Cars
Le Mans Yesterday and Today: Matra
Matra's Le Mans journey began in the late '60s, driven by a desire to showcase French technological prowess. With a dominant V12 engine, Matra secured three consecutive victories from 1972 to 1974, led by Henri Pescarolo and Gérard Larrousse.
After recounting Peugeot's epic saga at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Roarington's journey through the most successful constructors at the Circuit de la Sarthe remains in France with the story of Matra.
In the mid-1960s, Matra, a leading French aerospace and defense company, entered the world of motorsport. This decision, aimed at showcasing French expertise in advanced technology, was driven by the passion of engineer Jean Luc Lagardère, appointed CEO in 1962. Initially focused on Formula 2 and Formula 3, Matra quickly achieved success and set its sights on Formula 1, winning the 1969 World Championship with Jackie Stewart driving the Ford-Cosworth-powered MS80.
