Page 1 of 2 Next >> While Gordon Murray perfected his ultra-low design for McLaren, young English engineer Adrian Newey took the opposite route. His design for the 1988 March 881 was very narrow, had a long wheelbase and was relatively tall. Even though Murray's McLaren MP4/4 won all but one race that year, many of the other teams followed Newey's design in 1989. The main advantage of the narrow chassis was that it greatly improved the efficiency of the front and rear wings.
For the 1989 season March had commissioned a narrow version of their Judd V8. Dubbed the EV, the new engine was initially intended to have a 75 degree bank angle but the machining tools at Judd only allowed for a 76 degree angle. With the narrower engine, the new CG891 was even more aerodynamically efficient but the team fought an uphill battle against the top teams, which ran more powerful V10 and V12 engines.
Financial problems hit the British team halfway through the 1989 season. The company was split up and the Formula 1 and F3000 were bought by the main sponsor, real estate man Akira Akagi. Initially the F1 team was renamed Leyton House March but for 1990 the name March was dropped altogether. Many of the key personnel stayed with the renamed team, including chief designer Newey and the two drivers Mauricio Gugelmin and Ivan Capelli.
Newey had continued his ultra-narrow approach for 1990. The new CG901 was once again powered by the Judd EV engine, which was mated to a six speed gearbox provided by March. The car's suspension was very conventional with double wishbones and push-rods on both ends. The tightly wrapped carbon fiber body was once again liveried in the attractive Leyton House colors with green BP accents. The completed machine was breathtakingly beautiful. Page 1 of 2 Next >>
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While Gordon Murray perfected his ultra-low design for McLaren, young English engineer Adrian Newey took the opposite route. His design for the 1988 March 881 was very narrow, had a long wheelbase and was relatively tall. Even though Murray's McLaren MP4/4 won all but one race that year, many of the other teams followed Newey's design in 1989. The main advantage of the narrow chassis was that it greatly improved the efficiency of the front and rear wings.