For the 1982 season, the British outfit based in Bicester introduced some updates to the previous year's car and launched the March 821, again designed by Robin Herd, with Adrian Reynard taking on the role of technical director. The 821 did not differ significantly from the previous 811, although it featured a completely new aluminum monocoque chassis, reinforced with carbon fiber sheets at high-stress points.
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| MARCH 821, Jochen Mass Brands Hatch, British GP 1982 |
The stiffer chassis allowed for a longer wheelbase, now 2781 mm, about 90 mm longer than before, benefiting aerodynamics by enabling longer side pods and increased downforce. The car retained the three-liter V8 Ford-Cosworth DFV engine, mated to a 5-speed Hewland FGA gearbox. The design was very classic, with a rounded nose and long side pods to maximize ground effect.
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| MARCH 821, Raul Boesel Long Beach, USA West GP 1982 |
Mid-season, Herd secured sponsorship from Rothmans, a major brand that would go on to appear in Formula 1 and MotoGP in the 1990s supporting winning riders. However, the partnership came too late, with the car already built on a shoestring budget, affecting results. Main drivers Raul Boesel from Brazil and Jochen Mass from Germany struggled to qualify and finish races.
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| MARCH 821, Rupert Keegan Österreichring , Austrian GP 1982 |
Midway through the season, Mass was replaced by Englishman Rupert Keegan, but results did not improve. The best finish remained Mass's seventh place at the Detroit Grand Prix. Another March 821 was entered in the 1982 season by the LBT Team March, driven by Spaniard Emilio de Villota in five world championship events.
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| MARCH 821, Jochen Mass Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1982 |
Given the poor performance of the car and de Villota’s mediocre driving skills, he failed to qualify for any of the races. Tragically, the March 821 driven by the blameless Jochen Mass is remembered for being involved in the fatal accident at Zolder, in which Ferrari’s Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve lost his life.
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