Factory Engineering Support, Expanded U.S. Presence and Additional Race Capacity Position Duqueine for Growth as IMSA Moves LMP3 Toward an All-Endurance Future
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Duqueine Automotive is doubling down on its commitment to North American prototype racing, naming Memphis-based Forbush Performance its official North American distributor while significantly expanding factory support for teams competing in IMSA.
The move comes as IMSA continues its commitment to LMP3 and prepares to transition the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge to an all-endurance format in 2027.
As part of the expanded North American program, Forbush Performance will provide domestic parts availability, customer support and trackside service, while Duqueine will send a factory representative from France to every IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge event in 2027, giving teams direct access to Duqueine engineering and technical support throughout each race weekend.
The investment reflects Duqueine’s belief that North America represents an important growth market for LMP3 and that IMSA’s increasing emphasis on endurance racing creates an opportunity to expand the category.
“North America is an important market for Duqueine, and Forbush Performance brings the combination of competition experience, entrepreneurial experience and direct customer understanding that we were looking for,” said Sébastien Breuil, CEO of Duqueine Automotive. “With Forbush Performance, Duqueine customers will have a committed partner on the ground for chassis, parts and trackside support, while helping us continue to grow the D08 and D09 platforms throughout North America.”
That commitment comes with competitive momentum already behind the Duqueine brand.
Duqueine entries have combined for eight LMP3 victories, nine pole positions and 22 overall podium finishes in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge in 2026. The Duqueine D09 secured both the Sprint and overall LMP3 championship title.
In Europe, despite being significantly outnumbered by competing manufacturers in the 24-car Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 field, the No. 85 R-ace GP Duqueine won the LMP3 championship, clinching the title with a weekend to spare while also winning the finale.
R-ace GP’s No. 85 Duqueine also captured a victory in European Le Mans, finishing third in the final standings. The team’s three podium finishes came at Barcelona, Spa, and Silverstone – the team’s first ELMS win.
In total, Duqueine-powered LMP3s finished the 2026 season with 12 wins, 31 podiums, and three championship titles across the three series.
“The performance of the car is already there,” said Matt Forbush, founder of Forbush Performance and longtime racer. “What we’re focused on now is making sure the support around it in North America is at that same level.
“We’ll have parts here – including M30 parts – support at the racetrack and direct access to Duqueine engineering from France at every event next season. For a customer here, France shouldn’t feel 4,000 miles away. That’s really what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Forbush Performance is also competing directly with Duqueine in IMSA, currently fielding the No. 18 D09 for Forbush and 18-year-old French Duqueine Academy driver Jules Caranta.
In the program’s IMSA debut at Circuit of The Americas, Caranta recorded the fastest race lap of the entire LMP3 field. At Road America, the pair followed that performance with a third-place overall finish and second place in the Bronze Cup. Caranta then swept the weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, scoring two pole positions and two victories in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge.
Forbush Performance will continue to operate that program while also maintaining the personnel and equipment necessary to field a second Duqueine entry for drivers or customers looking for a turnkey IMSA program.
“We want to see more Duqueines on the grid,” Forbush said. “We’re running the car ourselves, we have the capability to run another car, and we’re building the parts, technical and engineering support around customers who want to run their own programs.
“IMSA is clearly investing in the future of LMP3 and endurance racing. Duqueine sees the same opportunity, and we are putting resources behind it.”
Beginning in 2027, the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will feature seven endurance events ranging from 90 minutes to three hours, with LMP3 continuing to compete for overall victories.
For Duqueine, the expanded North American operation is intended to support the customers already competing in the category while creating a stronger foundation for additional Duqueine entries as the series enters its next phase.