Matra Racing - The Rebirth

There's never been another Grand Prix manufacturer like Matra. Coming from a background of aerospace engineering they brought a host of innovative technologies and an entirely different approach, to dominate the F1 landscape. As Matra Racing shows, the French firm even left F1 grandees Ferrari scratching their heads as Matra pioneered the use of Computer Aided Design, true monocoque construction from space-ace materials, and a rigorous design and testing programme. It wasn t just in Formula One where they met with success; between 1972 and 74 they ruled the sportscar prototype roads, particularly at Le Mans in the hands of Henri Pescarolo. This new film profiles meteoric rise, and equally rapid disappearance of the French blue cars in the late 1960s and early 1970s, speaking to many of the key players in the firm as well as the drivers. It also shows how, under the enterprising hands of Abe Kogan, the Matra-powered Ligiers and sportscars have returned to their winning ways, albeit in historical racing. A fascinating film about an undeservedly overlooked manufacturer with an enviable record of success and innovation. The film concludes with Matra winning 3 exciting races at the 2016 Silverstone Classic.