Gerard ‘Jabby' Crombac (b.1929 - d.2005)

Gerard Crombac – universally known by his nickname ‘Jabby’ - was proudly Swiss-born in Zurich.  In1949 he hitch-hiked from Switzerland to Silverstone such was his passion for motor sport. In 1954 he purchased a Lotus 6 from the founder of Lotus Cars, Colin Chapman, which he then raced at many European circuits. He became a great friend of Chapman, and always privy to ‘inside’ information on Lotus. In 1962 Crombac founded ‘Sport Auto’ magazine in France, which assumed great stature as the most entertaining, authoritative and highly-respected monthly motor sporting magazine. Very much an insider, Crombac involved himself in organisation at up-to-FIA international governing-body level, and in the promotion and fostering of French ‘schoolroom’ formulae. He was also very much a friend and confidante to the leading racing drivers of his period. Most famously, Crombac shared a Paris apartment with the legendary Scottish World Champion Driver Jim Clark, to whom he was a close friend and trusted advisor. Gérard ‘Jabby’ Crombac was perhaps the most respected International motor-racing photo-journalists of his era. A small collection of his work from 1963-1967 is held within our GP Library Collection, including rare colour work from America’s Indianapolis 500 speedway classic.