In September 1975, Derek Gardner, the chief designer of the Tyrrell team, conceived one of the most iconic cars in Formula 1 history: the Tyrrell P34, also known as the six-wheeled Tyrrell. It remains the first and only six-wheeled single-seater to have ever competed in a Formula 1 Grand Prix. The technical regulations in 1976 stated that the maximum width of the front wing could not exceed 150 cm. Gardner's fundamental idea for the P34 was to use small enough front tires that they would be fully enclosed by the front wing, aiming to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase straight-line speed while also cleaning up the airflow to the rear wing, allowing it to function more efficiently.
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| TYRRELL P34, Patrick Depailler Jarama, Spanish GP 1976 |
However, given the limited space available, such a tire had to be quite small, with a diameter of 10 inches instead of the standard 13 inches. A tire of this size would have had too small a contact patch to provide sufficient grip in corners, necessitating the use of four wheels instead of two, positioned on two separate axles. In theory, the reduced track width combined with the increased ground contact from four tires would improve cornering grip, steering response, and braking efficiency. The downside, however, was a more complex steering system and a physically larger and heavier suspension setup.
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| TYRRELL P34, Patrick Depailler Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1976 |
The steering complexity was resolved in-house by connecting only the front axle to the steering wheel and transferring movement to the rear axle via a tie rod. Other challenges required the involvement of external partners: Goodyear was tasked with developing 10-inch tires with a more durable compound to withstand the unique loads, while Koni designed smaller and lighter shock absorbers than those traditionally used with 13-inch wheels. The project was highly ambitious, and only the financial support from sponsors Elf and First National City Bank allowed the P34 to be unveiled at the Heathrow Hotel in late September 1975. Initially, the car was covered with wheel caps to make it appear conventional, but when the six-wheel design was revealed, it caused a sensation. Some attendees even believed the design was merely a publicity stunt. However, when the car hit the track at Silverstone on October 8, 1975, and its potential became evident, Tyrrell proceeded to build two more units with a slightly longer wheelbase for the 1976 season.
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| TYRRELL P34, Jody Scheckter Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1976 |
The final version of the P34 debuted in the fourth race of the 1976 season in Spain, driven solely by Patrick Depailler, while Tyrrell’s second driver, Jody Scheckter, only began using it at the following Belgian Grand Prix, where he immediately secured an encouraging fourth place. Despite strong results from the South African driver in subsequent races, Goodyear was not convinced to continue investing in the expensive development of the 10-inch tires, partially limiting the P34’s performance. Nonetheless, the P34 managed to score 71 points in the 1976 season, including a victory in Sweden with Scheckter and eight second-place finishes, allowing Tyrrell to finish third in the Constructors’ Championship behind Ferrari and McLaren. Additionally, both Tyrrell drivers secured high placements in the Drivers’ Championship, with Scheckter finishing third and Depailler fourth. Alongside the Brabham BT46B, which featured a rear-mounted fan, the P34 remains one of the most radical designs in Formula 1 history to have won a race. Jody Scheckter remains the only driver in history to win a Grand Prix with a six-wheeled car.
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| TYRRELL P34, Jody Scheckter Anderstorp, Sweden GP 1976 |
To finance the development of the innovative P34, Tyrrell sold its older but still competitive 007 chassis from the previous season to private teams for 1976. Buyers included Lexington Racing, which entered Jan Scheckter in the South African Grand Prix, Scuderia Gulf Rondini, led by the eccentric gentleman driver Alessandro Pesenti Rossi, who participated in four races, Austria’s OASC Racing, which entered Otto Stuppacher in three Grands Prix, and Japan’s Heroes Racing, which fielded Kazuyoshi Hoshino in the Fuji Grand Prix. Hoshino even managed to climb as high as third place before retiring.
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