Thanks to the good performance of the 022 during the 1994 season, Ken Tyrrell managed to renew contracts with the main sponsors, Mild Seven and Calbee, who continued to support the historic British team in the 1995 season. An additional sponsor, Nokia, came on board thanks to the signing of promising young Finnish driver Mika Juhani Salo, who arrived from Lotus where he had competed in his first Formula 1 races. With a finally decent financial backing, technical director Harvey Postlethwaite and chief designer Mike Gascoyne, supported by aerodynamic engineer Jean-Claude Migeot, designed the new 023. This car was used by the confirmed Japanese driver Ukyo Katayama and the aforementioned Mika Salo to compete in the 1995 World Championship.
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| TYRRELL 023, Mika Salo Aida, Pacific GP 1995 |
Despite the expectations, the outcome of the three engineers’ work turned out to be little more than a slight revision of the previous 022. Visually, it is difficult to identify substantial differences between the two cars, except for the rear, where the side pods of the new 023 taper more noticeably towards the rear diffuser. This was made possible by the smaller dimensions of the Yamaha OX10C V10 engine, which once again powered the British team’s cars. Naturally, the engine featured the new reduced displacement of 2996 cc, as required by the new regulations, yet it was still capable of delivering 680 hp at 13,300 rpm. One curiosity about the 023 was its livery, which was almost completely blue for the first two races, before changing to white with light blue accents for the remainder of the season. Beneath the surface of the new 023 lay the most significant changes, such as the new carbon fiber monocoque chassis with a honeycomb structure and, most notably, an innovative front suspension hydraulic control system known as "Hydrolink". Thanks to Fondmetal, one of the technical sponsors of the Ockham-based team in Surrey, Postlethwaite was able to implement a system already tested, unsuccessfully, on Minardis in 1993. This system involved springs operated by hydraulic channels, with the pushrod pressurizing the circuit when the damper was activated. It lacked an external pump to pressurize the circuit and automatically managed ride height, thus distinguishing it from banned active suspension systems.
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| TYRRELL 023, Mika Salo Interlagos, Brazilian GP 1995 |
The system aimed to minimize height variation between front and rear under braking and acceleration. To control pitch, the front and rear axles were connected by a “cross-link” mechanism. When the car braked and the front lowered, an actuator created a vacuum at the rear, causing it to compress against the ground as well. This cross-link setup was also intended to provide extra support in cornering: when the load increased on the outer rear wheel, it would influence the inner front wheel, reducing roll. The same principle worked in reverse during acceleration, when load transferred to the rear, lifting the front. A very stable car under braking allowed higher corner entry speeds and, consequently, more downforce. The system also improved tire usage by reducing degrading slippage.
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| TYRRELL 023, Ukyo Katayama Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 1995 |
The decision to adopt the Hydrolink system was made after various tests starting in February 1995, but recurring issues during the first races led the team to abandon it well before mid-season. The strong performance seen with the 022 remained a mirage, and 1995 turned out to be a disappointing year for Ken Tyrrell’s team. A mediocre chassis, an underperforming engine compared to competitors, and outdated aerodynamics made the 023 an uncompetitive car. Only Salo, in his first full season in Formula 1 after racing just two Grands Prix with Lotus in 1994, managed to impress insiders, finishing in the top six on three occasions and achieving two fifth-place finishes in Italy and Australia as his best results. He also delivered an excellent performance in Brazil, where he was securely in third place before hand cramps forced him to lose several positions in the closing laps.
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| TYRRELL 023, Ukyo Katayama Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1995 |
Far more disappointing was Katayama’s season. After performing well in 1994, he delivered a series of lackluster performances and was involved in a crash at the Portuguese GP that forced him to miss the next race, where he was replaced by Italian driver Gabriele Tarquini. Tyrrell ultimately finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship, with only 5 points, all scored by Salo.
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