Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Mika Salo, Tyrrell 023-Yamaha
Prime
Special feature

How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1

Formula 1’s transformation into a global sport meant the gradual extinction for a small team determined to stay true to its low-budget roots. But Tyrrell would eventually be reborn as a world-beating outfit again, explains Maurce Hamilton, albeit in different colours…

The inexorable and sometimes confusing decline of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation was summed by a perverse predicament at the beginning of 1983. Having won the final race of the previous year, Tyrrell was attractive to potential sponsors. Denim was very keen to expand the association initiated in such style by Michele Alboreto’s popular victory in Las Vegas, the irony being that this high-profile connection had triggered the interest of Benetton, another progressive Italian company with an eye for marketing opportunities.

Going into 1983, Tyrrell appeared to have the best of both worlds thanks to a proposed livery carrying identification for the cosmetics company on the upper half of the car, with Benetton’s logo beneath. When the fashion house upped the ante by choosing to cover the entire car, Tyrrell had the tricky job of explaining to Denim that its support had become surplus to requirements. The jeopardy of such apparent financial extravagance would be exposed 12 months later when Benetton unceremoniously switched to Alfa Romeo (prior to taking over Toleman) and Denim settled into a successful relationship with Williams. Not for the first time, Tyrrell had a fat zero in the title sponsorship column.

Previous article Verstappen explains “absurd” F1 sim in private jet story
Next article Alesi: “Politics”, not F1, to blame for French GP exit

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA