A50 Following the adoption of
Formula 5000 regulations into
Australian Formula 1 in 1971, Matich and Nehrybecki produced the Matich A50, the first single seater to wear the Matich name. The A50 was designed as a replacement for Frank Matich's successful
McLaren M10B (Frank Matich had taken over development from McLaren of the M10B for F5000 racing in 1970 and dubbed it the
M10C). Designed on a modular basis with separate front suspension, cockpit and rear end, the car was powered by a 5.0 L
Repco Holden V8 engine. Matich drove an A50 to victory in the car's first race, the
1971 Australian Grand Prix at
Warwick Farm after qualifying on pole position. Just three months after his 1971 AGP success, Matich qualified the A50 on pole for the
1972 Australian Grand Prix at
Sandown and led early before retiring with scavenge pump failure on lap 5. Frank Matich then went on to win the
1972 Australian Drivers' Championship at the wheel of his A50. A total of four A50s were built during this period.
A53 The Matich A53 was raced by Matich in the
1974 Tasman Series after which he retired from racing. The car was then sold to
John Goss who finished 9th in the
1974 Australian Drivers' Championship. It failed to start the
1974 Australian Grand Prix at
Oran Park due to engine failure. Goss then used the A53 to finish 13th in the
1975 Australian Drivers' Championship before poor visibility in the wet conditions and a rough engine caused his retirement in the
1975 Australian Grand Prix at
Surfers Paradise. Goss drove the car to 5th in the
1976 Rothmans International Series and then finished 6th in the
1976 Australian Drivers' Championship thanks to his Round 1 victory in the
1976 Australian Grand Prix at
Sandown in
Melbourne, Goss becoming the only driver to have won both the
Bathurst 1000 and Australian Grand Prix in the process. Goss drove the A53-Repco to another 5th in the
1977 Rothmans International Series and 3rd in the
1977 Australian Grand Prix at Oran Park. Goss' win in the
1976 Australian Grand Prix has so far proven to be the last time the race was won by an Australian designed, built and powered car, giving the Matich A53 a special place in Australia's motor racing history. ''Note that the
Ralt cars that won the 1981-1984 Australian Grand Prix's were designed and built in England, despite Ralt having its origins in Australia in the 1950s,'' Late in 1977, Goss, staying true to his touring, sports car/sedan ties, decided to replace the successful, but ageing
Repco Holden V8 engine with a
4.9 L Ford engine. However, the Ford engine provided less power and ultimately proved uncompetitive compared to the Repco and, after Goss sold the car to Mel McEwin, it was replaced by another Repco-Holden unit. During its competition life the Matich A50-53's Repco-Holden power output was rated around . at the
Surfers Paradise round of the
1972 Australian Drivers' Championship ==References==