Lyncar was a British racing car constructor that briefly competed in Formula One during the mid-1970s. Founded by engineer and designer Martin Slater, the company built a single Formula One chassis that appeared in the 1974 and 1975 British Grands Prix. Although Lyncar’s time in Formula One was limited, the team’s cars enjoyed greater success in Formula Atlantic and later appeared in sports car racing.
| Nationality | British |
| Years Active | 1974–1975 |
| First Race | 1974 British Grand Prix |
| Last Race | 1975 British Grand Prix |
| Race Entries | 2 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Fastest Laps | 0 |
| Points | 0 |
| Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
| Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
| Best Start | 26th |
| Best Finish | 17th |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
| Retirements | 1 |
Origins
Lyncar was established by Martin Slater, an engineer who combined race driving with car design during the early stages of his career. After building and competing with his own cars in junior formulae, Slater went on to work as a designer for several leading British constructors, including Lola, Brabham and March.
In 1971, Slater returned to designing his own machinery by creating a car for the British Formula Atlantic Championship. Continuous development eventually produced the highly competitive Lyncar 005, which proved to be one of the category’s benchmark cars.
Driven by McLaren engine builder and amateur racer John Nicholson, the Lyncar 005 won the British Formula Atlantic Championship in both 1973 and 1974, establishing the small constructor as one of the leading names in the series.
Formula One
The success of the Formula Atlantic programme encouraged John Nicholson to commission a Formula One chassis from Slater. By then, Nicholson had established a successful engine-building business and was unable to commit to a full Formula One campaign, instead choosing to contest selected non-championship races alongside the British Grand Prix.
Lyncar made its Formula One debut at the 1974 British Grand Prix, although Nicholson was unable to qualify for the race.
The team returned to Silverstone the following year for the 1975 British Grand Prix. This time Nicholson successfully qualified the Lyncar-Cosworth for the race and completed the event despite challenging weather conditions. Caught out by the torrential rain that affected the closing stages, he spun off during the race but was still classified in 17th place, five laps behind the winner.
Although the British Grand Prix remained Lyncar’s only Formula One World Championship start, the project demonstrated that a small independent constructor could successfully reach the Formula One grid during an era that welcomed private entrants.
Success Beyond Formula One
The Formula One chassis continued racing after its brief Grand Prix career. Updated by Slater, it was entered into the Shellsport International Series for Spanish driver Emilio de Villota.
The car achieved its greatest success in 1977 when de Villota drove it to victory at Mallory Park, proving that the Lyncar design remained competitive outside the Formula One World Championship.
Sports Car Racing
Martin Slater returned to car design in the early 1980s when Greek driver Costas Los commissioned a new Group C2 prototype for the World Sportscar Championship.
Known as the MS83, the car initially used a Brian Hart 420R two-litre engine before switching to a John Nicholson-prepared Cosworth DFV after engine problems at the 1984 1000 km of Silverstone.
The MS83 competed throughout the 1984 World Sportscar Championship season but failed to record a classified finish. Its closest opportunity for success came at the 1000 km of Brands Hatch, where it crossed the line in what would have been second place in the C2 class. However, the result was lost after the car was disqualified because its final lap exceeded the maximum permitted time.
Lyncar Stats by Season
| Year | Engine | Drivers | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Ford Cosworth | John Nicholson | 1 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | DNQ | DNQ | – | NC |
| 1975 | Ford Cosworth | John Nicholson | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 26 | 17 | – | NC |
