Gordon Coppuck | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-12-08)8 December 1936 (age 88) |
| Occupation(s) | Motorsportengineer anddesigner |
| Known for | Formula One; (March,McLaren,Spirit) |
| Notable work | Co-founderSpirit Racing |
Gordon Coppuck (born 8 December 1936 inFleet, Hampshire)[1] is a British racing car designer who was chief designer forMcLaren and later worked forMarch and co-foundedSpirit.
Born in December 1936, he attendedQueen Mary's School for Boys before becoming an apprentice at theNational Gas Turbine Establishment (NGTE).[2] In 1965 he followed his ex NGTE colleagueRobin Herd to McLaren, working as his assistant.[3]In 1971 he became chief designer at McLaren, responsible for various models including theIndianapolis 500M16 and world championship winningM23.[3] When McLaren merged withRon Dennis's Project Four in 1980, Coppuck departed, rejoining Herd at March.[3] The following year he founded Spirit with March'sFormula Two team manager John Wickham.[3] Spirit raced in Formula Two and thenFormula One before Coppuck returned to March.[3][4] Coppuck's nephewFrank Coppuck is also a racing car designer.[3]
