March seven hundred eleven Formula one Car
With its revolutionary aerodynamic assets and very developed chassis, the March seven hundred eleven was one of the more influential Formula one cars of its era. Named for founders Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker, and Robin Herd, March very first appeared in one thousand nine hundred sixty nine with an ambitious plan to challenge in as many as five different racing series. By the one thousand nine hundred seventy one season, however, the company came to place greater emphasis on its F1 endeavours.
Engineer Robin Herd learned from the practices of the March seven hundred one during 1970, ever more persuaded that aerodynamic considerations would be the key to success. With an improved chassis design by Lotus veteran Geoff Ferris, the succeeding seven hundred eleven was packaged in an unusual shell designed by the brilliant aerodynamicist Frank Costin. The most eccentric feature of the bodywork was a front airfoil mounted atop the nose that resembled the wing of a Spitfire fighter plane, a downforce-inducing component that was soon nicknamed the Spitfire (or the Tea Tray).
Chassis number 711-2 was just the 2nd Works car produced for March-STP’s one thousand nine hundred seventy one campaign, and it began the season as the primary car for driver Ronnie Peterson. Peterson followed an inauspicious 10th-place debut in the month of March at the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami with several competitive outings, completing 2nd at both the Monaco Grand Prix in May and at the Rhein-Pokalrennen in June, and 4th a week later at the Netherlands Grand Prix. In August, Peterson assumed driving a freshly built car (chassis number 711-6), and this example was relegated to spare duties, but its spectacle during the season’s very first half was a major factor in Peterson’s runner-up finish that year.
This significant March liked one more notable superlative during one thousand nine hundred seventy one at the Austrian Grand Prix at Zeltweg on fifteen August. A promising youthful driver who was fairly fresh to the March-STP team was given his very first chance at a Formula one event, but unluckily, the car was incapable to finish due to a steering issue. That driver, the legendary Niki Lauda, would go on to forge an impeccable racing career, winning the Drivers’ Championship three times. Notably, chassis 711-2 is the very first car that he ever drove in a Formula one race.
With the advent of the one thousand nine hundred seventy two season, March engineered a successor to the 711, and 711-2 was temporarily retired. In 1973, it was acquired by the consignor, a racing enthusiast who commissioned a decent restoration in one thousand nine hundred ninety six by Martin Stresser of England. The March was then put to work, contributing to the owner’s one thousand nine hundred ninety nine victory in the COPE Classic GP (the European F1 classic series), including strong finishes at Silverstone, Monza, Nürburgring, Dijon, Zolder, Zandvoort, and Salzburgring. More recently, the Cosworth DFV engine was tuned by Heini Mader in Switzerland, leaving it freshly ready for renewed racing campaigns.
Accompanied by a valid FIA Historic Technical Passport and fresh from a thorough crack inspection, this car is assured to be in finish original condition, even featuring the original magnesium March wheels (recommended only for exhibition use). The car is also tooled with two extra sets of competition wheels, one shod with slick tyres, and the other with rain tyres.
Claiming forty three years of single ownership by a dedicated and knowledgeable custodian, this significant March could lightly be a frontrunner in the Series F of the Monaco Historic GP. It claims an significant competition pedigree, including strong use by one thousand nine hundred seventy one F1 runner-up Ronnie Peterson, as well as the inaugural Formula one appearance of three-time champ and legend Niki Lauda. Also documented with correspondence from Robin Herd that confirms its historical details, chassis number 711-2 promises its next caretaker a strong run at vintage competition events and would make a prominent display at any major concours d’elegance or race car exhibition. It offers an ideal acquisition for the serious collector of Formula one cars and dedicated March connoisseur.