Well-known hillclimber and sportscar driver - as well as a talented mechanic. He started racing in the early 60s at the wheel of a Formula Junior Lotus 20, and would soon became a successful hillclimber.
After driving a Ford Zephyr 6 in 1966, the following season Rouveyran focused his efforts on a Lotus 41 - Ford, achieving overall wins at the Colombier, Minier and Corsavy hillclimbs. In 1967 he built his own hillclimb machine based on a 1.5-litre Cooper Formula 1 that had been raced by Maurice Trintignant and fitting it with a 7-litre engine from a Pontiac GTO. At the wheel of this car Rouveyran achieved no less than 15 wins that year.
Rouveyran's success would continue in 1968, when he was runner-up to the French Hillclimb Championship behind Pierre Maublanc, who drove a Fiat-Abarth 2000SP. He would grab that title next year, being crowned champion at the wheel of a Formula 2 Tecno 69 - Ford - with overall wins at Ceyreste, Saint-Antonin, Minier, Faron, Neuvy-le-Roy, Tancarville, Tonnerre, Hautes Vosges, Meridel, La Fauchille, Perthuis and Saint-Anne. That same year Rouveyran also shone at the European Hillclimb Championship at Mont Ventoux, where only Peter Schetty, driving a Ferrari 212E, would be faster than him.
For 1970 Rouveyran planned a dual attack, racing hillclimbs both with his Tecno as well as with a Formula 5000 Lola T190 - Chevrolet. However, a crash early that season with the Lola compromised his year. In 1970 Rouveyran made a switch to sportscar road racing; he shared with Carlos Ruesch a Lola T210 - Ford entered by Écurie Bonnier in the 1000 Quilometros de Buenos Aires, the first round of that year's World Sportscar Championship. The two would finish the race in 13th place.
Keeping his focus on sportscars, in 1972 Rouveyran drove a Ferrari 365GTB4 Daytona for Team Charles Pozzi. Racing with Claude Ballot-Léna, he obtained an 18th place at the 1000 Km of Spa-Francorchamps. Then, sharing the car with his close friend François Migault, Rouveyran had an 11th place in the 1000 Km of Paris, which that year was held at Rouen and not at Linas-Montlhéry as usual. Rouveyran and Migault also had an impressive second place overall in the 1972 Tour de France Automobile, behind team mates Jean-Claude Andruet and "Biche" (Michèle Espinosi-Petit), who also drove a Ferrari 365 Daytona.
By that time Rouveyran began to assemble an impressive racing infrastructure. In October of 1972 he purchased a March 721G - Ford Cosworth DFV Formula 1 car, and a few days later enter the car in the John Player Challenge Trophy, a Formula 1 non-championship race held on the 22th of that month at Brands Hatch. The car was driven by François Migault, who complete only one lap in practice before hitting the bank at Hawthorn Bend. The extent of the damage was such that the car could not be repaired for the event.
Continuing to up his plans for the 1973 season, Rouveyran established a partnership with Swiss engineer Franco Sbarro for the running of his team, which included a Lola T280 - Ford Cosworth DFV that he acquired from Écurie Bonnier. He shared that car first with Migault at the 1000 Kilometers of Dijon-Prenois, but did not finish the event. Then, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Lola suffered a broken wheel at the night while Rouveyran's co-driver "Cyprien" (Christian Mons) was driving.
Rouveyran then entered his yellow March in the 1973 edition of the Mont-Dore hillclimb, but suffered a fatal accident during the event. He was thirty-three years old.
A monument on Rouveyran's memory is located at one of the first left-handers in the beginning of the Mont-Dore hillclimb.
Rare - Original photo signed in person in 1970.
Size: 9x12.5 cm.
Condition : please see scans.
Certificate of Authenticity and lifetime guarantee.
All our shipments are insured and have a tracking number.