Tyrrell Racing

Origins

Ken Tyrrell began racing in 1958, running Formula Three cars. Realising he was not suited to be a racing driver, Tyrrell transitioned to team management in 1959, establishing a Formula Junior operation from a workshop in his family’s woodshed. Throughout the 1960s, Tyrrell supported the early careers of drivers including John Surtees and Jacky Ickx, and notably formed a partnership with Jackie Stewart in 1963. Tyrrell ran the BRM Formula Two operation from 1965 to 1967 while Stewart competed for BRM’s Formula One team.

Breakthrough

Tyrrell made its World Championship Grand Prix debut at the 1966 German Grand Prix, entering Matra MS5s for Ickx and Hubert Hahne. Hahne finished ninth, second among the F2 cars, but Ickx was involved in a first-lap crash with John Taylor, who later died from his injuries. In 1967, Tyrrell entered another Matra F2 car for Ickx at the German Grand Prix, where he qualified third fastest, starting from the back of the grid as per F2 regulations. He reached fifth place before a broken suspension forced his retirement.

Peak Seasons

With support from Elf and Ford, Tyrrell entered Formula One as Matra International in 1968. Jackie Stewart won three Grands Prix in the Tyrrell-run Matra MS10. The car featured innovative structural fuel tanks, which were approximately 15 kg lighter than competitors’ chassis, but the FIA banned the technology for 1970, mandating rubber bag-tanks. In 1969, Stewart won the championship driving the Cosworth-powered Matra MS80, the first title won by a French car and by a privateer team. The Tyrrell 001 emerged at the end of 1970, with Stewart achieving a pole position, making Tyrrell one of few constructors to achieve this feat at a car’s first race. The nearly identical Tyrrell 003 then won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in 1971, with Stewart and François Cevert. Stewart’s 1972 season was hampered by a stomach ulcer, but he and Cevert finished first and fourth in the 1973 Championship. Tragically, Cevert was killed in practice for the 1973 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, prompting Stewart to retire immediately, and Tyrrell to withdraw from the race.

Defining Incidents

Despite the loss of Stewart and Cevert, Tyrrell continued to be competitive throughout the 1970s, winning races with Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler. A notable victory came at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix, where Scheckter and Depailler achieved a 1–2 finish driving the unique six-wheeled Tyrrell P34. The P34 was the first successful six-wheeler F1 car, but the project was abandoned when Goodyear refused to develop the smaller tyres required for the car, as they were focused on competition with other tyre manufacturers.

1984 Controversy

In 1984, Tyrrell faced exclusion from the World Championship due to accusations of running underweight during races and adding ballast illegally. The team had been exploiting a loophole in the regulations regarding minimum weight and fluid levels, adding lead shot to water injection tanks during races. The FIA alleged this constituted illegal fuel and unsecured ballast. Tyrrell appealed, arguing the water’s fuel content was minimal and the lead shot was adequately contained, but the appeal was rejected, resulting in exclusion from the 1984 championship and a ban from the final three Grands Prix of the season. This decision was seen by some as politically motivated, aimed at eliminating the last non-turbocharged car from the grid.

1990s

Tyrrell struggled financially through the 1980s and 1990s, but experienced a brief revival in the early 1990s. The Tyrrell 019, combined with Jean Alesi’s debut season, brought the team two second-place finishes at Phoenix and Monaco in 1990. Though Alesi moved to Ferrari in 1991, Honda engines and Braun sponsorship helped Stefano Modena achieve a second-place finish at the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix. The team’s last F1 points were scored by Mika Salo at the 1997 Monaco Grand Prix. Ken Tyrrell sold the team to Craig Pollock after the 1997 season, leading to its final race at the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix.

Legacy

The Brawn GP team of 2009 and the subsequent Mercedes team can be traced back to Tyrrell through various sales and rebrandings. While British American Racing bought the Tyrrell F1 team and entry, much of the original Tyrrell equipment was sold to Paul Stoddart, owner of the Minardi F1 team. The Tyrrell P34 remains one of the most innovative race cars ever made. Ken Tyrrell died of cancer on 25 August 2001, at the age of 77.

Beyond the Primary Series

The Tyrrell brand continues today through Tyrrell Promotions Limited, managing licensing activities. In 2023, the brand and associated rights were sold to a new private owner, who plans to return the name to historic racing, with a confirmed entry at the 2026 Monaco Historic. The Minardi 2-seater F1 cars are based on the 1998 Tyrrell 026 design, and continue to be used in demonstrations.