For 1981 March built a new Formula 2, the 812. The monocoque was new, while some parts of the car, such as the suspension, were derived from the 1980 802. Like the previous model, the 812 was a great car for sports customers. , even if in the F.2 European Championship the Marches had to yield to the Ralt RH6. The engines used in Europe were 2-liter BMWs prepared by BMW Motorsport, Mader and also Heidegger. In Japan, Satoru Nakajima won the local F.2 championship in 1981, behind the wheel of a Honda-powered March 812.