NOT QUITE LIKE SKYWALKER'S! The Story of the Formula One 'X Wings' (1997-1998)

[@terminateshere]

I remember discussion about how ugly they were, and ripostes along the lines of "anything can be beautiful if it makes the car goes quickly". Schumacher even raised the thought that if Ferrari's ones worked (they didn't), the Tifosi would be bolting them onto their Fiats in tribute.

[@AidanMillward]

This is my outlook. Don’t care what it looks like, is it fast

[@Woody93185]

I can confirm that these X wings DID fall off the cars.. Alesi had one taken off by an air line in the pits in Argentina 1998

[@my_beer_stories]

I think that was the only example of one being torn off though, and it was by external factors when it got snagged in the next pit-box's wheel guns. Prost had to run their car with, as F1 Racing magazine put it, "one solitary croquet hoop" as they couldn't put one on the refuelling side as it got in the way of the nozzle.

[@GreatCdn59]

LOL my dumb brain read that as "Alesi had an x wing ripped off by an air plane" ... as if an aircraft swooped down qnd knocked it down .... then had to read it again. lol

[@nhailstone]

Yeah, I don’t think that any just fell off, it was more just used as an excuse to get them quickly banned. Not that I’m really complaining, they were horrible and as soon as Ferrari started using them as well as sauber and Prost (I think?), the rest of the grid wouldn’t be far behind.

[@cdnkart]

Ya beat me to the punch! That's not falling off, but being taken off by a bit of an odd circumstance. If I remember correctly, it was another teams air lines upon exit.

[@Glassjar34]

And that's why they got banned

[@raremediumdonewell]

This is also a shout to the brilliant mind that's called Harvey Postlethwaite. He did some great things for teams like Hesketh, Wolf Racing, Ferrari, Sauber and Tyrrell. And he would have made the Second Coming of the Honda Team (not just the engine) a good one, because he had actually designed a solid midfield car with the RA099. A brilliant mind gone too soon.

[@IrishPartizan]

I remember Tyrrell's final race in Japan. The 90s also saw the demise of fallen giants Lotus and Brabham. A sign that the sport was changing for the worse.

[@73737371]

Never quite understood the "changing for the worse" thing, especially when put in statements like "the fallen giants left, so the sport got worse". Nostalgia is a fair (and nice) feeling, but there is a limit between nostalgia and reality. Tyrell, Lotus and Brabham's demise didn't really affect the sport.

[@MrBlazemaster525]

@@73737371 it changed for the worse because: 1. They were victims of an arms race fueled by manufacturers; that 2. All jacked it in in 2008; that 3. Opened the door for Dr Evil and RedBullshit to tantrum their way into rigging seasons

[@ijustfelldown]

The sport hasn't changed for the worse.

[@5340robert]

I remember in the 1998 F1 review there is a section after the San Marino race where they reference the banning of the tower/x wings. They did kinda make a comeback in 2006 as BMW Sauber did have some tower wings on the front of the car at the French GP.

[@mat2000100]

Imagine adding x-wings to a 2008-spec F1 car.

[@patrickbateman6682]

@@mat2000100 or a fan 😳

[@kevinkoster4543]

Thanks Aidan, I love the topic of these downforce generating atrocities in the 90’s. It started with the double rearwings in 1992/1993 (the BMS Lola and Lotus, great pics) the smaller versions of it, run by Minardi and Forti in 1995/1996, The 1995 test of a midwing during the Pacific Grand Prix by Jordan, only run on Eddie Irvine’s car, these 1997/1998 X-wings ofcourse, all the way up to the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix with Both Arrows and Jordan trying some form of downforce generating front wing. I know most people say all these wings and other aerodynamic findings gave the cars ugly looks, one could argue on that, but I love the designers trying to squeeze out every inch of the canvas just to find that millisecond. So for that, I really enjoyed the 90’s cars. Thanks again for this post, looking forward to the next ones!

