Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a major French industrial conglomerate. Its business activities covered a wide range of industries, notably aerospace, defence, automotive, motorsports, transport and telecommunications.

Founded in 1945 as Mécanique Aviation Traction, Matra Sports initially operated in the aeronautics industry. Over time, it pivoted to automobile engineering and motorsports. The French company gained fame for its involvement in Formula One racing, capturing its first championship title in 1969 with Jackie Stewart as the driver. It added two more titles in 1971 and 1972, establishing itself as a powerhouse in the world of motorsports. In addition to F1, Matra also succeeded in sports car races like the Le Mans 24 Hours. Owned by the Lagardère Group, the company’s current focus has expanded to aerospace and defense, but its legacy in motorsports remains iconic.

 

Headquarters  Romorantin-Lanthenay, France

ms11 1968

The Matra MS11 is a Formula One car used by the Matra team during the 1968 Formula One season, developed from the successful MS7 F2 car.

It was relatively unsuccessful compared to its sibling, the Cosworth DFV powered Matra MS10 which Jackie Stewart drove to second place in the World Drivers' Championship. The major problems were with the V12 engine, which was thirsty, underpowered, unreliable and prone to overheating. 

The twelve-cylinder 60-degree V-engine produced just under 390 hp, less power than the Cosworth's eight-cylinder engines of the MS10. However, the six exhaust pipes produced a merciless noise and made the MS11 the loudest car of the 1968 Formula 1 racing car generation. Since the engine was not a supporting part of the MS11, edge profiles were installed as reinforcements up to the rear of the cockpit. This added weight and with the twelve-cylinder engine in the rear, the MS11 was a lot heavier than the MS10.

The car was raced almost exclusively by Jean-Pierre Beltoise with Henri Pescarolo driving a second car at the end of the season. Its best outing came at the 1968 Dutch Grand Prix where Beltoise finished second behind Stewart, and recorded the fastest lap. In 1969, Matra set aside the V12 project, concentrating on the DFV-powered MS80.

In parallel with the Matra MS10, which was built for the Tyrrell Racing Organisation, Matra developed a second Formula 1 racing car in 1968 to accommodate the in-house twelve-cylinder engine. The MS11, also known as the Matra-Matra, was used by the Matra factory team in 1968.

The first race for the MS11 was the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix. While Johnny Servoz-Gavin, who had been "loaned" to Tyrrell – Tyrrell regular driver Jackie Stewart was not on the grid after a serious accident at the Belgian Grand Prix – even led the race with the MS10 for a short time, Jean-Pierre Beltoise soon had to park the MS11 with a major engine failure. Beltoise achieved the best finish for the MS11 with second place in the race in the Netherlands behind Stewart, who drove Tyrrell's MS10. In the slipstream race at Monza, there was still a fifth place, again with Beltoise at the wheel. The second factory driver, Henri Pescarolo, did not finish in the points throughout the season. At the end of 1968, Matra's factory activities were discontinued for one year, leaving the field to Ken Tyrrell, who won the Constructors' Championship with the MS80.

Matra MS11 1968 (youtube.com)