Matra-Simca MS650
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| Category | Group 6 Prototype | ||||||||
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| Constructor | Matra | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Bernard Boyer | ||||||||
| Predecessor | MS630 / MS640 | ||||||||
| Successor | MS660 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Glass-fibre reinforced plastic panels | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers | ||||||||
| Length | 3,900 mm (153.5 in) | ||||||||
| Width | 1,900 mm (74.8 in) | ||||||||
| Height | 760 mm (29.9 in) | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,440 mm (56.7 in) Rear: 1,490 mm (58.7 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,440 mm (96.1 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Matra MS12, 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in), 60º V12, NA, Longitudinal, mid-mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Matra 5-speed manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 740 kg (1,631.4 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Lucas | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Equipe Matra - Elf Matra of France Matra Sports Equipe Matra-Simca | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  Jean-Pierre Beltoise  Pedro Rodriguez Johnny Servoz-Gavin  Jack Brabham François Cevert Jean-Pierre Beltoise Henri Pescarolo  Dan Gurney | ||||||||
| Debut | 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
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| Teams' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 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]
Racing History
[edit]1969
[edit]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.
1970
[edit]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.
Complete International Championship for Makes results
[edit]| Year | Entrant | Class | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Points | ICMP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Equipe Matra - Elf | Group 5 | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | 6 | 5th | |
| Jean-Pierre Beltoise
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4 | ||||||||||||||
 Piers Courage
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4 | ||||||||||||||
| Matra of France Matra Sports |
Pedro Rodriguez
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4 | 23 | ||||||||||||
| Johnny Servoz-Gavin
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4 | 23 | |||||||||||||
| 1970 | Equipe Matra-Simca | Group 5 | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | 4 | 4th | |
| Jack Brabham
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10 | 12 | 5 | 36 | |||||||||||
| François Cevert
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10 | 12 | 36 | ||||||||||||
| Dan Gurney
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12 | ||||||||||||||
| Jean-Pierre Beltoise
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18 | 12 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Henri Pescarolo
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18 | 5 | 21 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Johnny Servoz-Gavin
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5 | 21 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Patrick Depailler
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37 | ||||||||||||||
| Jean-Pierre Jabouille
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37 | ||||||||||||||
| Tim Schenken
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37 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Matra MS650". www.ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
- ^ "Matra Manufacturing & Services". Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
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