The Shadow DN8 was the car that allowed the American team to achieve its only Formula 1 victory, thanks to Alan Jones at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix. For this reason, it holds a special place in the history of the team founded by Don Nichols. The DN8 project was initiated by Tony Southgate in 1976, with the first chassis completed in the second half of the season. The car made its debut at the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix, competing in the final five races of the championship. From a technical perspective, the DN8 carried over many solutions from its predecessor, the DN5, also designed by Southgate. However, in the meantime, the English engineer left Shadow to join Lotus, leaving the completion of the DN8’s development in the hands of Dave Wass.
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| SHADOW DN8, Alan Jones Jarama, Spanish GP 1977 |
For the 1977 season, Wass made significant modifications to the car. While retaining the same chassis and suspension, the DN8 appeared very different from its late-1976 version. One of the most noticeable changes was the highly pronounced sidepods, which gave the car a bulky appearance. At the beginning of the season, the DN8 was entrusted to Welsh driver Tom Pryce and Italian Renzo Zorzi.
SHADOW DN8, Riccardo Patrese
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1977
During the summer of 1977, a major technical change took place: Tony Southgate returned to Shadow and regained control of the project, reducing Wass’s influence. This led to the development of a third evolution of the DN8, which saw the return of the front radiator configuration and the adoption of shorter, sculpted sidepods, with vertically mounted radiators placed ahead of the rear wheels. All DN8 versions were powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter V8, paired with a six-speed Hewland TL200 gearbox. The car’s wheelbase measured 2718 mm, and its weight was around 620 kg.
SHADOW DN8, Riccardo Patrese
Monza, Italian GP 1977
Besides being remembered for Shadow’s only victory, the DN8 is also tragically linked to the fatal accident of Tom Pryce at the 1977 South African Grand Prix. During the race, Renzo Zorzi’s car stopped on the main straight due to a technical issue. Two young track marshals ran across the track to reach the car, unaware of the high-speed traffic. Tom Pryce, speeding down the straight, collided with one of the marshals, killing him instantly. The British driver, however, was struck on the head by the fire extinguisher the marshal had been carrying, suffering a fatal impact. After the collision, Pryce’s DN8, with its driver already lifeless, continued down the straight uncontrollably before crashing into the safety barriers at the first corner. During its trajectory, it also hit Jacques Laffite’s Ligier, though the Frenchman miraculously escaped unscathed, albeit forced to retire from the race.
SHADOW DN8, Alan Jones
Österreichring, GP d'Austria 1977
Following Pryce’s tragic death, his DN8 was handed over to Alan Jones, who became the team’s lead driver for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Zorzi’s car was assigned to fellow Italian Riccardo Patrese, with occasional replacements by Arturo Merzario, Jackie Oliver, and Jean-Pierre Jarier. The highlight of the season came on August 14, 1977, when Alan Jones secured a historic victory at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring circuit. Thanks to this success and a series of points finishes, including a third-place result, Shadow concluded the season with 23 points. Despite this relative success, the team was never able to replicate such results in the following years, remaining one of the many teams destined for a secondary role in Formula 1 history.
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