Tyrrell 012 – Widescreen gallery

Maurice Philippe designed the Tyrrell 012 for the 1983 season. This car was actually Tyrrell’s first car composed mostly of carbon.

Italian clothing company Benetton sponsored Tyrrell during the 1983 season. Although Philippe’s design was light, it proved to be no match to the powerful turbo cars.

The Tyrrell 012 was powered by the short-stroke version of the Ford Cosworth DFV, an engine that previously was supplied to Lotus, after that team decided to use Renault turbo engines.

The car was introduced in 1983 at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, driven by Italian Michele Alboreto. Alboreto finished in sixth position, scoring a single Grand Prix point.

Philippe further developed the 012 with smaller sidepods and a larger rear wing to generate more downforce. All of the establised teams used turbo powerplants, Tyrrell however decided to stick with the Cosworth engine. Ford provided an updated version called DFY.

Second driver Danny Sullivan scored a 7th place during the Grand Prix in South Africa. The Tyrrell 012 failed to finish during five of the seven races that Tyrrell entered the car.

As Alboreto moved to Ferrari, Ken Tyrrell signed Briton Martin Brundle and German Stefan Bellof for the 1984 season.

The Tyrrell 012 was the last Formula 1 car to enter a race powered by the Ford Cosworth DFY engine. The 012, with a Cosworth engine, would be used from 1983 on through the mid-point of the 1985 season.

The Tyrrell 012 used an alloy monocoque with carbon fiber reinforcements. The car weight 540 kg (1190 lb), including a 2.993 cc Cosworth DFY (182.6 cu in) 90° V8 engine, fitted with a Hewland FGA 400 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine produced 530 bhp / 395 KW at 11600 rpm.

The car pictured in this article is Tyrrell 012, chassis 001, driven by Briton Ian Simmonds, ex-Michele Alboreto.

By Marcel Hundscheid