparition-de-gerard-crombac-2-3421.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Autonewsinfo |language=fr-FR}}</ref>

==Publications== ===Biography/autobiography=== * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=1 December 1986 |title=Colin Chapman: The Man and His Cars |publisher=Patrick Stephens Limited |isbn=978-0850597332}} * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=14 December 2007 |title=En Première Ligne — Mes 578 Grands Prix de Formule 1 |trans-title=On the front line — My 578 Formula 1 Grands Prix |language=fr |publisher=Editions Anthèse |isbn=978-2912257369 }}

===Racing and racing cars=== * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=1 January 1989 |title=Turbine Grand Prix |publisher=Automobilia |isbn=978-8885880023}} * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=1 May 2001 |title=Les années Clark 1956-1965 |publisher=Editions Techniques pour l'Automobile et l'Industrie |isbn=978-2726884645}} * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=1 June 1999 |title=50 Ans de Formule 1 : Tome 1, Les années Fangio |publisher=Editions Techniques pour l'Automobile et l'Industrie |isbn=978-2726883365 }} * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=January 1, 1973 |title=Cars in Profile No. 10: Matra MS80 |publisher=Profile Publications }}

===Road cars=== * {{cite book |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |title=Lotus Esprit |year=1991 |publisher=Automobilia |isbn=978-8885880375 }}

==References== <references>

<ref name="sa-feb1973">{{cite magazine |last=Crombac |first=Gérard |date=February 1973 |title=Nous Avons Monte Un Fun-Car Liberta-Simca Pour 7500 Fr En Un Week-end |trans-title=We built a Liberta-Simca kitcar for 7500 Francs in one weekend |language=fr |url=http://boursinp.free.fr/bonus/kitcar/meanlib.htm |magazine=[[Sport Auto]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref>

</references>

==External links== * {{cite web |last=Tremayne |first=David |url=https://www.grandprix.com/features/david-tremayne/an-appreciation-jabby-crombac.html |title=An Appreciation — Jabby Crombac |date=18 November 2005 |access-date=9 June 2020 }} * {{cite web |url=https://www.grandprix.com/people/jabby-crombac.html |title=People — Jabby Crombac |author= |website=grandprix.com }} * {{cite web |url=http://www.crombac.com/index.html |title=Site Officiel de Jabby Crombac |trans-title=Jabby Crombac's Official Site |author= |website=Jabby Crombac |language=fr }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crombac, Gerard}} [[Category:1929 births]] [[Category:2005 deaths]] [[Category:Motoring journalists]] [[Category:Formula One journalists and reporters]] [[Category:Swiss motorsport people]]