Jean-Philippe Dayraut

Jean-Philippe Dayraut is a French businessman, motorsport official and a racing driver. In recent years, he's most known as a six-time champion in the Andros Trophy ice racing series between 2009 and 2015. Earlier in a career, Dayraut's biggest racing success was the French Supertouring Championship title in 2001.

Besides racing, he developed Mitjet silhouette racecars and founded a Mitjet Series in 2006. He is also a creator of the OTO racing simulator. A few years ago, Dayraut took over a management over the Circuit d'Albi together with his partner Didier Sirgue. Most recently, Dayraut introduced Devinci retro-look electric cars.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut

The young Dayraut partnered Vatanen and Mansell at Chamonix 24H

Born in April 1969, as a son of a pilot, Jean-Philippe Dayraut was an 'adrenaline junkie' from the young age and he participated in BMX races and quad races.

In 1998, the young Dayraut partnered racing legends Ari Vatanen and Nigel Mansell in the 24 Hours of Chamonix ice racing event. A year later, Dayraut and Vatanen were co-drivers again.The race winners in those two races were Stephane Peterhansel and Yvan Muller.

Formula France champion in the first year of racing

In 1999, Dayraut also started his racing career on asphalt circuits, participating in the Formula France and taking the championship title in the first attempt.

Dayraut was also driving an Opel in ice races, finishing as an Andros Trophy vice-champion in season 1999-2000, behind Yvan Muller. Dayraut was also second at Chamonix 24 Hours in 2000.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut's championship-winning BMW M3 in 2001

French supertouring champion in 2001

In 2000, Dayraut changed a discipline, participating in the French Supertouring Championship with Opel Astra Coupe and finishing second in the points, behind William David.

In 2001, Dayraut switched to BMW M3 and won the French Supertouring Championship. He also raced with BMW in Andros Trophy, finishing third in the points.

In June 2001, Dayraut made a debut at 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Chrysler Viper GTS-R. He was sharing a car with David Terrien and Jonathan Cochet. They retired early after an accident. It remained Dayraut's only Le Mans attempt ina career.

World ice racing champion in 2003

In 2003, Dayraut was the world ice racing champion at the wheel of a Mitsubishi. His fantastic streak of championship-winning seasons continued in 2004 when he won the French Peugeot RC Cup.

He was the Andros Trophy vice-champion again in season 2004/2005, driving a Fiat. Then, in 2005, he finished second in the French Porsche Carrera Cup, behind Anthony Beltoise. In 2006, Dayraut tried something new again, participating in the Megane Trophy Eurocup and finishing in the fourth place.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut took his first Andros Trophy title in 2009

Dayraut finally won his first Andros Trophy in 2009

During the winter months, Dayraut was a regular in the Andros Trophy ice racing series. Driving a factory-entered Kia, he was a vice-champion two times in seasons 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, both times behind Alain Prost. Dayraut then moved to Škoda and finally captured his first Andros Trophy title in 2009.

In that period, he was also developing his GT racing career, driving a Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Z06 in the French GT Championship. He was ninth in the points in 2007 and third in the final classification of 2008 season. In 2009, he was again eighth in points.

Besides all commitments, he also tried rallycross, participating in two events of the 2009 European Rallycross Championship at the wheel of Peugeot 207.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut's BMW in 2011

Two more Andros Trophy titles in 2010 and 2011

In 2010, Dayraut defended his ice racing championship title in a Škoda. The third consecutive Andros Trophy title came in 2011. This time, he was driving a BMW.

In 2010, Dayraut spent a season with Luxury Racing's Ferrari F430 GT3 in the International GT Open. He scored four wins in GTS class and finished second in the points. His partner in most of the races was Stephane Ortelli but he also shared a car with other drivers.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut at 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race

Pikes Peak Hill Climb debut in 2011

In 2011, Dayraut made a debut at world-famous Pike Peak International Hill Climb race in Colorado, USA. At the wheel of specially prepared Dacia Duster, he finished in the third place.

In 2011, he slowed down his activities in other racing competitions, recording only one-off attempts in the French GT Championship and Megane Trophy Eurocup.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut took his sixth Trophee Andros title in 2015

Three more championship titles in Andros Trophy

In 2012, Alain Prost interrupted Dayraut's dominance in Andros Trophy and took his third championship title. Dayraut was back on the top in 2013, driving a Mini Countryman. It was his championship-winning car one more time, in the season 2013-2014.

The sixth and the last (for now) championship title came in the season 2014-2015 in which Dayraut was driving a Mazda 3. In 2016, the reign of Jean-Baptiste Dubourg started, who took three consecutive titles. In that period, Dayraut's best result was the second place in 2017, at the wheel of BMW M2.

Dayraut's monstrous Mini at 2013 Pikes Peak race

Returning to Pikes Peak in 2012 and 2013

Dayraut returned to Pikes Peak hill climb race two more times, in 2012 and 2013. He raced in a Dacia Duster again in 2012, retiring just a kilometer before the end. In 2013, he was driving 900hp Mini Countryman, finishing in the third place in a race when Sebastien Loeb set the all-time record.

In other competitions, he raced in Mitjet Series, participated in one round of the 2013 World Touring Car Championship and occasionally appeared in different French competitions (GT championship, Supertouring championship or Carrera Cup). He also recorded one start in the European Rallycross Championship in 2013.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut started a project of Mitjet race cars in 2006

Mitjet Series is a hit, Devinci is the newest project

Except as a racing driver, Jean-Philippe Dayraut left a significant trail in motorsport as a man with good ideas and successful projects. In 2006, he founded a concept of the Mitjet silhouette race cars and the Mitjet Series. The idea was to offer a racing competition for the reasonable price. Twelve years later, the Mitjet Series is an absolute hit with more than 40 cars/drivers on the grid. Recently, the Mitjet concept has been expanded with off-road cars.

Some other Dayraut's successful projects are OTO Simulator and, presented in 2018, the Devinci road-legal electric car. Dayraut is also a manager of Circuit d'Albi.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut's latest project - Devinci cars

Photos: JPH Dayraut Officiel, Laurent Gayral/Devinci, Trophee Andros, Dave Winter/Icon Sport,