Gérard Crombac
Encyclopedia
Gérard "Jabby" Crombac was a Swiss auto-racing journalist.
In 1954 he purchased the Lotus Mk4
owned by Lotus founder Colin Chapman
and began racing with this car. While this was the beginning 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
, while working for Prisunic. With Lucas, he founded the magazine Sport-Auto magazine in 1962 and was chief editor until 1989.
Crombac shared an apartment in Paris with racer Jim Clark
when Clark officially lived in Switzerland for tax reasons.
Crombac and his wife Catherine had a son who was named Colin James in honour of his close friends Colin Chapman
and Jim Clark
.
His biography of Chapman, "Colin Chapman:The Man and His Cars", was published in 1986.
He died in a hospice
in Paris
on November 18, 2005 after a long fight against cancer
. His funeral was held on November 28, 2005 at the Crematorium in Père Lachaise Cemetery
in Paris
. In August 2007 his ashes were scattered in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez
in accordance with his wishes.
In 1954 he purchased the Lotus Mk4
Lotus Mk4
Lotus Mark IV was a trials car by Colin Chapman built on a Austin 7 chassis. Chapman’s success at building trials cars brought another previous customer, Mike Lawson, to order a second trials car in 1952 to replace his Lotus Mark II, in which he won the Wrotham Cup...
owned by Lotus founder Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
and began racing with this car. While this was the beginning 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
Jo Schlesser
Joseph Schlesser was a Formula One and sports car racing driver from France. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix, including the 1968 French Grand Prix in which he was killed...
in association with Jean Lucas
Jean Lucas
Jean Lucas was a racing driver from France. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 11 September 1955. Lucas was then manager of the Gordini team, and when regular driver Robert Manzon was unable to race, he stepped in to take his place...
, while working for Prisunic. With Lucas, he founded the magazine Sport-Auto magazine in 1962 and was chief editor until 1989.
Crombac shared an apartment in Paris with racer Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
when Clark officially lived in Switzerland for tax reasons.
Crombac and his wife Catherine had a son who was named Colin James in honour of his close friends Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
and Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
.
His biography of Chapman, "Colin Chapman:The Man and His Cars", was published in 1986.
He died in a hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on November 18, 2005 after a long fight against cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. His funeral was held on November 28, 2005 at the Crematorium in Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In August 2007 his ashes were scattered in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez is a town, 104 km to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez....
in accordance with his wishes.