Matra-Simca MS650
{{More citations needed|date=June 2018}}{{Infobox racing car
| Car_name = Matra-Simca MS650
| Image = Matra.jpg
| Category = Group 6 Prototype
| Constructor = Matra
| Designer = Bernard Boyer
| Successor = MS660
| Team = Equipe Matra - Elf
Matra of France
Matra Sports
Equipe Matra-Simca
| Drivers = {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Beltoise
{{flagicon|MEX}} Pedro Rodriguez
{{flagicon|FRA}} Johnny Servoz-Gavin
{{flagicon|Australia}} Jack Brabham
{{flagicon|FRA}} François Cevert
{{flagicon|France}} Jean-Pierre Beltoise
{{flagicon|France}} Henri Pescarolo
{{flagicon|United States}} Dan Gurney
| Technical ref = {{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/3020/Matra-MS650.html|title=Matra MS650|website=www.ultimatecarpage.com|accessdate=24 December 2016}}
| Chassis = Glass-fibre reinforced plastic panels
| Front suspension = Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers
| Rear suspension = Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers
| Length = {{convert|3900|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Width = {{convert|1900|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Height = {{convert|760|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Wheelbase = {{convert|2440|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Track = Front: {{convert|1440|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
Rear: {{convert|1490|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| Engine name = Matra MS12,
| Capacity = {{convert|2993|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}},
| Turbo/NA = NA,
| Configuration = 60º V12,
| Engine position = Longitudinal, mid-mounted
| Gearbox name = Matra 5-speed manual
| Gears =
| Type =
| Differential =
| Weight = {{convert|740|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}
| Fuel = Elf
| Lubricants =
| Tyres =
| Debut = 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans
| Races = 8
| Wins = 0
| Cons_champ = 0
| Drivers_champ =
| Teams_champ = 0
| Poles = 0
| Fastest_laps = 0
}}
The Matra-Simca MS650 is a Group 6 prototype race car introduced in 1969 for the International Championship for Makes. The MS650 replaced the previous Matra-Simca MS630.{{cite web|title=Matra Manufacturing & Services.|url=http://www.matra-ms.com/en/history/competition.html|accessdate=24 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224030040/http://www.matra-ms.com/en/history/competition.html|archive-date=24 December 2016|url-status=dead}}
Racing History
=1969=
The car made its debut at the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans with a four car entry. Jean-Pierre Beltoise/Piers Courage in the MS650, Jean Guichet/Nino Vaccarella in the MS630, Nanni Galli/Robin Widdows and Johnny Servoz-Gavin/Herbert Müller were both in the MS630/650. Beltoise/Courage finished fourth followed by Guichet/Vaccarella in fifth, Galli/Widdows seventh but Servoz-Gavin/Müller retired when an electrical circuit failed. For the 1969 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, Matra entered two cars for Servoz-Gavin/Pedro Rodriguez in the MS650 and Guichet/Widdows in the MS630/650. Servoz-Gavin/Rodriguez finished fourth and Guichet/Widdows retired with a broken clutch. For the final race of the 1969 season, the 1000km of Zeltweg, Matra only entered Servoz-Gavin/Rodriguez but the car retired through accident.
In the International Championship for Makes, Matra had scored six points, earning it fifth place in the championship.
=1970=
The first race of the season was the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona, Matra had two cars for Jack Brabham/François Cevert and Jean-Pierre Beltoise/Henri Pescarolo. Brabham/Cevert finished tenth and Beltoise/Pescarolo finished 18th. Matra made changes to the driver line ups for the 12 Hours of Sebring, Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin and Cevert/Dan Gurney. Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin finished fifth and Cevert/Gurney finish 12th. Matra again made changes to the driver line ups for the 1000km of Brands Hatch, The team put Brabham/Beltoise together but kept Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin. Brabham/Beltoise finish 12th and Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin retired with engine failure. The MNZ saw Brabham/Beltoise fifth followed by Pescarolo/Servoz-Gavin in sixth. The team skipped the next three races, the Targa Florio, 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps and 1000km of Nürburgring. The team entered three cars for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Beltoise/Pescarolo in the new Matra-Simca MS660, Brabham/Cevert and Patrick Depailler/Jean-Pierre Jabouille/Tim Schenken were both in the MS650 but all three cars retired with engine failure. The team skipped the final two race of the 1970 season, the Watkins Glen 6 Hours and Austrian 1000km.
In the International Championship for Makes, Matra had scored four points, earning it fourth place in the championship.
{{-}}
Complete International Championship for Makes results
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |
| Year
! Entrant ! Class ! Drivers ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! Points ! {{Tooltip|ICMP|International Championship for Makes position}} |
|---|
| rowspan="5" | 1969
| rowspan="3" align="left"| Equipe Matra - Elf | rowspan="5" | Group 5 | | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | rowspan="5"|6 | rowspan="5"|5th |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Beltoise
| | | | | | | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4 | | |
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Piers Courage
| | | | | | | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4 | | |
| rowspan="2" align="left"| Matra of France Matra Sports | {{flagicon|MEX}} Pedro Rodriguez | | | | | | | | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4 | style="background:#efcfff;"| 23 |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Johnny Servoz-Gavin
| | | | | | | | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4 | style="background:#efcfff;"| 23 |
| rowspan="10" | 1970
| rowspan="10" align="left"| Equipe Matra-Simca | rowspan="10" | Group 5 | | DAY | SEB | BHC | MZA | TGA | SPA | NÜR | LMS | WGN | ORC | rowspan="10"|4 | rowspan="10"|4th |
| {{flagicon|Australia}} Jack Brabham
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 10 | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| 36 | | |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} François Cevert
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 10 | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | | | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| 36 | | |
| {{flagicon|United States}} Dan Gurney
| | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | | | | | | | | |
| {{flagicon|France}} Jean-Pierre Beltoise
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 18 | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | | | | | | |
| {{flagicon|France}} Henri Pescarolo
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 18 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | style="background:#efcfff;"| 21 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6 | | | | | | |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Johnny Servoz-Gavin
| | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5 | style="background:#efcfff;"| 21 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6 | | | | | | |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Patrick Depailler
| | | | | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| 37 | | |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jean-Pierre Jabouille
| | | | | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| 37 | | |
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Tim Schenken
| | | | | | | | style="background:#efcfff;"| 37 | | |