Bryan Bouffier

Bryan Bouffier is a French rally driver who has several championship titles and major rally victories on his account. He was Polish Rally Champion for three years in a row from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, he won the French Tarmac Rally Championship.

In 2011, Bouffier has won at Rallye Monte-Carlo, which was a part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. In 2013, Bouffier triumphed at another famous rally, Tour de Corse, when it was a part of the European Rally Championship.

In the World Rally Championship, he recorded 19 starts between 2007 and 2018, scoring one podium, the second place at Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2014.

Bryan Bouffier

Starting Career in a Peugeot in 2000, Champion in 2002

Born in December 1978, Bryan Bouffier started his rally career in 2000, driving a Peugeot 106 S16 in the French Volant Peugeot series. He had three different navigators during the season, scoring one podium and finishing eighth in the points. Next year, he drove the same car, sharing it with three different co-drivers. He was on a podium once, finishing fifth in the points.

In 2002, a Peugeot 206 XS was a car chosen for Volant Peugeot competition. Bouffier scored three wins and won the championship title. His navigator in one victory was Jean-Claude Grau while Mathieu Baumel joined him in the second part of the season and won two times with him.

Peugeot Factory Driver Since 2003

With championship trophy in his hands, Bouffier became Peugeot Sport factory driver in 2003, competing in a Peugeot 206 S1600 in the French tarmac championship. His navigators were Mathieu Baumel and Jean-Claude Grau. He scored one podium with each navigator to finish fourth in the final standings.

In 2004, Xavier Panseri became his full-time navigator. They finished eighth in the French tarmac rally championship, not scoring wins or podiums. In August 2004, Bouffier raced for the first time outside France, participating at Rajd Rzeszowski in Poland. He was eighth overall and third in 2WD class.

In 2005, his third season in the French tarmac rally championship with Peugeot 206 S1600, Bouffier finished third in the points, again scoring no wins or podiums during the season.

Bouffier was driving a Peugeot 206 S1600 in the 2006 ERC season

One ERC Victory in 2006

In 2006, Bouffier made a step up, competing in the European Rally Championship. He was driving a Peugeot 206 S1600 for Peugeot Sport Espana in five ERC events.

He won at Rallye Antibes – Cote d'Azur, finishing fifth in the final ERC classification. He participated also at Rallye Sanremo, a part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, finishing just 17th in a Peugeot 206 S1600.

World Rally Championship Debut at 2007 Rally d'Italia Sardegna

In 2007, Bouffier started a season in the French gravel rally championship, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, and then made a WRC debut in May at Rally d'Italia Sardegna. He was driving PH Sport's Citroen C2 R2, with Mathieu Baumel as his navigator, finishing seventh in JWRC category.

Later that season, Bouffier recorded three more starts and three podiums in the French gravel rally championship, finishing fourth in the points.

Bouffier was the Polish champion three times, two times in a Peugeot and once in a Mitsubishi

Polish Rally Championship for Three Years in a Row

Besides his WRC debut in 2007, the main story was the championship title that he won in the Polish Rally Championship. Bouffier raced in Poland with Peugeot Sport Polska, driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 and winning four times in six rallies.

In 2008, Bouffier defended his championship title in Poland, driving a Peugeot 207 S2000 to five victories. Outside Poland, he participated in two IRC events, finishing third at Barum Rally Zlin and fourth at Rallye du Valais.

The third championship title came in 2009. This time, Bouffier was driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX for Malkom Rally Team, with Xavier Panseri as his co-driver. They were winners in just one rally but that was good enough to take the championship trophy.

Bryan Bouffier and Xavier Panseri in 2010

French Tarmac Rally Champion in 2010

In 2010, Bouffier made a debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo, a part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, not reaching the finish because of an accident in Tommi Makinen Racing's Subaru Impreza STi N14.

Later that year, Bouffier returned to a cockpit of a Peugeot 207 S2000, winning three times in the French tarmac rally championship and becoming the champion. He was also successful in the Polish rally championship, winning four times in a Peugeot, but the championship title went to Kajetan Kajetanowicz.

Bryan Bouffier and Xavier Panseri at 2011 Rallye Monte Carlo

Victory at 2011 Rallye Monte-Carlo

In 2011, Bouffier continued to drive Peugeot 207 S2000 in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and Polish championship. The highlight of the season, maybe the highlight of a career, was a victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo. It remained the only IRC victory for Bouffier and his navigator Xavier Panseri and they finished just sixth in the final standings.

On the other side, Bouffier won four times in Poland and lost a title again to Kajetan Kajetanowicz.

