Sticker of the Day No.3: Matra-Simca Shell 24h-Du Mans 1974
By Marcus Pye
Matra, the Velizy, Paris-based aerospace company and car maker, won the F1 World Championship at its second attempt in 1969, with Jackie Stewart driving a Ford Cosworth DFV-powered MS80 run by Ken Tyrrell’s British-based team. In partnership with Simca, Equipe Matra Sports subsequently went it alone in F1, but brought glory to France with a hat-trick of Le Mans 24 Hours victories from ’72-’74 with wailing V12-engined MS670 sportscar derivatives. Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill scored the first win for a French car since Rosier pere-et-fils’ Talbot Lago triumphed in 1950. Gerard Larrousse joined ‘Pesca’ for subsequent all-French successes.
