Why one of the most famous racing cars six wheels had
Posted on 24-05-2015 at 14:57 by Dizono – 31 Comments”
The name Tyrrell may perhaps not known to everyone, almost every autosportliefhebber has the P34 passing by, wondering why this Formula 1 car on earth has six wheels and is. There you go now behind.
In the mid – ’70s drive virtually any team with the Cosworth V8 engine, only Ferrari has the money to be competitive in the motor to develop that can compete with the British block. Since everyone with virtually the same motor drive, the rest of the car will make the difference. Enough of a reason for your salvation in special constructions to look for. In the season 1976 to 1977, there were also two pretty amazing cars on the starting grid: the Tyrrell P34’s. Thanks to their six wheels, four before and two behind, All Formula 1 cars in a row. Derek Gardner is the spiritual father of this creation, and different than you might expect, a larger contact area between the tires and the asphalt is not the main reason for choosing four small wheels instead of two larger ones.
Above all, ensure the smaller wheels for less drag on the front. The wheels stop barely above the front spoiler and the sidepods, and that was the aerodynamics. In addition, the design also benefits during the braking, the P34 not only had six wheels, six disc brakes. And yes, also the contact surface (and therefore grip) of the tires with the asphalt was greater, though they had Goodyear special 10-inch tyres to develop to the racing career of the Tyrrell P34 at all possible.
How the small front, the Tyrrell P34 fatal were
Also, it is Goodyear that is ultimately responsible for the failure of the Tyrrell P34. At the beginning of season 1977 the car is quite competitive, with even a profit and second place for Tyrrell drivers Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler in Sweden. Later in the season will win the competition more and more speed, but Tyrrell is not improving. The reason for this? Goodyear keeps himself rather busy with the further development of the current Formula 1 tyres, than the small bands that only by Tyrrell to be decreased. Scheckter will leave the team at the end of the season, the in his eyes, worthless car as one of the main reasons for his departure.
Gardner, and with him Tyrrell still see salvation in the zeswielige design and the P34 is in slightly modified form in 1977, just turn on the starting grid. Although the car is not performing poorly, the lack of development in good bands there this season for the P34 does not measure up with the top. Nevertheless, there are still handsome three third places and a second place scored by Depailler and his new team-mate Ronnie Peterson. In contrast, the car more often than not over the finish line. In 1978 there is again a four-wheel Tyrrell at the start.
Six – and achtwielige Ferrari’s
Tyrrell had the bad luck that the Goodyear is not interesting to the small front tires of the P34 to develop, because the zeswielige Formula 1 car was a pretty good car. Not for nothing have also other brands experimented with zeswielige cars, including Scuderia Ferrari. Unlike Tyrrell, chose the Italians as March and Williams for a setup with two front and four rear wheels. When Ferrari were the tyres, incidentally, on the same axis instead of two powered rear axles. Incidentally, there is also a photo of a mysterious achtwielige Ferrari, but who really is?
The FIA doesn’t allow in the first instance, four-wheel drive and determines later that every Formula 1 car minimum and a maximum of four wheels. Other than the P34, transcend the zeswielige cars of the competition the testing phase never. Also for on the road you have experimented with six wheels, the Rolls-Royce (FAB1) of Lady Penelope not included. Both Covini as the Panther tried it with four wheels and two behind.
Niki Lauda and the experimental Ferrari 312T6
Gallery: Tyrrell p34
”
“