SIX WHEEL MADNESS! The Story of the Tyrrell P34 (1976-77)

A car from my dad's era where any advantage was welcome. Brabham would bring the fan car a couple of years later but before that, Tyrrell was experimenting with a car that had a couple of extra wheels.
But it seemed to work. It was great in long corners and was fast in a straight line because of the wheels being behind the wing. But the brakes were a bit iffy and it broke down a bit. But still, it's one of those cars that whenever anyone sees it for the first time they all say the same thing: TELL ME MORE!
So here we go then. This was one of the lost videos but always fun to revisit. I think it's a cool car... What do you think?
Enjoy! And remember to like and subscribe for more!
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Wheel: Simucube 2 Pro - Cube Controls Formula Pro Rim/DIY Ascher D Shape Rim
Pedals: Heusinkveld Sprints

[@AidanMillward]

I dunno why I said the wheels were ten inches tall. I guess they are if you measure 'em from the bottom.

[@Top_gear2021]

Haha, guess we can call these adian-isims or Millward-isms.....take your pick I guess Dude where's my Roberto Romeno, Romano or however you spell it (I know, I know it'll come out when the play button arrives, just being a.... thing lol)

[@simontravers2715]

Those cars looked like drag-racers with the whole rear-front difference in tyre size!! Imagine the delegation of pit crew if used today “Right short-fry, you take the front! Muscles, you take the rear!”

[@CuriousBoyGeorge]

I liked the "Top Gear" section of the video. Wouldn't want entire videos in that format personally, but a minute or two in length felt just right.

[@stephenpointon]

It was a crazy era with open rules where engineers had a chance to try new ideas, as opposed to today when the rules have forced the cars to be too "cookie cutter" in my eyes anyhow. One thing often the cars would back then have aluminium chassis (like you said) but teams often would use plywood and even balsa wood to locally reinforce and stiffen areas

[@soundjarvis81]

When I see the p34 I think of the Transformers character Dragstrip as this was his alt mode (in yellow!)

[@waverod9275]

Indeed. Was going to post something along these lines, but saw yours. Mirage, on the other hand, was based on a Ligier of around the same time.

[@texasbeast239]

Specifically, Drag Strip was modeled on the 1976 racing season trim P34A, with the simpler front wing, large top side mirror fairings, and exposed motor. Likely it was supposed to reflect Scheckter's winning #3 car as seen after his victory in Sweden in 1976 JUN. Photos from the race itself show that the #3 car used an A-frame air box over the intake runners, but the post-race pics show the air box removed. The early 1976 testing prototype had a more complex front wing and a giant air scoop. And the 1977 models replaced the big mirror fairings with small mirror stalks and hid the engine under an aero shroud.

[@Eagleracer38x]

I've played r-factor 2 with this car, and it was fun. This is my favorite F1 car, The Lotus 78, Lotus 49, and Williams FW15C.

[@TheLukanda]

Top Gear bit was mega!!!

[@LivingDeadPunker]

Quite liked the "top gear" segment. It gave a new depth to understanding how the car worked

[@Bobcat205]

So this is what you meant by making it "more Top Gear-y". I like this style. I'd keep this up going forward.

[@michaeldr6070]

It’s a really cool car. These guys (Tyrrell) really knew how to build cool looking cars

[@billmcdonald4335]

I built the Tamiya 1/10 scale r/c car back in the day. Intricate only begins to describe that steering mechanism. I discovered that the more parts, the more points of failure. At least in a scale model.

[@rexthewolf3149]

That’s just how things work.

[@RacerX888]

I have always loved the P34. I am waiting for the slot car version at the moment. Looking forward to finally seeing one in person, LOL!

[@theunknownstuntman4010]

A KZbinr called slap shoes does mainly NASCAR content once showed some smaller race systems on dirt tracks, special modified i think, the rule state there has to be 4 wheels on the car but not where so cos they're running short oval dirt tracks most have a 3 wheels one side 1 other configuration

[@agonzo626]

He has some nice videos

[@minibus9]

Excelent video, one of the coolest cars ever and it's a shame that we will almost certainly never see another six wheel F1 car

[@kevinprior3549]

6 wheeled Tyrrell looked good!

[@eddiefumar]

Man, those rear tires are huuuge.

[@spacecase13]

I've always loved this monster since I first saw it when I was a kid in the 80's. Thanks for the great story!

[@douglasladowski6342]

Just perfectly done.

