Matra MS84


The Matra MS84 was the fifth Formula One car produced by Matra. The Ford Cosworth DFV-powered car

Development

The car was built at Matra's Formula One base at Vélizy-Villacoublay in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, designed under the direction of Bernard Boyer and built by Jean Bee under the direction of Legan. It was run by the Matra International team of Ken Tyrrell with full technical support from Matra and the financial backing of Elf.
Although it has a family resemblance with the MS80 with which Matra won the 1969 Constructors' Championship, it is a completely different car with a steel tube chassis instead of an aluminium monocoque. At the back the engine is mounted back-to-front with the gearbox directly behind the driver. The four wheel drive suspension is similar in design to the one that was installed on Tony Rolt Ford Mustangs. Ferguson transmission and other necessary additions left the car much heavier than the two-wheel drive sister cars.

Racing history

Like the Lotus 63, the MS84 made its first appearance at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Jackie Stewart tried the car out but opted to use his MS80, as he would for the rest of the season.
The car was still present at all the remaining races as a spare, and at Silverstone Jean-Pierre Beltoise gave the car its first race and came home ninth, six laps behind Stewart's two-wheel drive Matra. By the next time the car raced, the front differential had been disconnected and the car effectively ran as an over-weight MS80 with inboard front brakes, memorably giving the lie to Johnny Servoz-Gavin's protestations about the 4WD car being "undriveable" after he finished the Canadian Grand Prix six laps down in sixth place. Servoz-Gavin also drove the car at Watkins Glen, finishing 16 laps down and unclassified, and finally in Mexico, crossing the line "just" two laps down in eighth place. Although there was a project for a 4WD Matra MS 124, the MS84 was never replaced.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantEnginesTyresDrivers1234567891011PointsWCC
Matra InternationalFord Cosworth DFV
3.0 V8		RSAESPMONNEDFRAGBRGERITACANUSAMEX661st
Matra InternationalFord Cosworth DFV
3.0 V8		Jean-Pierre BeltoisePO9661st
Matra InternationalFord Cosworth DFV
3.0 V8		Jackie StewartPOPOPO661st
Matra InternationalFord Cosworth DFV
3.0 V8		Johnny Servoz-GavinDNA6NC8661st

Includes 9 points scored using a Matra MS10 and 57 points scored using a Matra MS80.