Car Name: | Matra-Simca MS650 |
Category: | Group 6 Prototype |
Constructor: | Matra |
Designer: | Bernard Boyer |
Predecessor: | MS630 / MS640 |
Successor: | MS660 |
Team: | Equipe Matra - Elf Matra of France Matra Sports Equipe Matra-Simca |
Drivers: | Jean-Pierre Beltoise Pedro Rodriguez Johnny Servoz-Gavin Jack Brabham François Cevert Jean-Pierre Beltoise Henri Pescarolo Dan Gurney |
Technical Ref: | [1] |
Chassis: | Glass-fibre reinforced plastic panels |
Front Suspension: | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers |
Rear Suspension: | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers |
Length: | 39001NaN1 |
Width: | 19001NaN1 |
Height: | 7601NaN1 |
Wheelbase: | 24401NaN1 |
Track: | Front: 14401NaN1 Rear: 14901NaN1 |
Engine Name: | Matra MS12, |
Capacity: | 29931NaN1, |
Turbo/Na: | NA, |
Configuration: | 60º V12, |
Engine Position: | Longitudinal, mid-mounted |
Gearbox Name: | Matra 5-speed manual |
Weight: | 7401NaN1 |
Fuel: | Lucas |
Debut: | 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans |
Races: | 8 |
Wins: | 0 |
Cons Champ: | 0 |
Teams Champ: | 0 |
Poles: | 0 |
Fastest Laps: | 0 |
The Matra-Simca MS650 is a Group 6 prototype race car introduced in 1969 for the International Championship for Makes. The MS650 replaced the previous Matra-Simca MS630.[2]
The car made its debut at the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans with a four car entry. Jean-Pierre Beltoise/Piers Courage in the MS650, Jean Guichet/Nino Vaccarella in the MS630, Nanni Galli/Robin Widdows and Johnny Servoz-Gavin/Herbert Müller were both in the MS630/650. Beltoise/Courage finished fourth followed by Guichet/Vaccarella in fifth, Galli/Widdows seventh but Servoz-Gavin/Müller retired when an electrical circuit failed. For the 1969 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, Matra entered two cars for Servoz-Gavin/Pedro Rodriguez in the MS650 and Guichet/Widdows in the MS630/650. Servoz-Gavin/Rodriguez finished fourth and Guichet/Widdows retired with a broken clutch. For the final race of the 1969 season, the 1000km of Zeltweg, Matra only entered Servoz-Gavin/Rodriguez but the car retired through accident.
In the International Championship for Makes, Matra had scored six points, earning it fifth place in the championship.
The first race of the season was the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona, Matra had two cars for Jack Brabham/François Cevert and Jean-Pierre Beltoise/Henri Pescarolo. Brabham/Cevert finished tenth and Beltoise/Pescarolo finished 18th. Matra made changes to the driver line ups for the 12 Hours of Sebring, Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin and Cevert/Dan Gurney. Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin finished fifth and Cevert/Gurney finish 12th. Matra again made changes to the driver line ups for the 1000km of Brands Hatch, The team put Brabham/Beltoise together but kept Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin. Brabham/Beltoise finish 12th and Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin retired with engine failure. The MNZ saw Brabham/Beltoise fifth followed by Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin in sixth. The team skipped the next three races, the Targa Florio, 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps and 1000km of Nürburgring. The team entered three cars for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Beltoise/Pescarolo in the new Matra-Simca MS660, Brabham/Cevert and Patrick Depailler/Jean-Pierre Jabouille/Tim Schenken were both in the MS650 but all three cars retired with engine failure. The team skipped the final two race of the 1970 season, the Watkins Glen 6 Hours and Austrian 1000km.
In the International Championship for Makes, Matra had scored four points, earning it fourth place in the championship.
Year | Entrant | Class | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1969 | Equipe Matra - Elf | Group 5 | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | 6 | 5th | |
Jean-Pierre Beltoise | 4 | ||||||||||||||
Piers Courage | 4 | ||||||||||||||
Matra of France Matra Sports | Pedro Rodriguez | 4 | 23 | ||||||||||||
Johnny Servoz-Gavin | 4 | 23 | |||||||||||||
1970 | Equipe Matra-Simca | Group 5 | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | 4 | 4th | |
Jack Brabham | 10 | 12 | 5 | 36 | |||||||||||
François Cevert | 10 | 12 | 36 | ||||||||||||
Dan Gurney | 12 | ||||||||||||||
Jean-Pierre Beltoise | 18 | 12 | 5 | ||||||||||||
Henri Pescarolo | 18 | 5 | 21 | 6 | |||||||||||
Johnny Servoz-Gavin | 5 | 21 | 6 | ||||||||||||
Patrick Depailler | 37 | ||||||||||||||
Jean-Pierre Jabouille | 37 | ||||||||||||||
Tim Schenken | 37 | ||||||||||||||