[@millennialchicken]

We need to bring this level of ingenuity back to F1. We all love to see little quirks and oddities with car design.

[@ririhoshino]

I always liked the look of tyrell's early 90s cars, especially the 020. This sport needs more Harvey Postlethwaites and Adrian Neweys to go around and break the rules in a good way. It's a shame Ken Tyrell passed away soon after selling the team and didn't see its rebirth to the power it become in the second half of 2010s

[@Roamor1]

Alesi was the one losing a X-Wing. And was somehow faster afterwards....

[@hallo_welt_ag]

That was after a Pit Stop where it got torn off by an air hose

[@gandalf_thegrey]

That's are some NASCAR tactics right there awe shit the entire side is f'ed *takes out steelsaw* *proceeds to just remove huge bits*

[@my_4_brain_cells]

Yeah they were so rudimentary that they were just glued on with no thought. So little that prost at San Marino for the race they ran one x wing becuse the other covered the refuelling rig. The only person who got any major downforce increase was Tyrell because they'd built the car around it.

[@orangdotpng]

well, yeah. less downforce = less drag

[@Ramtamtama]

Tyrrell, of course, eventually morphed into what we now know as Mercedes. Via BAR, Honda, and Brawn.

[@Durbanite2010]

I remember this! Tyrrell struggled to get decent sponsors or competitive engines in the 1990s, which led to them falling behind. I'd say Tyrrell's real decline started in 1993, with the 020C, driven by de Cesaris and Katayama - 0 points scored over the season was poor, considering they had finished 5th or 6th in the Constructors Championship for 4 out of the previous 5 seasons. The awful reliability of the Yamaha engine that they started with in the 020C for the 1993 season (the previous season's 020B car, with an Ilmor V10, got them 8 points) and it never finished better than 10th and it's mid-season replacement, the 021, was equally terrible and 1993 ended with 0 Constructor points. The 022 of 1994 was more competitive on pace but was still plagued with unreliability. Constructor points meant prize money from the FIA, so getting 0 points in that Championship was almost a certain death-knell for a team. Tyrrell had also fallen behind both Jordan and Sauber - they lost the Ilmor (later Mercedes) engines to Sauber, as Mercedes had a prior relationship with Peter Sauber through his WSC efforts and Jordan were fortunate enough to get rid of the Yamaha engine at the end of 1992 in favour of the Hart V10, which became more reliable in1994. By the time of the X-Wings, Tyrrell were finished as a compeitive force.

[@IrishPartizan]

Tyrrell's decline had already begun long before 1993. It began after Jackie Stewart left after he had secured Tyrrell's 2nd Constructors title in 1973 and the death of Francois Cevert a short time before. Tyrrell never replaced Stewart or Cevert. Cevert was a huge loss. Had he lived, Tyrrell would have pushed on and built on their successes of 1971 and '73. As you know, success breeds success and Tyrrell spent the rest of the 70s and 80s chasing the dream as a mid table team in a pool of diminshing sponsors and increasing privateer teams. They did however experience a mini revival in the late 70s, early 80s and later on with Jean Alesi. But by the time the 1990s rolled in, Tyrrell like Lotus and Brabham were in terminal decline. It wasn't just a matter of 'if' but 'when'. They had simply failed to adapt to a changing sport. The only difference was that Ken Tyrrell like Guy Ligier saw the writing on the wall by the mid 90s and exited the paddock at the right time. Ditto Eddie Jordan and Giancarlo Minardi. Many others like Alain Prost, Gerard Larrouse and Guido Forti got badly stung. It's a cruel mistress F1 is.

[@jradicals87]

I had to spend a while looking as it was starting to feel like a false memory, but I thought I remembered one of the teams could only run them on one side because it got in the way when they were refuelling....dug up an old copy of F1 Racing magazine from 1998 and was relieved to find I hadn't imagined it. Both Prost cars raced at Imola in 1998 with an X wing only on the left sidepod.

