BRUCE JOUANNY AND FRENCH AUTOMAKER QUARKUS TAKE PROTOTYPE SUPERCAR TO PIKES PEAK
Colorado Springs, CO – The 102nd Running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, is just two months away. Some teams have been preparing for nearly a year to return to the mountain. Bruce Jouanny of Èze Bord de Mer, France and French automaker, Quarkus, with advice and backing from Pikes Peak icon, Ari Vatanen, began planning the project in November, 2023. On June 23, Jouanny will strap in behind the wheel of the #26 Quarkus P3 in Pikes Peak’s Unlimited division.
The Driver
Bruce Jouanny started his racing career as a teenager in single seaters – Formula Renault, Formula Palmer Audi, Formula 3, and World Series By Nissan/Renault, before moving onto sports cars – LMP2 and LMP1 – and racing at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
He has since then raced many different cars, but now focuses on TV as he was one of the three presenters of the French Top Gear show, and is now a test driver for the Automoto show on French TV channel TF1.
“To be honest, coming to Pikes Peak is always something I wanted to do,” explained Jouanny, “but my racing career was 100% on circuits, and I never really had the occasion. So I feel extremely lucky to be here. It’s a bit of a dream come true, but it’s also completely new with a lot to learn and to take in. I hope it’s only the beginning of many more Pikes Peak races for me.”
The Car
The project was initiated in November of 2023. With such a tight timeline, Quarkus chose the experienced team of RD Limited led by four-time Pikes Peak King of the Mountain and current course record holder, Romain Dumas. RD Limited will provide operational and technical support.
From concept to creation, it took several months of research and development for the Quarkus team of enthusiasts, headed by Damien Alfano, to put the brand’s first car on the track.
When asked how he and this innovative machine came to be on Pikes Peak this year, Jouanny replied, “Ari (Vatanen) introduced me to Quarkus CVEO, Damien Alfano, saying that I needed to check out that car and broadcast it on French TV. After having a good look at the car, thinking that Ari was the link, I thought to myself, ‘We should do Pikes Peak with this car.’ I left a voice message for Damien at 2 a.m., and here we are!”
The Quarkus P3 in its Pikes Peak configuration features:
- carbon tubular chassis
- drivetrain and suspension developed in-house
- 4 cylinder engine combined with a micro-hybrid system
- biofuel capability
- bespoke aero kit
Asked about the team’s goals for this year, Jouanny offered, “We are here to learn. We started from scratch, and I really mean from scratch, five months ago. So, reaching the top, taking it all in, and gathering information is the target.”
“After months of intensive work on the prototype of this car, I feel an immense sense of pride and accomplishment to finally be able to present it to you. As a motorsport enthusiast, I’m proud to share our vision of innovation and performance with luxury car aficionados. The Quarkus P3 Pikes Peak embodies the very essence of our commitment to excellence and the thrill of driving. I would also like to express my gratitude to our dedicated teams, whose hard work has made this dream possible.” Damien Alfano, founder of Quarkus
The Quarkus P3 with Pikes Peak livery will be revealed on May 2 at the Prestige Auto Show in Beaune, France.
About QUARKUS
Quarkus SAS, was created on November 26, 2020, Les Mureaux, France.
Quarkus is a new French carmaker. It’s not just an assembler or tuner. All vehicle systems are designed, developed and manufactured in France at QUARKUS.
Quarkus is based in the Vallée de Seine in western Paris. It’s a region that saw the birth of the automobile over 120 years ago. This historical anchorage has meaning and is part of the brand’s philosophy.
The Legend
The choice to compete Pikes Peak was an obvious one, since the renowned Ari Vatanen is a close follower and patron of the Quarkus project. The Finnish driver was crowned King of the Mountain in 1988, winning the Rally Open division and setting the course record at the time.
Vatanen was featured in the short film, Climb Dance, and through the film has become an ambassador for the race by introducing viewers worldwide to the excitement, sights and sounds of auto racing on Pikes Peak. Vatanen will be inducted to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum Hall of Fame, in Colorado Springs, in June.
GET TO KNOW BRUCE JOUANNY
Fun Facts:
“Skydiving is my hobby, but I enjoy sports in general.”
“I drive a Toyota FJ Cruiser, Desert Beige, that I have customized a bit. A perfect car for holidays with the kids…just not easy to park in Monaco.”
“My favorite food is raw meat for breakfast with an egg on top!”
When did you first hear about Pikes Peak?
“In 1989 in a video called Speed and Beauty? There was two episodes about PPIHC, and then a second Speed and Beauty tape with Ari Vatanen in 1991, Climb Dance.“
Any Pikes Peak Heroes? “Michѐle Mouton, and Ari, obviously. Ari is also my Paris-Dakar hero because, beyond the fact that he is a phenomenal driver, he is also the most humble person I have ever met, and in that respect he is a true hero.”
Who has given you advice about racing on Pikes Peak? “Romain Dumas just said to me, “you know it’s not like how we do on racetracks, you need to keep a margin here…”
Favorite Track: “Macau Street Circuit because it’s freackin’ nuts. Best track on earth!” (Pictured: Jouanny racing in the Macau F3 World Cup)
Photos by: PPIHC Archives, Quarkus, Bruce Jouanny
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