Automobiles Martini is a constructor of

Formula racing Formula racing, also known as open-wheel racing in North America, is any of several forms of open-wheeled single-seater motorsport. A "formula", first devised by FIA for its post–World War II single-seater races, is a set of regulations for ...

cars from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, founded by Renato "Tico" Martini in 1965, when Martini and partner Bill Knight founded the Winfield Racing School at the

Magny-Cours Magny-Cours () is a Communes of France, commune in the Nièvre Departments of France, department in central France. It is the home of the ''Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours'', a famous Motorsport#Motor racing, motor racing circuit (whose name is o ...

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 Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. History Formula Three (adop ...

car, MW1A built in 1968. Although better known for their successful efforts in

Formula Renault Formula Renault are classes of formula racing popular in Europe and elsewhere. Regarded as an entry-level series to auto racing, motor racing, it was founded in 1971, and was a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before mov ...

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 René Alexandre Arnoux (; born 4 July 1948) is a French former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Arnoux won seven Formula One Grands Prix across 12 seasons. In 1977, Arnoux won the European Formula Two Championship. His be ...

(later a driver for

Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...

and

Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), the company built Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and be ...

) his debut in

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

. Future four time World Drivers' Champion

Alain Prost Alain Marie Pascal Prost (; born 24 February 1955) is a French former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "the Professor", Prost won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and� ...

also used a

powered Martini to win the 1978 and 1979 French Formula Three Championship while driving for French team Oreca. With

Reynard Reynard the Fox is a list of literary cycles, literary cycle of medieval allegorical Folklore of the Low Countries, Dutch, English folklore, English, French folklore, French and German folklore, German fables. The first extant versions of the cy ...

, Ralt and

Dallara Dallara Group S.r.l. is the largest multi-national Italian race car manufacturer, founded by its current President, Giampaolo Dallara. After working for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and De Tomaso, in 1972 in his native village of Varano de' M ...

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

( key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Major titles

* 21 French Formula Renault titles between 1975 and 1997, with drivers such as

, Érik Comas,

Olivier Panis Olivier Jean Denis Marie Panis (; born 2 September 1966) is a French former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Panis won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix with Équipe Ligier, Ligier. Panis competed in Formula One for Équipe Ligier, ...

or Stéphane Sarrazin * 20

French hill climb championship The French hill climb championship, or Championnat de France de la Montagne started in 1967 and rapidly became one of the continent's most competitive national series. For much of its history, the leading cars have been from Formula 2 (later Form ...

titles between 1979 and 1999, including 10 titles with Marcel Tarrès and one title with

Guy Fréquelin Guy Fréquelin (born 2 April 1945 at Langres) is a French former rallying, rally and sports car driver. Biography Perhaps Fréquelin's finest hour as a driver came when he finished runner-up only to Ari Vatanen, alongside then-navigator Jean Todt ...

* 10 French Formula Three championship titles between 1973 and 1999, with drivers such as

Jacques Laffite Jacques-Henri Laffite (; born 21 November 1943) is a French former racing driver and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from to . Laffite won six Formula One Grands Prix across 13 seasons. Born and raised in Paris, Laffite trained as ...

Sébastien Bourdais Sébastien Olivier Bourdais (; born 28 February 1979) is a French professional racing driver who currently races in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota in the Hypercar category. He is one of the most successful dr ...

* 2

European Formula Two Championship The European Formula Two Championship was a Formula Two motor racing series that was held between 1967–84. The races were held across Europe, and were contested both by drivers aiming to compete in Formula One in the future as well as curr ...

titles, in 1975 with

and 1977

* 2 European Formula Three Championship titles, in 1979 with

and 1984 with Ivan Capelli * 1 SCCA Super Vee title in 1986 with Didier Theys * 1

German Formula Three Championship The German Formula Three Championship was the national Formula Three championship of Germany, and the former West Germany, from 1950 to 2002, then as Formel 3 until 2014. In 2003, the series had merged with the French Formula Three Championship ...

title, in 1985 with

Volker Weidler Volker Hermann Weidler (born 18 March 1962) is a retired racing driver from Germany, best known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991. Career Formula racing In 1985, he became German Formula Three champion. In the 1989 Formula One seaso ...

Racecars

References

Grand Prix encyclopedia profileFormula 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

Formula One constructors Formula One entrants Formula Two constructors French auto racing teams French racecar constructors French Formula 3 teams Auto racing teams established in 1965 Auto racing teams disestablished in 2004 1965 establishments in France 2004 disestablishments in France {{France-sport-team-stub