Automobiles Martini is a constructor of Formula racing cars from France, founded by Renato "Tico" Martini in 1965, when Martini and partner Bill Knight founded the Winfield Racing School at the Magny-Cours circuit, in France. Martini's first car was the MW1 in 1967, a single seater for the racing driving school, from which was derived a Formula Three car, MW1A built in 1968.
| Full name | Automobiles Martini |
|---|---|
| Base | Magny-Cours, France |
| Founder(s) | Renato Martini, Bill Knight |
| Noted drivers |  René Arnoux |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| First entry | 1978 South African Grand Prix |
| Races entered | 9 (4 starts) |
| Engines | Ford Cosworth DFV V8 |
| Constructors' Championships | 0 |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Final entry | 1978 Dutch Grand Prix |
Although better known for their successful efforts in Formula Three, Formula Renault and other lower formulae during the 1970s and 1980s, they are also known for having taken part in nine rounds of the 1978 Formula One season with the single MK23 chassis, giving René Arnoux (later a driver for Renault and Ferrari) his debut in Formula One. Future four time World Drivers' Champion Alain Prost also used a Renault powered Martini to win the 1978 and 1979 French Formula Three Championship while driving for French team Oreca.
With Reynard, Ralt and Dallara crowding out the F3 market in the late 1980s, Martini reduced their customer program, keeping a stubborn presence in the French F3 championship during the 1990s, until Tico Martini finally sold the company to Guy Ligier in 2004.
Complete Formula One results
edit(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Drivers | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Automobiles Martini | MK23 | Ford Cosworth DFV | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | MON | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USA | CAN | NC | 0 | ||
 René Arnoux
|
31 | DNQ | DNPQ | 9 | WD | 14 | WD | DNPQ | 9 | Ret |
Major titles
edit- 21 French Formula Renault titles between 1975 and 1997, with drivers such as Alain Prost, Érik Comas, Olivier Panis or Stéphane Sarrazin
- 20 French hill climb championship titles between 1979 and 1999, including 10 titles with Marcel Tarrès and one title with Guy Fréquelin
- 10 French Formula Three championship titles between 1973 and 1999, with drivers such as Jacques Laffite, Alain Prost or Sébastien Bourdais
- 2 European Formula Two Championship titles, in 1975 with Jacques Laffite and 1977 René Arnoux
- 2 European Formula Three Championship titles, in 1979 with Alain Prost and 1984 with Ivan Capelli
- 1 SCCA Super Vee title in 1986 with Didier Theys
- 1 German Formula Three Championship title, in 1985 with Volker Weidler
Racecars
edit| Year | Racing car | Racing Series | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-1969 | Martini MW1 | Racing school | |
| 1968 | Martini MW1A | Formula 3 | |
| 1969 | Martini MW2 | Formula France | |
| 1969 | Martini MW2A | Formula Libre (hillclimbing) | |
| 1969 | Martini MW3 | Formula 3 | |
| 1969 | Martini MW3A | Formula Ford | |
| 1970 | Martini MK4 | Formula France | |
| 1970 | Martini MK4A | Racing school | |
| 1970 | Martini MK5 | Formula 3 | |
| 1970 | Martini MK5A | Formula 3 | |
| 1971 | Martini MK6 | Formula Renault | |
| 1971 | Martini MK7 | Formula 3 | |
| 1972 | Martini MK8 | Formula Renault | |
| 1972 | Martini MK9 | Formula 3 | |
| 1972 | Martini MK9A | Formula Atlantic | |
| 1972 | Martini MK10 | Formula Renault | |
| 1973 | Martini MK11 | Formula Renault | |
| 1973 | Martini MK12 | Formula 3 | 
|
| 1973 | Martini MK12E | Racing school | |
| 1973 | Martini MK13 | Cancelled Formula 2 | |
| 1974 | Martini MK14 | Formula Renault | |
| 1975 | Martini MK15N | Formula Renault nationale | 
|
| 1975 | Martini MK15E | Formule Renault Europe | |
| 1975 | Martini MK16 | Formula 2 | |
| 1976 | Martini MK17 | Formula Renault nationale | |
