Equipe Matra Sports

Matra *as a Formula One engine manufacturer*
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1968 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry	1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
Races entered	126 (125 starts)
Chassis	Matra, Shadow, Ligier
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers'; Championships	0
Race victories	3
Podiums	24
Points	173
Pole positions	4
Fastest laps	5

Equipe Matra Sports
Base	Vélizy-Villacoublay, Paris, France
Team principal(s)	Jean-Luc Lagardère
Founder(s)	Jean-Luc Lagardère; Marcel Chassagny
Noted staff	Gérard Ducarouge; Ken Tyrrell; Bernard Boyer
Noted drivers	Johnny Servoz-Gavin ; Henri Pescarolo; Jackie Stewart; Jean-Pierre Beltoise; Chris Amon
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1967 Monaco Grand Prix
Races entered	61
Engines	Ford, Matra
Constructors'; Championships	1 (1969)
Drivers'; Championships	1 (1969)
Race victories	9
Podiums	21
Points	163
Pole positions	4
Fastest laps	12
Final entry	1972 United States Grand Prix

The Matra Company's racing team, under the names of Matra Sports, Equipe Matra Elf and Equipe Matra Sports (after a takeover by Simca in 1969 as Matra-Simca Division Automobile), was formed in 1965 and based at Champagne-sur-Seine (1965–1967), Romorantin-Lanthenay (1967–1969) and Vélizy-Villacoublay (1969–1979). In 1979 the team was taken over by Peugeot and renamed as Automobiles Talbot.^[1]

Motorsports history

In the mid-1960s, Matra enjoyed considerable success in Formula 3 and F2 racing, particularly with the MS5 monocoque-based car, winning the French and European championships. In 1967, Jacky Ickx surprised the F1 establishment by posting the third-fastest qualifying time of 8:14" at the German Nürburgring in his 1600cc Matra MS7 F2, which was allowed to enter alongside the 3000cc F1 cars. In the race, he failed to finish due to a broken suspension.^[2]

Jackie Stewart in 1969 with the Matra MS80-Ford at the Nürburgring. The car wears the Bleu de France, the national racing colour of France.

Jackie Stewart pictured with the Matra MS84 at the Nürburgring

François Cevert driving the Matra MS670 Group 5 Sports Car in the 1973 1000 km Nürburgring race.

Matra entered Formula One in 1968 when Jackie Stewart was a serious contender, winning several Grands Prix in the Tyrrell-run Matra MS10 which competed alongside the works team.

The F1 team was established at Vélizy-Villacoublay in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France.^[3] The car's most innovative feature was the use of aviation-inspired structural fuel tanks. These allowed the chassis to be around 15 kg (33 lb) lighter, while still being stronger than its competitors. The FIA considered the technology to be unsafe and decided to ban it for 1970.

Matra CEO Jean-Luc Lagardère made a strategic decision for the 1969 championship: the Matra works team would not compete in Formula One. Matra would instead focus its efforts on Ken Tyrrell's privateer team (renamed Matra International) and build a new Ford Cosworth DFV-powered car with structural fuel tanks, even though it would only be eligible for a single season. The decision was even more radical given that Matra was seeking a partnership with Simca, which would preclude using Ford-branded engines for the following year. Stewart won the 1969 title easily with the new Cosworth-powered Matra MS80 car, which was designed by Gérard Ducarouge and Bernard Boyer,^[4] and corrected most of the weaknesses of the MS10 car.

The 1969 World Drivers' and Constructors' Championship titles were the first titles won by a French constructor, and still remain the only titles won by a car built in France^[5] as well as a car entered by a privateer team. It was a spectacular achievement from a constructor that had only entered Formula One the previous year. France became only the third country (after the United Kingdom and Italy) to have produced a winning constructor, and Matra became the only constructor to have won the Constructors' Championship without running its own works team.

Like Cosworth, Lotus and McLaren, Matra experimented with four wheel drive during the 1969 season. Johnny Servoz-Gavin became the one and only driver to score a point with a 4WD car, finishing sixth with the Matra MS84 at the Canadian Grand Prix. The MS84, along with Brabham's BT26A, was one of the last spaceframe cars to compete in Formula One.

For 1970 following the agreement with Simca, Matra asked Tyrrell to use their Matra Sports V12 engine rather than the Cosworth. Stewart got to test Matra's V12, but since a large part of the Tyrrell budget was provided by Ford, and another significant sponsor was French state-owned petroleum company Elf, which had an agreement with Renault that precluded supporting a Simca partner, the partnership between Matra and Tyrrell ended.