[@jradicals87]

i.imgur.com/d0Kahue.jpg

[@domformula1]

Brundle also likened the towers on the Ferrari to seeing a Ferrari on the M25 with a tow bar and caravan attached

[@RedLP5000S]

Brilliant video. Truly the innovation of these wings inspired the radical designs of the 2008 F1 cars.

[@kizzagt]

Aidan if you saw the video on F1 cheeky innovations, they talked about the X wings and there was footage of the sauber losing an X wing in the pits because it caught one of the hanging hoses over their pit areas.

[@IrishPartizan]

Aidan why don't you do a feature story on the rise and fall of Tyrrell since we are speaking of the X-wing.

[@CrunchyMotorsport]

They should have fitted them to Mark Webber's at Valencia a few years ago

[@mramaz1ngarry728]

Couple of minor pieces of information probably missed related to this. Salo was missing part of his front wing at Monaco 97. So them wings really did help. Also McLaren tried a high mid wing on top of the engine cover in 95. It interferes with the main rear wing. Which could have lead to Harvey thinking to positioning them more away from the airflow to the rear wing.

[@phillipnigro4384]

One thing that I tested and found out try a formula one car can generate enough downforce to drive upside down I used a die cast replica and found out that yeah those cars could fly if you turned the wings upside down so yeah I love F1 yeah another bloody brilliant vid mate

[@mickcompagnoni1114]

My dad's Peugeot was a Kingswood.

[@2slovak0]

Been waiting for this gem.

[@lrs3]

4:55 That is the most ridiculously cool car I have ever seen

[@gokingsgoful]

Respect for the Wedge namedrop.

[@ShadowTVNetwork]

Martin Brundle once said “It looks like somebody had an air fix kit for Christmas and lost the instructions”

[@JustinAH]

Jeff Gordon was talking to Jacques Villeneuve about driving the second BAR car and I think he regrets not taking that seat. Seen Jeff at Toto's elbow many F1 races and now wants to take Nascar's new car (Which is a Touring Car?) to 24hr of LeMans and will probably drive.

[@dod_the_angel]

I always loved this story. nothing like being skint to make you think smart. Also good to see you looking better than you did last week.

[@Slikx666]

The Tyrrell X-wing, an interesting car but no guns. 🤪👍

[@reptongeek]

2:54 Later on the P34 would be a Stunticon called Drag Strip who not only loved to win but also a loathsome braggart Funnily enough I bought a model of Damon Hill's Jordan from 1998 which had the X-Wings and they were just as fragile on the model as they were on the real car! They fell off so easily, but I didn't care as I wanted the car in the configuration that won the Belgium GP

[@UrMomsChauffer]

Thanks for another quick info video.

[@senorsoupe]

They looked like someone strapped two overhead projectors onto the side of the car. If you don't know what an overhead projector is, ask your parents

[@duckrutt]

If I would have known you were doing x-wings I could have gotten you a couple Minichamps pics. We've got a Prost and I think we still have a Tyrrell? Ah well, if the video gets taken down lemme know.

[@mrterp04]

YO YOU BE DEALIN WITH THE X-WING FACTOR

[@jaxking904]

Man they missed out on having a Star Wars livery.

[@LukSter18998]

Red Bull had one in 2006

[@22rna58]

Lookswise, the 026 was a pretty car. Sorry the team couldn't afford to develop it.

[@snorri788]

You forgot to mention Alesi putting one on Senna in the early 90s. Epic racing

[@minibus9]

great video, i rember these

[@edwardburek1717]

"Lock s-foils to Laugh My Arse Off position!" Now, I'm no automotive engineer, or indeed an anything engineer, but surely the addition of extra wings that aesthetically have no place would produce too much downforce, not to mention enough drag to make the car undriveable?

