There was a time when Formula One was identified way more for its wild engineering options than it was jet setting billionaires and movie star grid interviews. In 1976, with new rules coming in to slender the entrance wings, Tyrrell set about constructing a wild new idea to take aerodynamic benefit of that.
The consequence was this P34 automobile with 4 “front” wheels to create extra contact patch on the entrance and cut back the aerodynamic drag by decreasing the diameter of these tires. It truly form of labored, with Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler ending 1-2 at that yr’s Swedish Grand Prix, and scoring twelve extra podium positions earlier than it was changed in 1978.
While the smaller entrance diameter wheels positively helped the automobile to a better prime pace and elevated entrance grip, the crew didn’t fairly ship what James Hunt, McLaren, Niki Lauda, and Ferrari did in 76 and 77. By taking a wild swing on the design and improvement of the automobile, nonetheless, Tyrell did combat on fairly stage enjoying subject with the highest groups, scoring a wide range of pole positions, quickest laps, and podiums. The 1977 season was tormented by failures and crashes, nonetheless, with Tyrrell drivers struggling 19 DNFs from 17 grands prix.
So what is that this wild machine prefer to drive? Trust that work solely to possibly the very best take a look at driver in human historical past, the unique Stig, Ben Collins.
Being a automobile from the Nineteen Seventies, his largest criticism was with driver consolation. While I’m positive Tyrrell would have constructed their automobile round their drivers Jody Scheckter, Patrick Depailler, and Ronnie Peterson, the cockpit was cramped for Mr. Collins. Particularly the rollover hoop pressed firmly into his shins for the total extent of his drive. I do know I’d undergo a couple of minutes of shin ache to drive this automobile, although, so possibly that’s not a good criticism.
“You have to man-handle it to extract the performance,” says Mr. Stig. “On the limit under braking to make the most of what the little and the large tires have to offer. And you need an aggressive driving style to pitch those fat rear tires into a slip angle to generate cornering force.”
This is a type of once-in-a-lifetime alternatives, and I positive hope Ben appreciates that. Based on his phrases on this video (above) it appears he does. And by god, if he doesn’t say the suitable issues, that Cosworth Ford DFV definitely does. There’s a lap that begins at 11:55 within the video the place there aren’t any backing tracks or commentary tracks to distract you. I may hearken to that part on repeat for no less than the subsequent decade. What a automobile.
Source: jalopnik.com