Matra V12s powered the Shadow DN7 car in two races of the 1975 season and then cars built and entered by the Ligier Formula 1 team from 1976–1978, and again (under the name Talbot Ligier)^[6] from 1981-1982, winning three races (the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix, 1981 Austrian Grand Prix and 1981 Canadian Grand Prix). Jacques Laffite´s victory at the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix was the first Formula One victory for a French-licensed team^[7] and a French engine, as well as the first all-French victory in the Formula One World Championship.^[8]

The company was also successful in endurance racing with cars powered by their V12 engine. The sportscar racing team was based at first at Vélizy-Villacoublay and then moved to Le Castellet, near Marseille, France.^[9]

The Matra MS670 car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, 1973, and 1974. It also delivered the World Championship for Makes (in the category of sports prototypes) to Matra in both 1973 and 1974 seasons.

Racing models

Successes

334 races, all categories, spanning 10 years
124 victories, 104 lap records
1 Formula One World Drivers' Championship (1969, Jackie Stewart, MS80)
1 Formula One World Constructors' Championship (1969, Matra-Elf International)
5 French Formula Two Championships (1966–1967–1968–1969–1970)
3 European Formula Two Championships (1967–1968–1969)
3 French Formula Three Championships (1965–1966–1967)
2 World Championship for Makes (1973–1974)
3 victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972–1973–1974)
2 victories at Tour de France Automobile (1970–1971)

Chris Amon's Matra MS120B used in the 1971 Argentine Grand Prix

Complete Formula One World Championship results

As a constructor

(key)

Year	Entrants	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Points	WCC
1966						MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	NED	GER	CAN	ITA	USA	MEX				—	—
	Matra Sports	MS5	Ford Straight-4	D	Jean-Pierre Beltoise						8
	Matra Sports				Jo Schlesser						10
	Tyrrell Racing Organisation				Jacky Ickx						Ret
	Tyrrell Racing Organisation		BRM Straight-4		Hubert Hahne						9
1967						RSA	MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	CAN	ITA	USA	MEX			0	-
	Matra Sports	MS5 MS7	Ford Straight-4	D G	Johnny Servoz-Gavin		Ret
	Matra Sports	MS5 MS7		D G	Jean-Pierre Beltoise		DNQ								7	7
	Ecurie Ford-France	MS5		D	Jo Schlesser							Ret
	Tyrrell Racing Organisation	MS5		D	Jacky Ickx							Ret
1968						RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX		8	9th^[a]
	Matra Sports	MS11	Matra V12	D	Henri Pescarolo										Ret	DNS	9
		MS11	Matra V12		Jean-Pierre Beltoise			Ret	8	2^F	9	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret	Ret
		MS7	Ford Straight-4			6													45	3rd^[a]
	Matra International	MS9 MS10	Ford Cosworth DFV	D			5^F
					Jackie Stewart	Ret			4	1	3	6	1^F	Ret	6	1^F	7
					Johnny Servoz-Gavin			Ret						2	Ret		Ret
1969						RSA	ESP	MON	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX			66	1st
	Matra International	MS10 MS80 MS84	Ford Cosworth DFV	D	Jackie Stewart	1^F	1	Ret^P^F	1^F	1^P^F	1^F	2	1	Ret	Ret	4
					Jean-Pierre Beltoise	6	3	Ret	8	2	9	12	3^F	4	Ret	5
					Johnny Servoz-Gavin									6	NC	8
		MS7	Ford Straight-4		Johnny Servoz-Gavin							Ret
	Matra Sports	MS7	Ford Straight-4		Henri Pescarolo							5
1970						RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA	MEX	23	6th
	Equipe Matra Elf	MS120	Matra V12	G	Jean-Pierre Beltoise	4	Ret	Ret	3	5	13	Ret	Ret	6	3	8	Ret	5
	Equipe Matra Elf	MS120	Matra V12	G	Henri Pescarolo	7	Ret	3	6	8	5	Ret	6	14	Ret	7	8	9
1971						RSA	ESP	MON	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA			9	7th
	Equipe Matra Sports	MS120B	Matra V12	G	Jean-Pierre Beltoise		6	Ret	9	7	7				Ret	8
	Equipe Matra Sports	MS120B	Matra V12	G	Chris Amon	5	3	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret		6^P	10	12
1972						ARG	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	CAN	USA		12	8th
1972	Equipe Matra Sports	MS120C MS120D	Matra V12	G	Chris Amon	Ret	15	Ret	6	6^F	3^P^F	4	15	5	Ret	6	15		12	8th

