<< Prev Page 2 of 2 In preparation for the big race, a two car team competed in the first three World Championship rounds, but the results were far from promising with a fifth for Servoz-Gavin and Pescarolo at Sebring as the highest finish. Now producing in excess of 420 bhp the V12 engine and drivetrain were now truly stressed, which caused none of the three cars entered at Le Mans to get passed the eight hour. Later that year the MS650s finished first and second in the Tour de France and the MS660 scored its maiden victory in the Montlhery 1000 km. In the next season the Matra effort consisted of just one MS660, but again it failed to impress in a year dominated once more by Porsche and Ferrari. The short wheelbase MS650s were dusted off once to successfully defend the Tour de France title.
There was good news after this highly disappointing season as the 917s and 512s would be banned for 1972, leaving the fight for overall glory to the three litre prototypes. It was also decided that the 24 Hours of Le Mans would no longer be part of the World Championship. For Matra the World Championship was not a priority and the team focused completely on Le Mans. The MS660 evolved into the 450 bhp MS670 and the barchetta body was further refined with the introduction of a rear wing. Ferrari took the opposite route and concentrated fully on the championship and with the 312PB took the victory in every one of the ten rounds. Enzo Ferrari felt his car was built for 1000 km or six hour races and decided not to enter it at Le Mans. This effectively paved the way for Matra, who took a convincing one-two win at Le Mans with Pescarolo and Graham Hill piloting the winning car.
At the end of the season the big question was which was the quickest of the three litre prototype and the question would be answered in 1973 as Matra decided to take part in the World Championship and Ferrari ventured out to Le Mans. The resources required for this big campaign forced Matra to withdraw from Formula 1, where their V12 engine was not quite as successful. While the basic package remained the same, there were numerous detail changes made to the cars and for Le Mans three new chassis were constructed, which were officially dubbed MS670B. The pre-season question was quickly answered in favour of the Matra team by convincing victories at Vallelunga, Dijon, Zeltweg, Watkins Glen and again at Le Mans. Matra was crowned World Champion. At the end of the season Ferrari withdrew from sportscar racing to concentrate on Formula 1.
Although there was opposition from Alfa Romeo, Matra had little trouble defending their World Championship title, winning all but one race that season. Again new chassis were constructed for Le Mans and some cars were modified to a C-spec with inboard rear brakes and a full width rear wing. Pescarolo took his third consecutive victory at Le Mans, this time co-driving with Gerard Larousse. One of the six MS670B chassis constructed was fitted with a new, more angular body and renamed MS680. With little more to win, Matra withdrew from motor racing at the end of the 1974 season and focused on the production of road cars. The V12 engine was used again later that decade and early in the 1980s with considerable success in Formula 1. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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In preparation for the big race, a two car team competed in the first three World Championship rounds, but the results were far from promising with a fifth for Servoz-Gavin and Pescarolo at Sebring as the highest finish. Now producing in excess of 420 bhp the V12 engine and drivetrain were now truly stressed, which caused none of the three cars entered at Le Mans to get passed the eight hour. Later that year the MS650s finished first and second in the Tour de France and the MS660 scored its maiden victory in the Montlhery 1000 km. In the next season the Matra effort consisted of just one MS660, but again it failed to impress in a year dominated once more by Porsche and Ferrari. The short wheelbase MS650s were dusted off once to successfully defend the Tour de France title.