About Marcel Balsa
Lived 1909 – 1984 (aged 74–75). Marcel Balsa was a French racing automobile driver and formula One driver.
Emanuel Marcel Lucien Balsa (January 1, 1909 – August 11, 1984) was a French racing driver.
Balsa started in racing after World War II, when he acquired a Bugatti Type 51 and became quite competitive in the French national events. He later built a BMW-engined Formula 2 car, and had a good reputation, until he tried a Jicey-BMW developed by Jean Caillas. With it he finished third in the Grand Prix of Cadours, the same event where fellow racer Raymond Sommer was killed. He returned to his previous race car and in 1952 raced in the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, only to retire after six laps. In 1953 he won a race at Montlhery but then faded from the racing scene.
Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points 1952 Marcel Balsa BMW Special BMW Straight-6 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA NC 0
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Important facts
People in Marcel Balsa's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Marcel Balsa's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Marcel Balsa?
racecar driver
When was Marcel Balsa born?
Marcel Balsa was born in 1909 in Saint-Frion.
When did Marcel Balsa die?
Marcel Balsa died on 11 August 1984 in Maisons-Alfort.
What was Marcel Balsa's occupation?
Marcel Balsa was a racing automobile driver and formula One driver.
What nationality was Marcel Balsa?
Marcel Balsa was French.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Marcel Balsa. https://biography.guide/marcel-balsa/
MLA: "Marcel Balsa." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/marcel-balsa/.
Chicago: "Marcel Balsa." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/marcel-balsa/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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