As an engine supplier

(key)

Year	Entrants	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
1975						ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	MON	BEL	SWE	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	ITA	USA				0	-
1975	UOP Shadow	Shadow DN7	Matra V12	G	Jean-Pierre Jarier												Ret	Ret					0	-
1976						BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA	JPN		20	6th
1976	Ligier Gitanes	Ligier JS5	Matra V12	G	Jacques Laffite	Ret	Ret	4	12	3	12	4	14	DSQ	Ret	2	Ret	3^P	Ret	Ret	7^F		20	6th
1977						ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	MON	BEL	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN	JPN	18	8th
	Ligier Gitanes	Ligier JS7	Matra V12	G	Jacques Laffite	NC	Ret	Ret	9	7^F	7	Ret	1	8	6	Ret	Ret	2	8	7	Ret	5
	Ligier Gitanes	Ligier JS7	Matra V12	G	Jean-Pierre Jarier																	Ret
1978						ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	MON	BEL	ESP	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN		19	6th
1978	Ligier Gitanes	Ligier JS7 JS7/9 JS9	Matra V12	G	Jacques Laffite	16	9	5	5	Ret	5	3	7	7	10	3	5	8	4	11	Ret		19	6th
1981						USW	BRA	ARG	SMR	BEL	MON	ESP	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	CPL			44	4th
	Equipe Talbot Gitanes	Ligier JS17	Matra V12	M	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Ret	7
					Jean-Pierre Jabouille			DNQ	NC	Ret	DNQ	Ret
					Patrick Tambay								Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
					Jacques Laffite	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	2	3	2^P	Ret	3	3	1^F	Ret	Ret	1	6
1982						RSA	BRA	USW	SMR	BEL	MON	DET	CAN	NED	GBR	FRA	GER	AUT	SUI	ITA	CPL		20	8th
	Equipe Talbot Gitanes	Ligier JS17 JS17B JS19	Matra V12	M	Eddie Cheever	Ret	Ret	Ret	WD	3	Ret	2	10	DNQ	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	3
	Equipe Talbot Gitanes	Ligier JS17 JS17B JS19	Matra V12	M	Jacques Laffite	Ret	Ret	Ret	WD	9	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	Ret

1974 Matra-Simca MS670B (V12)

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Notes

^ ^a ^b In the 1968 Constructors' Championship, Matra-Ford finished 3rd (45 points), Matra(-Matra) finished 9th (8 points)

References

^ "Matra (France)". allcarindex.com. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
^ Steve Small. The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. p. 196. ISBN 0851127029.
^ "Equipe Matra - F1technical.net". f1technical.net. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
^ "Matra MS80". StatsF1. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
^ Jackie Stewart´s Matra MS80 was built in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France. Fernando Alonso's Renault R25 and Renault R26 were built in Enstone, UK.
^ "1981 German Grand Prix Entry list".
^ Jackie Stewart achieved victory at the 1968 Dutch Grand Prix with a French Matra MS10 car, but the car was entered by the British privateer team Matra International.
^ Team, car, engine and driver were French. The gearbox was British (Hewland) and the tyres American (Goodyear). Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Renault achieved victory at the 1979 French Grand Prix with an all-Renault car and Michelin tyres.
^ "Constructors: Matra Sports SARL". grandprix.com. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

External links

http://www.matrasport.dk/
http://www.epaf.fr Restoration & rebuild of Matra competition cars

Sporting positions
Preceded by Lotus	Formula One Constructors' Champion 1969	Succeeded by Lotus

[WCC-10] In the 1968 Constructors' Championship, Matra-Ford finished 3rd (45 points), Matra(-Matra) finished 9th (8 points)

[1] "Matra (France)". allcarindex.com. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

[ReferenceA-2] Steve Small. The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. p. 196. ISBN 0851127029.

[3] "Equipe Matra - F1technical.net". f1technical.net. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

[4] "Matra MS80". StatsF1. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

[5] Jackie Stewart´s Matra MS80 was built in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France. Fernando Alonso's Renault R25 and Renault R26 were built in Enstone, UK.

[entrylist-6] "1981 German Grand Prix Entry list".

[7] Jackie Stewart achieved victory at the 1968 Dutch Grand Prix with a French Matra MS10 car, but the car was entered by the British privateer team Matra International.

[8] Team, car, engine and driver were French. The gearbox was British (Hewland) and the tyres American (Goodyear). Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Renault achieved victory at the 1979 French Grand Prix with an all-Renault car and Michelin tyres.

[9] "Constructors: Matra Sports SARL". grandprix.com. Retrieved 26 December 2016.

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