There was a time when Formulation One was recognized 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 slim the entrance wings, Tyrrell set about constructing a wild new idea to take aerodynamic benefit of that.

The consequence was this P34 automotive with 4 “entrance” wheels to create extra contact patch on the entrance and scale back the aerodynamic drag by lowering the diameter of these tires. It really type of labored, with Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler ending 1-2 at that 12 months’s Swedish Grand Prix, and scoring twelve extra podium positions earlier than it was changed in 1978.

Whereas the smaller entrance diameter wheels positively helped the automotive to a better high velocity and elevated entrance grip, the staff 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 growth of the automotive, nonetheless, Tyrell did battle 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? Belief that work solely to possibly the perfect take a look at driver in human historical past, the unique Stig, Ben Collins.

Being a automotive from the Nineteen Seventies, his largest grievance was with driver consolation. Whereas I’m certain Tyrrell would have constructed their automotive round their drivers Jody Scheckter, Patrick Depailler, and Ronnie Peterson, the cockpit was cramped for Mr. Collins. Significantly 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 automotive, although, so possibly that’s not a good grievance.

“It’s a must to man-handle it to extract the efficiency,” says Mr. Stig. “On the restrict below braking to benefit from what the little and the big tires have to supply. And also you want an aggressive driving fashion to pitch these fats rear tires right into a slip angle to generate cornering power.”

That is a kind of once-in-a-lifetime alternatives, and I certain hope Ben appreciates that. Based mostly on his phrases on this video (above) it appears he does. And by god, if he doesn’t say the correct 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 might hearken to that part on repeat for not less than the subsequent decade. What a automotive.