Team · 1966–1972 · France
Equipe Matra Sports
Matra was a French aerospace company that came to Formula 1 via Formula 3 and Formula 2. In 1968–1969 its chassis, with Ford Cosworth engines, were entered by Ken Tyrrell’s team, and Jackie Stewart gave Matra its first win at the wet 1968 Dutch Grand Prix. In 1969 Stewart became world champion in the Matra MS80, and Matra became the first French marque to win the Constructors’ Championship.
Meanwhile the works team raced with its own V12 engine. After 1969 Tyrrell split from Matra, and until the end of 1972 the French team raced only with its own engine: Chris Amon started from pole twice but never won. The Matra engine was later used by Shadow and Ligier — with it, Jacques Laffite won the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix.