Jean-François Baldé Twenty years of career and podia …
Jean-François Baldé is one of those riders that we all know by name but of whom we don’t exactly know what he accomplished through the years.
He was born in Mulhouse and rode 200 Grand Prix of which he won five and ended 26 times on the podium. He became vice world champion in the 250cc category behind the German Aton Mang and finished three times third in the 350cc World Championship. A category where he got very close to winning the title in 1982.
Jean-François may have been born in Mulhouse, at the age of 13 he ends up in Hyères. In the afternoon sun his passion for motorcycles germinates and five years later he rides his first race. On his Suzuki 250, he gets noticed by Guignabodet, an important dealer at the coast who decides to support him. It’s mainly in endurance that he makes his mark. In 1976 he enters the G.P. with a Yamaha TZ and it’s there that Kawasaki catches sight of him. Along with Anton Mang and Kork Ballington he becomes the battle horse of the green team. In 1980 he finishes 3rd in the quart litre category behind his two team mates. Although he finds his way to the podium by now, he doesn’t succeed in reaching the highest step. At the beginning of the ’81 season he succeeds : he wins the G.P. of Argentina!
Afterwards he repeats that success in France, Great-Britain, Holland and South-Africa. 1981 and 1982 are the best seasons of his career. He fights a harsh battle for both 250 and 350 titles. 1983 on the other hand is a black year. He rides in the team of Alain Chevallier and takes his first victory of the season in South-Africa, in front of his team mate Didier de Radiguès, but he crashes badly later on in the season and tears the ligaments of his knee.
At his return he participates at the « Pernod » adventure, a 250cc entirely developed and built in France. But despite his eagerness and good steering skills, he isn’t as successful as before and in 1989, at the age of 39, he decides to put an end to his racing career. He doesn’t leave the scene though and works as a consultant for the G.P. broadcasts on different television stations for many years.
As you can see, the warm hearted and very accessible
Jean-François Baldé really belongs at the Bikers’Classics that’ll take place on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of July.
Information: www.bikersclassics.be
Tickets with discount: www.tickets4sale.eu
