1989 Leyton House March CG891 - Chassis 02
Adrian Newey’s Second Formula 1 Design
Leyton House entered Formula 1 as a full team owner during the 1989 World Championship, when the Japanese real estate company transitioned from sponsor to outright control, taking over from March Engineering as financial difficulties mounted. The team fielded Maurício Gugelmin and Ivan Capelli, with Adrian Newey serving as chief designer in his first Formula 1 role.
The car presented here, chassis CG891-02, appeared at eleven Grands Prix during the 1989 season, delivering mixed results in the hands of both drivers. At Monaco, with Capelli at the wheel, the car qualified 22nd on the grid and steadily worked its way up the order before engine issues on lap 73 forced its retirement. Despite this, it was classified 11th.
For the Mexican Grand Prix, chassis 02 was used by Capelli during qualifying but was retained as the spare for the race. He returned to it at the United States Grand Prix in Phoenix, where he qualified an impressive 11th. Running in close contention with Riccardo Patrese and Eddie Cheever, Capelli’s race ended prematurely on lap 21 due to a gearbox failure.
Chassis 02 was again designated as the spare for the French Grand Prix, but early race drama quickly brought it into action. At the start, Gugelmin locked his brakes heading into the first corner and collided with Gerhard Berger and Thierry Boutsen. The impact launched his car into the air, flipping it upside down and prompting a red flag. Remarkably unharmed, Gugelmin restarted from the pit lane in chassis 02. In a determined recovery drive, he went on to set the fastest lap of the race—the only fastest lap of his Formula 1 career. Although he finished nine laps down and was not classified, the performance remains a standout moment for both driver and chassis.
At the German and Belgian Grands Prix, chassis 02 remained off the grid as the designated spare. It returned to action at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August but retired on lap 26 due to a failure of the drive pegs, marking its final race appearance of the season. For the remainder of the year, the car stayed in reserve, attending the Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish Grands Prix as the team’s spare chassis.
Chassis CG891-02 may not have delivered headline results, but its role across a turbulent debut season offers a revealing glimpse into the early work of a designer who would go on to redefine Formula 1.
Photography by ©️RM Sotheby’s
