Jean-Paul Libert is gone

Jean-Paul Libert was one of those motorsport personalities who we imagine to last. The man, despite serious setbacks in life, did not seem affected by the wear and tear of time or changing fashions. A conversation of just a few minutes with him was enough to guarantee a long life for motorsport, as he was teeming with ideas and launched a multitude of projects every week. Unconditional fan of 24 Hours of Le Mans since he devoured Michel Vaillant as a child, it was in the Le Mans race that he revealed himself through a work at the end of his university studies. The tone was set. Jean-Paul returned to Sarthe a dozen times in a fireproof suit with very creative operations.

It is also thanks to his unwavering enthusiasm, his ability to move mountains and budgets, that Thierry Boutsen entered into Formula 1. An operation that the Belgian relaunched a few years later for Paul Belmondo. The list of drivers and sponsors he helped cross paths with is incredibly long, spanning more than two decades. Better still: she goes from F1 to Indianapolis via Le Mans, the Dakar, the 24 Hours of Spa and a multitude of prestigious races where her constantly boiling spirit always found something to express itself.

As is often the case when a 'monument' disappears, we become aware of the importance of the work he accomplished, of the impossible challenges he took on. Jean-Paul Libert was one of those characters from another era who will be missed for a long time. To his family, AutoHebdo presents its heartfelt condolences.