Matra MS80


The Matra MS80 was the fourth Formula One car produced by Matra. The Ford Cosworth DFV-powered car took Jackie Stewart to the Formula One World Championship title in 1969.
The car, designed under the direction of Gérard Ducarouge and Bernard Boyer, was built at Matra's Formula One base at Vélizy-Villacoublay in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, though the final completion with the Cosworth engine was done in the Tyrrell workshop of East Horsley near Ripley, UK. A major change from the MS10 was the location of the fuel cell, which was moved from behind the driver and placed in sidepods by the driver's hips, giving the car a slight 'Coke bottle' appearance. The rocker-arm front suspension was replaced by outboard springs, with a parallel link set up on the rear suspension. Apart from Ferrari cars, the Matra MS80 is the only non-British built car to win the Formula One World Constructors' Championship.
Although officially a Matra, it was run by the privateer Matra International team of Ken Tyrrell and, as such, remains the only car not entered by a works team to win the Formula One World Constructors' Championship. The MS80 was one of the first F1 racing cars to be designed with "wings" for downforce to increase high-speed tyre grip. These were originally introduced into F1 in 1968. Due to some serious racing accidents with the flimsy 1969-type high wing constructions early in the racing season, like all 1969 F1 cars the MS80 was altered to use more sturdy lowered wings, directly attached to the car's body, later on.

Only two MS80's were assembled in 1969, a third monocoque was built but remained un-assembled until the EPAF company made it a complete car in 2006. In a 2006 issue of Motor Sport magazine, Jackie Stewart referred to the MS80 as the nicest-handling F1 car he had ever driven.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

1 Includes 9 points scored using a Matra MS10 and 1 point scored using a Matra MS84.