People

Paul Carillo

Trained as an aeronautical engineer with the Gourdon Aviation firm at St Maur, Carillo moved on to Dewoitine, SNCAC and Hurel-Dubois before joining the Rene Bonnet company in February 1963, not long after the firm was taken over by Engins Mecanique-Aviation-Traction (Matra). His job was to work on the design of a sportscar called the Djet. In October 1964 it was decided that Matra should use motor racing to advertise its products and Carillo was moved to the Matra Sports team as an engineer. He was involved in all the Matra involvement in sportscars and in Formula 1, including the design of the Jackie Stewart's World Championship-winning Tyrrell-run, Matra-Cosworth in 1969. The Matra engine programme was never a great success but Matra chassis were winners in F1, F2, F3 and in sports-prototype racing. In 1970 Matra decided to use only Matra engines in F1 and the results were disappointing. It was a similar story in 1971 and 1972 and in 1973 Matra took the decision to concentrate on sportscar racing. As a result the Matra Sports team won the Sportscar World title in both years before it was decided to close down the sporting arm of the company. The racing operations were sold to Guy Ligier and work began on a Formula 1 car with Gerard Ducarouge and Carillo working with other ex-Matra engineers on the design on the JS5. The car made its F1 debut in 1976 with Jacques Laffite driving and the following year the JS7 - a development of the original car - won the Swedish Grand Prix. The same design team produced the JS9 in 1978 but the decision to switch to Cosworth engines in 1979 was a breakthrough and the magnificent JS11won the first two races of the year and challenged for the World title although Ferrari, Brabham and Williams all caught up during the course of the year. The car was revised as the JS11/15 in 1981 and this also enjoyed some success with drivers Laffite and Didier Pironi. The new relationship between Ligier and Talbot meant a switch back to the Matra V12 engines and the JS17 was not a great success. Carillo faded from the Ligier scene as politics took over.