The MBM was a Swiss

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

racing car. The car was built by Peter Monteverdi at his base in Binningen, and was designed to compete in Grands Prix, although this aim was ultimately not achieved. Monteverdi built his first single-seater racing car, a

Formula Junior Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI (''International Sporting Commission'', the part of the FIA that then regulated motorsports). The class was intended to provide an entry level class ...

, in 1960, with the help of DKW engine expert Dieter Mantzel. The car was designed to be able to accommodate a 1.5-litre engine to suit the contemporary Formula One regulations.David Hodges, "The A-Z of Grand Prix Cars", Crowood, 2001, p.154 For 1961, two MBM chassis were constructed, and fitted with Porsche

Flat-4 A flat-four engine, also known as a horizontally opposed-four engine, is a four-cylinder piston engine with two banks of cylinders lying on opposite sides of a common crankshaft. The most common type of flat-four engine is the boxer-four engine, ...

engines, and initially driven in hillclimbs by Monteverdi himself. He then entered one of the cars in the 1961 Solitude Grand Prix, a non-championship Formula One race. Unable to set a representative time in practice, Monteverdi lined up on the grid at the back of the field, and retired with engine failure after just two laps.John Thompson, "The Formula One Record Book", Leslie Frewin Publishing, 1974. pp. 40-41 This car was subsequently written off in an accident at

Hockenheim Hockenheim () is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the tourist theme routes "Baden Asparagus Route" () and Bertha Benz M ...

, and Monteverdi buried the wreckage, deciding against continuing with the project. He had entered the car for the

1961 German Grand Prix The 1961 German Grand Prix was the 23rd time the German Grand Prix (or Grosser Preis von Deutschland) motor race was held. The race also held the honorary designation of the 21st European Grand Prix. It was run to Formula One regulations as race 6 ...

but this entry was withdrawn after the accident. The other chassis was later exhibited in

Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is consider ...

showrooms. Some sports cars, the MBM Special, Tourismo, and MBM Sports were also built in very limited numbers before Monteverdi began building cars under his own name in 1967. F1-001

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Results

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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Complete Formula One non-championship results

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MBM Formula One constructors Swiss racecar constructors