Automobiles Martini is a constructor of Formula racing cars from France, founded by Renato "Tico" Martini in 1965, when Martini and partner Bill Knight founded the Winfield Racing School at the Magny-Cours circuit, in France. Martini's first car was the MW1 in 1967, a single seater for the racing driving school, from which was derived a Formula Three car, MW1A built in 1968.

Quick Facts Full name, Base ...

Martini

Full name	Automobiles Martini
Base	Magny-Cours, France
Founder(s)	Renato Martini, Bill Knight
Noted drivers	René Arnoux
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1978 South African Grand Prix
Races entered	9 (4 starts)
Engines	Ford Cosworth DFV V8
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	0
Podiums	0
Points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
Final entry	1978 Dutch Grand Prix

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Although better known for their successful efforts in Formula Three, Formula Renault and other lower formulae during the 1970s and 1980s, they are also known for having taken part in nine rounds of the 1978 Formula One season with the single MK23 chassis, giving René Arnoux (later a driver for Renault and Ferrari) his debut in Formula One. Future four time World Drivers' Champion Alain Prost also used a Renault powered Martini to win the 1978 and 1979 French Formula Three Championship while driving for French team Oreca.

With Reynard, Ralt and Dallara crowding out the F3 market in the late 1980s, Martini reduced their customer program, keeping a stubborn presence in the French F3 championship during the 1990s, until Tico Martini finally sold the company to Guy Ligier in 2004.

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

More information Year, Entrant ...

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Points
1978	Automobiles Martini	MK23	Ford Cosworth DFV			ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	MON	BEL	ESP	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN	NC	0
				René Arnoux	31			DNQ		DNPQ	9	WD		14	WD	DNPQ	9	Ret

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• 21 French Formula Renault titles between 1975 and 1997, with drivers such as Alain Prost, Érik Comas, Olivier Panis or Stéphane Sarrazin
• 20 French hill climb championship titles between 1979 and 1999, including 10 titles with Marcel Tarrès and one title with Guy Fréquelin
• 10 French Formula Three championship titles between 1973 and 1999, with drivers such as Jacques Laffite, Alain Prost or Sébastien Bourdais
• 2 European Formula Two Championship titles, in 1975 with Jacques Laffite and 1977 René Arnoux
• 2 European Formula Three Championship titles, in 1979 with Alain Prost and 1984 with Ivan Capelli
• 1 SCCA Super Vee title in 1986 with Didier Theys
• 1 German Formula Three Championship title, in 1985 with Volker Weidler

• Grand Prix encyclopedia profile
• Formula One results
• Martini, Histoire des automobiles de courses Martini, Tome 1 1967-1973, Gérard Gamand, Editions Autodiva, ISBN 978-2-9546893-4-0
• Martini, Histoire des automobiles de courses Martini, Tome 2 1974-1985, Gérard Gamand, Editions Autodiva, ISBN 978-2-9546893-6-4
• A-Z of Formula Racing Cars, David Hodges, Bay View Books, ISBN 1-870979-16-8
• Formule Renault Story 1971-2000, Christian Courtel, Wake-upp Editions, ISBN 2-910824-05-5
• Formule Renault, de la Formule France au turbo, Christian Courtel, Editions ACLA

• Automobiles Ligier-Martini

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