1972 March 721 G Formula One Car

When racing driver Mike Beuttler approached March Engineering in 1972 with funding for the Formula One World Championship, they did not have a competitive car; both the 721 and 721X had proved to be a disappointment for Ronnie Peterson and Niki Lauda. The decision was made to update the previous season's Formula Two car that had won the World Championship for Peterson.

This was a sound move as time was of the essence and the chassis was known to work well. From the start of construction to having a complete car to test took just nine days, commemorated by the suffix 'G' as recognition to the 'Guinness Book of Records' for the record production time!After a DNQ at the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama on 1st May, Clarke-Morduant-Guthrie Racing entered March 721G and achieved a 13th placing at the Monaco Grand Prix for Mike Beuttler just two weeks later. The decision to use the nimble Formula Two was vindicated as the March proved very competitive on tight circuits. A series of good results followed as the March 721G, and Beuttler, punched above their weight, out qualifying Lauda and Peterson at Watkins Glen in 721Gs. Credible results quickly followed:

British Grand Prix, Brands Hatch 15th July - Finished 13th.

German Grand Prix, Nurburgring 30th July - Finished 8th.

Italian Grand Prix, Monza 10th September - Finished 10th.

US Grand Prix, Watkins Glen 8th October - Finished 13th.

JPS Challenge Trophy, 22nd October - Finished 15th.

Argentine Grand Prix, 28th January 1973 - Finished 10th.

For the remainder of the 1973 Formula One season the March 721G/731 was used by Jean Pierre Jarier, Reine Wisell and David Purley, who gained a ninth place in that year's Italian Grand Prix at Monza on the 9th September.

The March was then purchased by Firestone Sweden who installed a jet engine and used the car at Anderstorp and Paul Ricard for promotions! Unused for nearly twenty years, ownership then passed to Stefan Olssen. However, it was Joachim Thorjesson who completed the restoration in time for Monaco Historique in 2010.

Frank Sytner then purchased the car and world renowned F1 experts, Simon Hadfield Motorsport, who set about a full restoration with the 2012 Monaco Historic Grand Prix for Pre-'73 Formula 1 grid in mind. The result is the most correct 721G in the world and the most competitive car for the series. The Cosworth DFV was rebuilt by Swedish engine guru, Johann Birgersson, and set up for high torque at low revs for Monaco, where it was placed on the front row of the grid. This March 721G can comfortably make the 550 - 560 kgs weight limit required to head a Pre-73 grid and is one of the most nimble Formula One cars to drive today.

This is a fantastic and unique car, with great period history, which is presented to a magnificent standard throughout. This is most definitely the car to have in Pre-'73 Historic Formula One, with a set-up to succeed at Monaco and all tight twisty tracks. As Frank recently said;

"if an old age pensioner with a heart condition can put it on the front row . . . !"