After years away from Formula 1, the British manufacturer March returned for the 1981 season. However, the new “March Grand Prix” team had little to do with the original outfit founded in the 1970s by Max Mosley, Alan Rees, and Robin Herd. Mosley had left in 1977 to focus on his role at the newly formed FOCA (Formula One Constructors’ Association), while Rees had become a designer at Shadow before co-founding the Arrows team.
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| MARCH 811, Derek Daly Österreichring, Austrian GP 1981 |
Without a strong financial foundation, Herd continued the F1 project under the March name, primarily for legal reasons. From 1981 onward, new sporting regulations required teams to be official constructors to enter the championship. March’s involvement, even if minimal, facilitated the new team’s acceptance into FOCA. Working alongside newcomer Alan Mertens, Herd designed the March 811. It featured a traditional aluminum monocoque chassis housing a 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine paired with a Hewland FGA 5-speed gearbox.
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| MARCH 811, Derek Daly Montréal, Canadian GP 1981 |
The 811 was a very conventional wing car with a rounded nose and long side pods to maximize ground effect. It had a 2692 mm wheelbase and weighed 595 kg. Initially, the car used Michelin tires before switching mid-season to the more affordable Avon tires. March entered the season with two 811s, one driven by experienced Irish driver Derek Daly and the other by Chilean rookie Eliseo Salazar, who secured his seat thanks to personal sponsorship. The car proved uncompetitive from the start, managing to qualify only once in the first six races.
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| MARCH 811, Derek Daly Las Vegas, Caesars Palace GP 1981 |
From the Spanish Grand Prix onward, the struggling team reduced its efforts, fielding just one car for Daly. However, at the British Grand Prix, a second 811 was temporarily assigned to Swedish rookie Stefan Johansson.
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| MARCH 811, Eliseo Salazar Long Beach, USA West GP 1981 |
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