For the constructor of lower formulae single-seaters, see Martini (cars)

Martini Racing Porsche 917LH 4. Martini Cars is a constructor of Formula racing cars from France, founded by Tico Martini in 1965 when Martini and partner Bill Knight founded the Winfield Racing The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. 9L from 1971

Martini Racing is the name under which various motor racing teams raced when sponsored by the Martini & Rossi distillery that produces Martini vermouth. Martini & Rossi is an Italian multinational Alcoholic beverage company primarily associated with the Martini brand of Vermouth and also with Sparkling Martini is a brand of Italian Vermouth, named after the Martini & Rossi Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino in Turin. Martini's sponsorship program began in 1968. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The race cars are marked with the distinctive dark blue, light blue and red stripes on (most often) white or silver cars.

Sports car racing

Martini Racing's early blue and green "psychedelic" livery on a 1970 917K, ascending the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb

1973 Targa Florio winner

Vic Elford, Nürburgring 1971, Porsche 908

Martini's first sponsorship program happened in a minor event at the Hockenheimring in 1968. Victor Henry Elford (born in London, June 10, 1935) is a former Sportscar racing, Rallying and Formula One driver from The Porsche 908 was a Racing car from Porsche, introduced from 1967 in the Porsche 906 / Porsche 907 / Porsche 910 series of models The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an Automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Martini Racing was then formed to enter two Porsche 907 in several sports car races in 1969. The Porsche 907 was a Sportscar racing prototype built by Porsche in 1967 and 1968

During the 1970s, Martini became famous for sponsoring the works Porsche 917 that won the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. The 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 39th Grand Prix of Endurance and took place on 12 June and 13 1971 After a one-year hiatus, Martini and Porsche renewed their ties in the 1973 season, sponsoring the Carrera RS that won the Targa Florio. The Targa Florio was an open road Endurance automobile race held near Palermo Sicily. The Martini Porsche cars won Le Mans once more in 1976 and 1977 with Porsche 936, as well as in many other events in the 1970s for the factory Porsche team, with the RSR Turbo, 935 and 936. The Porsche 936 was a Racing car introduced in 1976 by Porsche as a delayed successor to the Porsche 917, which was retired by the factory after 1971 Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch The 930 (usually pronounced nine-thirty was a Sports car built by Porsche, 930 actually being the "type number" for the pre- 964 generation The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976 as the racing version of the Porsche 930 (911 Turbo prepared for FIA - Group 5 rules (similar to the Porsche In 1978, Martini only sponsored the works team in Le Mans, while in 1980 they were associated with Joest Racing, once more only at Le Mans. Joest Racing (currently Audi Sport Team Joest) is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works

In 1981, Martini Racing supported Lancia's effort in sports car racing with the Group 5 Lancia Monte Carlo, Group 6 Lancia LC1 and Group C Lancia LC2. Lancia Automobiles SpA is an Italian Automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in Sports car racing is a form of circuit Auto racing with Automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels The Group B referred to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in Sportscar racing and Rally racing regulated by the FIA. The Lancia Montecarlo was a mid-engined Sports car sold in the 1970s and very early 1980s The Lancia LC1 was a sports car run by Lancia under the Group 6 regulations in the World Sportscar Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans Group C was a category of Auto racing, introduced into Sports car racing by the FIA in 1982 along with Group A for touring cars The Lancia LC2 (sometimes referred to as a Lancia-Ferrari) was a series of Racing cars built by Italian automobile manufacturer Lancia and powered by engines The works Lancia Martini drivers lineup included several contemporary Formula One racers, including Michele Alboreto, Teo Fabi and Riccardo Patrese. Career 1976-1981 Junior Formulae Michele Alboreto started his career in 1976 racing in Formula Monza with a car he and his friends built known as the "CMR" Teodorico Fabi (born March 9, 1955) better known as Teo Fabi, is an Italian former Racing driver. Riccardo Patrese (born April 17 1954) is an Italian former Racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to. The association lasted until the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans, but by then, Lancia was more involved with rallying. The 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 54th Grand Prix of Endurance as well as the third round of the 1986 World Sports-Prototype Championship.