[@nightw4tchman]

3:09 Wait, there's another way of saying "lead shot"? I've worked abroad never heard it said differently, admittedly it wouldn't come up much.

[@theMoerster]

2:01 "There are rules and I've got to play by them." Said no one in F1, ever.

[@MsZeeZed]

Given his publicly recorded proclivity for BDSM, it seems inaccurate to say Max Mosley’s hard-ons were driven by a sense of safety.

[@danielhresko4900]

I thought that was Ecclestone? Or was Bernie just the Nazi uniform guy?

[@jsquared1013]

@@danielhresko4900 Max was also the Nazi uniform guy

[@markisam6356]

Aidan there is an interesting story connected to middle Georgia raceway which may make a good story time video connecting a track to NASCAR'S roots

[@joshjackburns]

Hey Aidan 👋🏼. Would it be possible to make another What If episode but on Lauda’s crash at the Nürburgring ? It may be a big what if considering Niki seemed to have changed quite a bit in the helping of F1 safety. Thanks

[@JamesCroisdale]

Whenever you say "bell on" I immediately say "Bellof". 😆

[@crunchyfrog555]

I seem to recall and I could be completely wrong, but one time they fell off was in practice but I can't recall which race.

[@robertcardon5402]

They were baned for "safety" after Jean Alisse's pitstop when his Ferrari's X wing hit the refueling hose and ripped off when he left the pit box.

[@THESLlCK]

honestly getting used to the mortifying death stares between clips stockholm syndrome? Perhaps. But I'm learning about F1 when it was.... slightly better. No need to complain really. Do carry on.

[@davidciesielski8251]

Thanks

[@LadyAnuB]

No complication about it, it's the first film that came out but its story order is number 4.

[@misternobodysixtynine]

Why not release this video essay on May 4th, instead of today?

[@craigknight2319]

Call me sad but love that Jazz piano intro

[@sanfordcurtis8242]

Needs a trap beat.

[@kariymchristopher6986]

@aidanmillward of all the years this team changed hands are they any one working there for many years. And also this team has a legacy through out its years to be innovative finding competitive Gray areas and has at least won championships through out various era's. Whether it be different liveries double diffuser or hybrid engine shows the energy and intelligence that is embedded in that team synergy

[@THESLlCK]

so when are you gonna start doing professional voiceovers?

[@d00dEEE]

DNQ for Tosser and you don't mention it could be the driver? Not so sure about that...

[@thekauders567]

as a kid i always thought they looked cool

[@Whisky_4_1]

Never any love for Porkins. Shame on you Aiden.

[@kevinprior3549]

I think they looked stupid on both Tyrrell & Ferrari.

[@scottl.1568]

Whut

[@nehylen5738]

Ah yes, the 90s struggle for downforce. The cars looked silly with those on, _especially_ the 97 Tyrrell with its X-wings. Glad they eventually banned them. Another ugly-looking thing: the MP4/10 (1995): ugly nose cone + ugly central wing. They eventually removed it, and the car got better. Shame since the MP4/8 & MP4/9 are some of the most beautiful F1s in my view. Also on the elevated nose cone, it's amusing that some teams went in and out of that concept : - Ferrari went for it in 94, abandoned it in 95 and barely acknowledged it in early 1996...Then issued a B-spec car at the mid-season which had possibly one of the highest and ugliest noses ever - Tyrrell invents it in 90, forgets it in 94-95, goes back to it from 96 I've always wondered why they came back & forth, or almost ignored it when Benetton started using it (1991), if it was so widely adopted from 96 onwards. Before 94, Only Tyrrell & Benetton had used it in a big way, and some noses were slightly detached on other cars (93' Ferrari, Footwork or Jordan come to mind). Never made sense to me. In the same vein, the walrus nose on the 03' Williams, whose designers thought it was so evident that they couldn't understand why nobody had touched on that before. The arcanes of nose aerodynamics elude me.

[@sofiadarcia1824]

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