1987 marked the debut season for the new March-Leyton House team, a project strongly backed by Cesare Gariboldi and made possible through the financial support of Japanese group Leyton House and the technical resources of March Engineering. The season ended with a reasonably positive outcome. Adrian Newey, who began working on the 871 chassis during the second half of 1987, made an immediate impact, and by 1988 the team's technical direction was fully entrusted to him. The British engineer replaced Gordon Coppuck and Tim Halloway, who had previously overseen the 1987 car’s development.
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| MARCH 881, Ivan Capelli Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1988 |
Newey’s influence was immediately apparent in the new March 881: the car was an aerodynamic gem, with sleek and narrow lines and a rear diffuser that generated so much downforce it significantly reduced reliance on the rear wing, benefiting both top speed and cornering in fast sections. To understand just how tight and tapered the 881’s design was, consider that the 1988 drivers, Italian Ivan Capelli (retained) and Brazilian Mauricio Gugelmin, both relatively slender men, struggled to fit into the cockpit.
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| MARCH 881, Ivan Capelli Monza, Italian GP 1988 |
In addition to its compact form, Newey’s new car had a very stiff suspension setup. This offered a clear advantage on smooth-surfaced tracks but caused issues on bumpier circuits. For instance, on the long Casino straight in Montreal, vibrations were so intense that Capelli reported temporary vision loss due to the pain caused by the severe jolts. In Detroit, the Milanese driver even suffered a fracture after losing control of the car on the city circuit’s rough asphalt.
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| MARCH 881, Mauricio Gugelmin Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1988 |
The 881 chassis was a carbon fiber monocoque with push-rod front and pull-rod rear suspension. It was fitted with Judd’s naturally aspirated CV engine, as the newer EV version was still in development and would be supplied exclusively to March Engineering. The 1988 season started below expectations for the Bicester-based team, but after resolving setup and drivability issues with Newey’s creation, results began to arrive in the latter half of the championship, thanks especially to Capelli, who secured two podium finishes: third in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) and second at Estoril (Portugal).
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| MARCH 881, Ivan Capelli Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1988 |
Thanks to the solid results achieved with the 881, the Leyton House March Racing Team finished sixth in the constructors’ standings with 22 points, while Capelli claimed seventh place in the drivers’ championship with 17 points.
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