| 1976 | Martini MK18 | Formule Renault Europe | |
| 1976 | Martini MK19 | Formula 2 | |
| 1977 | Martini MK20N | Formula Renault nationale | |
| 1977 | Martini MK20E | Formule Renault Europe | |
| 1977 | Martini MK21 | Formula 3 | |
| 1977 | Martini MK22 | Formula 2 | |
| 1978 | Martini MK21B | Formula 3 | |
| 1978 | Martini MK23 | Formula 1 | |
| 1978 | Martini MK24 | Formula Renault | |
| 1978 | Martini MK25 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1979 | Martini MK26 | Formula Renault | |
| 1979 | Martini MK27 | Formula 3 | |
| 1979 | Martini MK28 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1979 | Martini MK29 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1980 | Martini MK26E | Racing driving school | |
| 1980 | Martini MK30 | Formula Renault | |
| 1980 | Martini MK31 | Formula 3 | 
|
| 1981 | Martini MK32 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1981 | Martini MK33 | Formula Renault | |
| 1981 | Martini MK34 | Formula 3 | |
| 1981 | Martini MK35 | Formula Super Vee | |
| 1982 | Martini MK36 | Formula Renault | |
| 1982 | Martini MK37 | Formula 3 | 
|
| 1983 | Martini MK38 | Formula Renault | |
| 1983 | Martini MK39 | Formula 3 | |
| 1983 | Martini M001 | Formula 2 | |
| 1984 | Martini MK41 | Formula Renault | |
| 1984 | Martini MK42 | Formula 3 | |
| 1984 | Martini MK43 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | 
|
| 1984 | Martini M002 | Formula 2 | |
| 1985 | Martini MK44 | Formula Renault | |
| 1985 | Martini MK45 | Formula 3 | |
| 1985 | Martini MK47 | Formula Super Vee | |
| 1986 | Martini MK48 | Formula Renault | |
| 1986 | Martini MK49 | Formula 3 | |
| 1987 | Martini MK50 | Formula Super Vee | |
| 1987 | Martini MK51 | Formula Renault | |
| 1987 | Martini MK52 | Formula 3 | |
| 1987 | Martini MK53 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1988 | Martini MK54 | Formula Renault | |
| 1988 | Martini MK55 | Formula 3 | |
| 1988 | Martini MK56 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1989 | Martini MK57 | Formula Renault | |
| 1989 | Martini MK58 | Formula 3 | 
|
| 1990 | Martini MK59 | Formula Renault | |
| 1990 | Martini MK60 | Formula 3 | |
| 1991 | Martini MK61 | Formula Renault | |
| 1991 | Martini MK62 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | 
|
| 1992 | Martini MK63 | Formula Renault | |
| 1992 | Martini MK64 | Peugeot 905 Spider | |
| 1993-1994 | Martini MK65 | Formula Renault | 
|
| 1993 | Martini MK66 | Sport Prototype 3000 | 
|
| 1993 | Martini MK67 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1993 | Martini MK68 | Peugeot 905 Spider | |
| 1994 | Martini MK69 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | 
|
| 1995 | Martini MK70 | Racing school | |
| 1995 | Martini MK71 | Formula Renault | |
| 1996 | Martini MK72 | Formula Renault | 
|
| 1996 | Martini MK73 | Formula 3 | |
| 1996 | Martini MK74 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1996 | Martini MK75 | Racing school | |
| 1997 | Martini MK76 | Formula Renault | 
|
| 1997 | Martini MK77 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | |
| 1998 | Martini MK78 | Sport Prototype | |
| 1999 | Martini MK79 | Formula 3 | |
| 2000 | Martini MK80 | Formula 3 | |
| 2000 | Martini MK81 | Formula 2 (Hillclimbing) | 
|
| ? | Martini MK82 | Hillclimbing | 
|
References
edit- Grand Prix encyclopedia profile
- Formula One results
- Martini, Histoire des automobiles de courses Martini, Tome 1 1967-1973, Gérard Gamand, Editions Autodiva, ISBN 978-2-9546893-4-0
- Martini, Histoire des automobiles de courses Martini, Tome 2 1974-1985, Gérard Gamand, Editions Autodiva, ISBN 978-2-9546893-6-4
- A-Z of Formula Racing Cars, David Hodges, Bay View Books, ISBN 1-870979-16-8
- Formule Renault Story 1971-2000, Christian Courtel, Wake-upp Editions, ISBN 2-910824-05-5
- Formule Renault, de la Formule France au turbo, Christian Courtel, Editions ACLA
External links
edit
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