The Matra MS120 was the sixth and final Formula One car produced by Matra. It raced from 1970 to 1972, powered by Matra’s own V12 and driven by Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Henri Pescarolo and Chris Amon before the company withdrew to concentrate on Le Mans.
Matra MS120 at a glance
| Type | Formula One car |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 1970–1972 |
| Engine | Matra V12 |
| Built at | Vélizy-Villacoublay |
| Designed under | Gérard Ducarouge and Bernard Boyer |
| Drivers | Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Henri Pescarolo, Chris Amon |
| Developments | MS120, MS120B, MS120C, MS120D |
| Best result | 3rd (Beltoise, Monaco and Belgium 1970; Amon, France 1972) |
| Predecessor | Matra MS80 |
| Successor | none — Matra left Formula One |
Based on the English Wikipedia article on the Matra MS120.
History of the Matra MS120
Development
The MS120 was built at Matra’s Formula One base at Vélizy-Villacoublay in the south-western suburbs of Paris, designed under the direction of Gérard Ducarouge and Bernard Boyer. It was later developed into the MS120B, MS120C and MS120D. For 1970, after the agreement with Simca, Matra asked Tyrrell to use its Matra Sports V12 instead of the Cosworth. Jackie Stewart tested the V12, but a large part of Tyrrell’s budget came from Ford, and another significant sponsor, the French state-owned oil company Elf, had an agreement with Renault that precluded supporting a Simca partner. The Matra–Tyrrell partnership ended.
1970
Matra chose an all-French line-up of Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo. Beltoise finished fourth in South Africa while Pescarolo was seventh. Both retired with engine failures in Spain; at Monaco Pescarolo was third and Beltoise retired with differential failure. Beltoise took third in Belgium, then fifth in the Dutch Grand Prix, sixth in Germany, third in Italy and fifth in Mexico; Pescarolo finished sixth in Belgium, fifth in France, sixth in Germany and seventh in Canada. Pescarolo was not retained for 1971.
1971
Beltoise stayed and New Zealander Chris Amon joined in the MS120B. Beltoise was in difficulty after the 1971 1000 km Buenos Aires, where he was involved in the accident that killed Ignazio Giunti, and his international licence was suspended for a time. Amon won the non-championship Argentine Grand Prix and finished fifth in South Africa; Beltoise returned in Spain, finishing sixth while Amon was third. At Monza Amon took pole and finished sixth, an embarrassment for Ferrari at its home track. Matra skipped Austria; Beltoise retired in Canada and was eighth in the United States, Amon tenth and twelfth.
1972 and withdrawal
Amon stayed for 1972 in the MS120C, replaced mid-season by the MS120D, while Beltoise left for BRM. After gearbox trouble in Argentina and 15th in South Africa, Amon took sixth at Monaco and in Belgium, then at home in France took pole, led until a puncture and recovered to third with a new lap record at Charade. He was fourth in Britain, fifth in Austria and sixth in Canada. At the end of the season Matra pulled out of Formula One to concentrate on Le Mans.
Design and features
- Matra V12: Matra’s own engine, the reason the Tyrrell partnership ended.
- Ducarouge and Boyer design: built at Matra’s Vélizy base.
- Continuous development: four specifications, from MS120 to MS120D.
- All-French team in 1970: Beltoise and Pescarolo.
Matra MS120 versions
- MS120 (1970): the original car for Beltoise and Pescarolo.
- MS120B (1971): raced by Beltoise and Amon.
- MS120C (1972): Amon’s car for the first part of the season.
- MS120D (1972): the final specification, used from mid-season.
The MS120 followed the Matra MS80, and Matra’s earlier Cosworth car was the Matra MS10. More racing cars are in the Matra collection.
Sources
- Matra MS120, English Wikipedia: development and race history
