His motor racing career did not start until 1985 when he was hired to join theFORCE Lola team atColnbrook. When that team closed down in 1986 he moved toTyrrell Racing, as a composites and race engineer. After a brief spell with theMarchAlfa RomeoIndycar program he moved toTeam Lotus following the departure of chief designerMike 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 abortedLotus 103 car, and in revamping theLotus 102 design.
At the end of 1991 he moved to the United States where he worked inCART withDick Simon Racing. Later that year he returned to Britain and became technical director ofTOM'S GB, working withJohn Barnard on the design of a secret Formula One car. When Toyota decided not to enter, Coppuck joinedPacific Grand Prix as chief designer for the Pacific PR02. After Pacific closed its doors at the end of the 1995 season Coppuck moved toBenetton but stayed only a year before going back to TOM'S GB. He then moved on toMcLaren where he was in charge of theMcLaren GT program.