After that, Martini Racing made only brief one-off entries in sports car racing, including three seasons in the FIA Sportscar Championship with Gianni Giudici's Picchio. The FIA Sportscar Championship was a Sports car racing series created by John Mangoletsi and was eventually taken control of by the Fédération Internationale

Formula One

A Brabham BT42-Ford Formula One car in white Martini&Rossi livery.

Martini Racing's association with Formula One began in 1972 with the Italian team Tecno. Tecno was a Formula One constructor from Italy. It participated in 10 grands prix entering a total of 11 cars and scored one championship point ^[1] However, the car was uncompetitive and Martini withdrew after an unsuccessful 1972 and 1973 season. ^[2][3]

Martini returned full time in 1975, sponsoring Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham team. Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930 near Bungay Suffolk, England) is the president and CEO of Origins The Brabham team was founded by Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac, who met in 1951 while both were successfully building and racing cars in their native ^[4] The initial colour scheme incorporated the Martini colours on a white background on the Cosworth powered Brabham BT44B in 1975. Cosworth is an Automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing (motorsport The Brabham BT44 was an F1 car designed by Gordon Murray, Brabham 's chief designer The Alfa Romeo flat-V12 powered Brabham BT45 and Brabham BT45B were used for the 1976 and 1977 seasons and the Martini colours appeared on a red rosso corsa background. Alfa Romeo participated in Formula One, as both a constructor and engine supplier from to. Origins The Brabham team was founded by Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac, who met in 1951 while both were successfully building and racing cars in their native Origins The Brabham team was founded by Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac, who met in 1951 while both were successfully building and racing cars in their native Rosso Corsa is the Red international motor racing colour of Italy. ^[5] Drivers such as Carlos Reutemann, Carlos Pace, Hans-Joachim Stuck and John Watson all drove for the team during this time. Carlos Alberto Reutemann (born Santa Fe Argentina April 12, 1942) nicknamed "Lole" is an Argentine former racing driver (who raced José Carlos Pace (born October 6 1944 in São Paulo - died March 18 1977 near São Paulo was a Racing driver from Hans-Joachim "Strietzel" Stuck (born January 1, 1951) is a German racing driver who has competed in Formula One and many other John Marshall "Wattie" Watson MBE (born May 4, 1946, Belfast) is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland ^[6][7]

For the 1979 season, the Martini sponsorship moved to Team Lotus. The 1979 Formula One season included the 30th FIA Formula One World Championship season which commenced on January 21, 1979, and ended on 1950s Colin Chapman established Lotus Engineering Ltd in 1952 at Hornsey, UK. ^[8] In spite of having the 1978 championship winning Lotus 79 and Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann as drivers, the Martini Lotus association did not achieve a single win and by the end of the year, Martini withdrew from F1 once more. The 1978 Formula One season included the 29th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on January 15, 1978, and ended on October The Lotus 79 was a Formula One car designed in late 1977 by Colin Chapman, Martin Ogilvie, Tony Rudd and Peter Wright of Lotus Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian American former racecar driver and one of the most successful Americans in the

After a long break from the category, the Italian company began sponsoring Scuderia Ferrari in 2006 with a minor presence. Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing ^[9]

Rallying

Lancia Delta S4

Lancia 037 at the 2005 Historic Motorsport Show at Stoneleigh, West Midlands. The Lancia Delta S4 is a Group B Rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986, until Group The Lancia Rally (also known as the Lancia Abarth #037) was a mid-engine rally car built by Lancia in the early 1980s purely for the FIA Group B

Martini's first rally challenge was taken up by usual stalwart Porsche. In 1978, Porsche made a return to the World Rally Championship as a works team, running a 911 SC for Björn Waldegård and Vic Preston Jr. History Early The World Rally Championship was formed from well-known international rallies nine of which were previously part of the International Championship The Porsche 911 (pronounced as Nine Eleven, Neunelfer is a Sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany Björn Waldegård (born November 12 1943 at Solna) from Rimbo is a former Swedish rally driver and the winner of the inaugural in the Safari Rally. The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. The project did not continue past this one-off entry, where Preston was 2nd and Waldegård 4th.

