Frank Coppuck
Encyclopedia
Frank Coppuck is a British engineer and racing car designer, who helped design the Pacific PR01
and PR02
Formula One
cars.
The son of Formula One engineer Gordon Coppuck
, Frank was born before his father began working in motor racing. After graduating from Kingston Polytechnic
with a Bachelor of Science
in mechanical and aeronautical engineering he went to work for the Royal Aircraft Establishment
at Farnborough. In 1979 he moved to British Aerospace
at Weybridge, working on aircraft wing design and composites engineering.
His motor racing career did not start until 1985 when he was hired to join the FORCE Lola team at Colnbrook. When that team closed down in 1986 he moved to Tyrrell Racing
, as a composites and race engineer. After a brief spell with the March
Alfa Romeo
Indycar
program he moved to Team Lotus
following the departure of chief designer Mike Coughlan
. This coincided with the takeover of the team by Peter Collins and Peter Wright, and Coppuck was involved in the design of the team's aborted Lotus 103 car, and in revamping the Lotus 102
design.
At the end of 1991 he moved to the United States where he worked in CART with Dick Simon Racing. Later that year he returned to Britain and became technical director of TOM'S GB, working with John Barnard
on the design of a secret Formula One car. When Toyota decided not to enter, Coppuck joined Pacific Grand Prix
as chief designer for the Pacific PR02. After Pacific closed its doors at the end of the 1995 season Coppuck moved to Benetton
but stayed only a year before going back to TOM'S GB. He then moved on to McLaren
where he was in charge of the McLaren GT program.
Pacific PR01
The Pacific PR01 is a Formula One car, designed by Paul Brown for the 1993 season. However, due to financial problems, it did not race until 1994.- Name and Livery :...
and PR02
Pacific PR02
The Pacific PR02 was a Formula One car for the 1995 season. The number 17 seat was taken by Andrea Montermini, however the number 16 seat was taken by Bertrand Gachot, Giovanni Lavaggi and Jean-Denis Délétraz. The team's test driver was Oliver Gavin. The engine was a Ford EDC 3.0 V8. The team did...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
cars.
The son of Formula One engineer Gordon Coppuck
Gordon Coppuck
Gordon Coppuck is a British racing car designer who was chief designer for McLaren and later worked for March and co-founded Spirit....
, Frank was born before his father began working in motor racing. After graduating from Kingston Polytechnic
Kingston University
Kingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in mechanical and aeronautical engineering he went to work for the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
at Farnborough. In 1979 he moved to British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
at Weybridge, working on aircraft wing design and composites engineering.
His motor racing career did not start until 1985 when he was hired to join the FORCE Lola team at Colnbrook. When that team closed down in 1986 he moved to Tyrrell Racing
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
, as a composites and race engineer. After a brief spell with the March
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
Indycar
IndyCar
IndyCar is the trade name of an American-based open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. IndyCar sanctions three racing series, the premier IZOD IndyCar Series with its centerpiece Indianapolis 500, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights and the U.S...
program he moved to Team Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
following the departure of chief designer Mike Coughlan
Mike Coughlan
Mike Coughlan is a race car designer. On 3 May 2011 it was announced that Coughlan will become the Chief Designer for Williams F1...
. This coincided with the takeover of the team by Peter Collins and Peter Wright, and Coppuck was involved in the design of the team's aborted Lotus 103 car, and in revamping the Lotus 102
Lotus 102
The Lotus 102 was a Formula One racing car designed by Lotus for use in the 1990 Formula One season. The 102 was an evolution of the Lotus 101 and would eventually go on to compete in 37 races spanning three seasons from until ....
design.
At the end of 1991 he moved to the United States where he worked in CART with Dick Simon Racing. Later that year he returned to Britain and became technical director of TOM'S GB, working with John Barnard
John Barnard
John Barnard is a race car designer and is currently working alongside Terence Woodgate designing high specification carbon fibre furniture....
on the design of a secret Formula One car. When Toyota decided not to enter, Coppuck joined Pacific Grand Prix
Pacific Grand Prix
The Pacific Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship twice in the mid-1990s. Both races were held at the Tanaka International Aida circuit , a slow, twisty 2.3-mile track deep in the countryside in Aida , Japan...
as chief designer for the Pacific PR02. After Pacific closed its doors at the end of the 1995 season Coppuck moved to Benetton
Benetton Formula
Benetton Formula Ltd., commonly referred to simply as Benetton, was a Formula One constructor that participated from to . The team was owned by the Benetton family who run a worldwide chain of clothing stores of the same name. In 2000 the team was purchased by Renault, but competed as Benetton for...
but stayed only a year before going back to TOM'S GB. He then moved on to McLaren
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
where he was in charge of the McLaren GT program.