Bryan Bouffier pictured in 2012

Returning to WRC in 2012

After his victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo, Bouffier became the regular competitor at the oldest and the most famous rally race in the world. In 2012, RMC was again a part of the World Rally Championship schedule and Bouffier recorded his second WRC start in a career. Driving a Peugeot 207 S2000, he finished 15th overall and third in Class 2.

Later that year, Bouffier raced occasionally in the IRC and French tarmac rally championship in a Peugeot 207 S2000 but also in a new Peugeot 208 R2.

Bryan Bouffier in 2013

Four WRC Starts, European Vice-champion in 2013

In 2013, Bouffier came to Rally Monte-Carlo in a Citroen DS3 WRC and took his first WRC points by finishing in the fifth place. Later that year, he participated in three more WRC events (Portugal, Italy, GB) in a Citroen DS3 R3T, taking WRC3 class victory in Portugal.

Outside WRC, Bouffier participated in the European Rally Championship in a Peugeot 207 S2000, winning at Tour de Corse and finishing second in the points, behind Jan Kopecky.

Bryan Bouffier raced with Hyundai Motorsport in 2014

Hyundai Factory Driver, Maiden WRC Podium with Ford in 2014

In 2014, Bouffier opened a season with a podium at Rallye Monte-Carlo, what is still his only WRC podium in a career. He finished second in the #11 Ford Fiesta RS WRC, driving for M-Sport World Rally Team. After two ERC starts in a Citroen DS3 RRC, Bouffier recorded his next WRC start at Rally Poland, driving his own Ford Fiesta R5.

During the year, he worked with Hyundai Motorsport in the season which saw a return of Korean manufacturer to WRC for the first time since 2013. He had a chance to drive a Hyundai i20 WRC in three events, finishing 14th at Rally Poland, crashing out at ADAC Rallye Deutschland and finishing ninth at Rallye de France Alsace.

Bryan Bouffier in 2015

Polish Rally Vice-champion in 2015

In 2015, Bouffier returned to Rallye Monte-Carlo with M-Sport but he retired after an accident in the #15 Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Later that year, he had one more chance to drive the #15 Ford, finishing eighth at Tour de Corse. His third WRC start in 2015 was at ADAC Rallye Deutschland in a Peugeot 208 T16.

Outside WRC, Bouffier returned to the Polish rally championship in 2015, driving a Ford Fiesta Proto and winning three times. He finished second in the points, losing a title by just one point to Lukasz Habaj. In other competitions, his most notable result in 2015 was the second place at Ypres Rally in a Citroen DS3 R5.

One-off North American Rally Experience in 2016

In 2016, Bouffier came to Monte-Carlo with M-Sport's Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the third year in a row. He retired with broken suspension on the last day. Later in 2016, Bouffier participated in three ERC events in a Citroen DS3 R5, recording two DNFs and finishing second at Rajd Rzeszowski. He also drove Citroen DS3 R5 at Tour de Corse, recording one more DNF because of an accident.

In April 2016, Bouffier had a one-off appearance in the US, driving a Mitsubishi Mirage RS Proto at Oregon Trail Rally and finishing third, behind two Subaru drivers David Higgins and Travis Pastrana.

Celebrating a victory at 2017 Rally di Roma Capitale

Two ERC Victories in 2017

In 2017, Bouffier was again on a podium at Rallye Monte-Carlo, not in the overall classification but in the WRC2 category, finishing third in a Ford Fiesta R5 of Gemini Clinic Rally Team. He recorded one more WRC start in 2017 with the same car, recording DNF at Tour de Corse.

That year, Bouffier triumphed in two ERC events in a Ford Fiesta R5, at Rajd Rzeszowski and Rally di Roma Capitale, finishing third in the European Rally Championship classification.

Bryan Bouffier in 2018

Two WRC Starts with M-Sport in 2018

In 2018, Bouffier was a part of M-Sport Ford's line-up in two WRC events, at Rallye Monte-Carlo and Tour de Corse, driving a new generation of Ford Fiesta WRC.  He finished eighth at Monte-Carlo and retired at Corsica. For the rest of the season, his main competition was the French tarmac rally championship in which he was driving a Hyundai i20 R5 for CPI Enjolras team, scoring three wins and finishing third in the points.

In other competitions in 2018, he raced in a Škoda Fabia R5 at Ypres Rally (DNF), in a Ford Fiesta R5 at Rally Santander Cantabria (3rd) and went one more time to the US to drive a Mitsubishi Mirage RS Proto at Muscatell Ojibwe Forests Rally (2nd).

In 2019, Bryan slowed down with rally activities, participating in several Polish events with Hyundai i20 R5.

Bryan Bouffier at 2018 Rallye Monte-Carlo in the #3 Ford Fiesta WRC

Photos: Bryan Bouffier FB, Jaroslaw Zagorny, Anthony Delehayes/ewrc-results.com,