When Formula 3000 was launched by the FIA for 1985 (replacing Formula 2 as the feeder class immediately below F1) March offered the Type 85B. Designed by Ralph Bellamy, it was based on March's preceding F2 design, the Type 842, being constructed on a virtually identical aluminium/carbon fibre monocoque. Suspension was entirely conventional, consisting of double wishbones and pushrods at the front, with a lower wishbone and top rocker arrangement at the rear. Most cars were fitted with the 3.0-li