The 1986 season for Ken Tyrrell’s team was also approached without major expectations. The agreement with Renault to supply the French V6 turbo continued in 1986, although Renault further reduced its financial investment in Formula 1, reserving its best engines for Lotus, while Ligier and Tyrrell were supplied with less powerful, and consequently cheaper, versions.
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| TYRRELL 015, Philippe Streiff Brands Hatch, British GP 1986 |
Despite this, Ligier, through its collaboration with Mecachrome, which managed Renault turbo preparation, still managed to secure a competitive engine. Tyrrell, on the other hand, had to settle for a “standard” unit, which, despite being the EF15 evolution, delivered only 850 hp, far below the top turbo engines of rival teams. Thanks to new sponsorship from Data-General, Maurice Philippe and Brian Lisles carried out a light redesign of both the aesthetics and mechanics of the car used in 1985. From the fourth race onward, Tyrrell Racing Organisation introduced the new Tyrrell 015, still derived from the older 012 model.
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| TYRRELL 015, Martin Brundle Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1986 |
The new chassis was specifically built to accommodate the Renault V6, though produced on a budget using aluminum reinforced with carbon fiber sheets. The gearbox remained the same Tyrrell/Hewland five-speed unit from 1985, while the suspension system was new, featuring a push-rod configuration at both the front and rear. The 015 was very traditional, without major innovations, especially in the rear section, which featured an old-style tapering that left the gearbox and suspension fully exposed. The car had a wheelbase of 2756 mm, a weight of 560 kg, and used Goodyear tires, specs that enabled the British single-seater to achieve fairly respectable results.
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| TYRRELL 015, Philippe Streiff Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1986 |
Confirmed British driver Martin Brundle and newcomer Frenchman Philippe Streiff had a disappointing start to the season, but in the second half of the championship they managed to finish in the points on several occasions, achieving a best result of fourth place in Australia. With a total of 11 points, Tyrrell finished the season in seventh place.
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| TYRRELL 015, Martin Brundle Hockenheimring, German GP 1986 |
Just as things seemed to be improving for Ken Tyrrell’s team, a bolt from the blue struck at the end of the season: Renault announced its withdrawal from Formula 1, once again leaving the Ockham-based team in Surrey with the difficult task of finding a new engine supplier for the following season.
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