Elf Scan 19: Matra MS 11
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 9:47AM 
Revealed at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix, the MS11 was the first F1 car to be 100% Matra-developed, from its chassis to its 3L V-12 engine. The MS11 was a complete monocoque, but it was slightly behind the leading edge set by Lotus in the previous season, as the engine did not play a structural role in the chassis, unlike the Ford-powered MS10, which was designed after the Lotus. Jean-Pierre Beltoise piloted the car to 2nd in the Dutch Grand Prix that year, also beating the lap record. The Matra V-12 was a magnificient engine, but Matra decided it needed more development before it could be a winner, and the political pressure to win was too great. Therefore a Ford Cosworth DFV, rather than a French engine, would power Matra to the championship in 1969.
