Yann Belhomme, the co-founder and manager of the Duqueine Automotive sports car constructor and affiliated race team, has left the company ahead of the 2020 season.

Alongside veteran racer Gilles Duquiene, Belhomme chaired the growth of the Duqueine group business from its inception in 2014.

The company now consists of two wings: Duqueine Automotive which manufactures LMP3 cars and Duqueine Engineering which competes in the LMP2 class of the European Le Mans Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Under Belhomme, the race team rose through the sports car ranks from a French GT operation to a two-car Ligier LMP3 effort in the 2016 ELMS season.

Duqueine Engineering then joined the LMP2 ranks in 2018 when it made its Le Mans debut. It finished sixth in the championship standings last term with an Oreca 07 Gibson driven by Pierre Ragues, Richard Bradley and Nico Jamin.

On the manufacturing side, the Duqueine group acquired Norma Auto Concept in December 2017 to take over the development of the Norma (now Duqueine) line of LMP3 cars.

“I enjoyed my six years spent with Duqueine Engineering,” said Belhomme.

“I was keen to develop a successful team. Bringing together skills around competition and sport values has been incredible.

“Thank you to the whole team and to Gilles Duqueine for these wonderful experiences. I look forward to a new challenge and wish the team the best for the future.”

Duqueine added: “Yann has enabled Duqueine Engineering to develop itself to the excellence of world motorsport.

“His commitment to the group has always been exemplary and his passion for the team has never wavered. I sincerely want to thank Yann for all his contribution and I wish him much success in the next stage of his career.”

Duqueine Automotive is currently in the process of attracting customers to its new D08 LMP3 car, while Duqueine Engineering is set to return to the top class of the ELMS this year with its Oreca.