In 1982, just as they had done one year previously with sports cars, Martini Racing signed with the works Lancia team, sponsoring the brand new Group B Lancia 037, with Attilio Bettega and Markku Alen as drivers. The Lancia Rally (also known as the Lancia Abarth #037) was a mid-engine rally car built by Lancia in the early 1980s purely for the FIA Group B Attilio Bettega ( 19 February 1953 – 2 May 1985) was an Italian rally driver Markku Alén (born February 15, 1951 in Helsinki) is a former rally and Race car driver born in Finland. ^[10] The Lancia Martini partnership in the World Rally Championship was one of the company's longest, remaining until the end of the 1992 season, with several cars, including the Group B Delta S4 and Group A Delta Integrale winning several events, with names such as Juha Kankkunen, Bruno Saby, Massimo Biasion and Didier Auriol. The Lancia Delta S4 is a Group B Rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986, until Group In relation to Motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition Lancia Delta S4The Lancia Delta is a Small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994 the second Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen ( born in Laukaa, Finland on April 2 1959, made his name principally as a rally car driver Bruno Saby (born 23 February 1949 in Grenoble) is a rally driver from France. Massimo 'Miki' Biasion (born January 7 1958) is an Italian rally driver two times world rally champion Didier Auriol (born August 18 1958) is a French rally driver Born in Montpellier, and initially an Ambulance driver The Martini Lancia cars won the WRC in 1987 and 1991 with Kankkunen, and 1988 and 1989 with Biasion.

In the following years, Martini returned with a smaller sponsorship program, restricted to the Italian Rally Championship, which the Martini Racing driver, Gianfranco Cunico, won from 1994 to 1996 with a Jolly Club Ford Escort Cosworth. The Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. Then, in 2000, Martini returned to the WRC fulltime with the works Ford World Rallye Sport team. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team which was also known as the BP Ford World Rally Team until mid-2007 and the Ford Motor Co team prior to 2005 is Ford Even with drivers such as Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae and Markko Martin, the Martini Fords won several rallies, but never the title. Carlos Sainz (born April 12, 1962 in Madrid, Spain) is a former Spanish Rally driver. Colin Steele McRae, MBE ( August 5, 1968 &ndash September 15, 2007) was a Scottish rally driver born in Markko Märtin (born November 10, 1975 in Tartu) is a rally driver from Estonia, who competed in the World Rally Championship Martini Racing withdrew at the end of 2002.

Touring car racing

Martini Racing Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI from 1996

It wouldn't be until 1992 that Martini Racing would by seriously involved with touring car racing. The Alfa Romeo 155 is a Compact executive car produced under the Italian Alfa Romeo Marque between 1992 and 1998 Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct Auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars The Italian company sponsored the works Alfa Romeo 155 in the Italian Touring Car Championship, which the team dominated, with Nicola Larini taking the championship title. The Alfa Romeo 155 is a Compact executive car produced under the Italian Alfa Romeo Marque between 1992 and 1998 The Italian Superturismo Championship (Campionato Italiano Superturismo is Italy 's national motorsport series for touring cars. Nicola Larini (born March 19, 1964) is a Racing driver from Italy.

This served as an appetizer to a bigger prize, most specifically the DTM, the German-based touring car series, although the Martini Alfa Romeo connection only materialized in 1995, and by then the Alfas, driven by Larini and Alessandro Nannini, both ex-F1 drivers, weren't as competitive. The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (German Touring Car Championship or DTM) was a Touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996 Alessandro Nannini (born July 7, 1959) is a former Racing driver from Italy.

Powerboats

In 1975 and 1976, Martini Racing sponsored Carlo Bonomi and Cesare Fiorio's boats in the Powerboat World Championship, winning back-to-back championships. Carlo Bonomi (born 1937 is an Italian voice actor, who provided the voices for the animated TV series Pingu on RTSI. Cesare Fiorio (born May 5 1939 in Turin, Italy) is a former Formula One sporting director for Ferrari, Ligier A return in 1980 saw the Martini squad take the European title with Guido Niccolai. In 1982, Renato Molinari missed the World Championship title by a single point.

Notes

References

• Sponsors: Martini & Rossi on Grandprix.com
• Lancia Guides on QV500.com

External links

• Official Martini Racing site