[@ianwynne764]

Hello Aidan: On KZbin there is a video called "Legends of F1- Ken Tyrrell". In one part, Ken and Jackie have a "frank exchange of views". I can thoroughly recommend the video. Have a lovely day.

[@lukedanielgalon1596]

Honestly the Top Gear portion is great

[@MillionaireWizard]

Might I suggest the March 840? If you though the Tyrrell P34 was crazy, March were even experimenting with an EIGHT wheel car. Even Williams I think were trying an EIGHT Wheel set-up before the FIA set the 4 wheel limit.

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

They were both 6. The March was a 2-4-0 and the Williams was the FW08B, each with 4 rear wheels across two axles ( to assist with drag, unlike the Tyrrell solution which was about grip, not aero, per Derek Gardner). Ferrari also developed their 312-T6 which had two fronts paired on a single rear axle - so they stuck out like truck tyres!

[@musclecarbear4704]

elf oils was probably the biggest winner, as this car was so iconic…and their brand was plastered all over it. Even to this day, it’s well remembered.

[@Billhatestheinternet]

The fact that the audio of Aidan driving this thing literally sounds like the driver/pit radio we have all come to appreciate is pretty wild.

[@bjarulez]

Ah, good old success ballast, we all have a bit, I don't have much myself

[@paulrichter2863]

How is this not the very first video created for any Formula 1 history channel? Well OK, I guess I'm from your dad's era.

[@michaelroberts1420]

You forgot to mention that the Williams had the four wheels in the back from what i can recall.

[@jcwebb540]

Great video! 2020 was when Hamilton won Silverstone on three wheels

[@senju1kay]

LOVE THIS

[@philipkeohane2652]

It's like that amplifier that goes to 11.

[@NLBassist]

Great vid!

[@hectorae86]

Success balast wahahahaha. That.... Is just brilliant 😂

[@mattgrant9479]

This is a wheely good video

[@mrccantrill]

Always wondered about this car. Had the scalextric car. Was sadly slower

[@christodejong42]

the top gear bit was interesting, and a tiny bit to drawn out, could you consider placing more off board shots of the car going around when not speaking. love that Scheckter is and most probably will be one of a kind in the history books need i say hello from south africa...

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

Fewer wins in 6-wheeled cars than there have been Scheckters in F1!

[@DJDouglasWarden]

Good stuff thank you

[@TonySpike]

I liked the part at 9:20 ...but it might have demonstrated the point better if you had an input display or something 😂

[@chrisstephens6194]

I pressed like before I watched 😂😂

[@georgemoore5139]

I saw Jackie Stewart race the P34 at the Oulton Park Gol Cup. Can't remember which year though`

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

So despite retiring for safety reasons; testing the P34 in 1978 for Autoweek and saying it was the first drive he had in the car, the P34 never racing in the Gold Cup, you "remember it"? You're getting a filmed test of the car confused with him racing BRMs at the Gold Cup (he never raced an F1 Tyrrell there) at best.

[@aoife1122]

One of the coolest things to ever grace a race track... if only DeMuro were to give it a "Doug Score". LOL (jk)

[@w0033944]

Aidan - gym!😆😋

[@huwgrossmith9555]

Stig drove one not long ago.

[@Slikx666]

It's definitely a very interesting car, it stands out in a crowd, but im not sure if its a sexy car. 🤔

[@thirdwheel1985au]

I liked the top gear thing. **ducks**

[@liberatetutemeexinferis5902]

How long did a pit stop take to change all six tires?

[@stevieboymkii]

There's no way you could justifiably claim that the P34 is not one of the coolest F1 cars ever. It is a legend, regardless of the success or later lack of success.

[@bobeyes3284]

I was lucky enough to whiteness one doing a few laps round brands the day I took my racing licence. The guy taking the class took us all outside to see it being piloted by Martin Brundle. Personally he would be amongst the last on my list but I guess it was for Sky or something 🤷‍♀

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

But the even later success? (it won the FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix championship - now FIA Masters - when everyone had Avon tyres which equalised the performances somewhat. Martin Stretton and Mauro Pane took the title twice with the P34, in 2000 and 2008 respectively.

[@stevieboymkii]

@@OsellaSquadraCorse I mean in 1977.

[@skendler]

The success ballast was mandated because of your recent success of obtaining 100K (very well deserved) subscribers. Congratulations!

[@Krisopolis]

My takeaway from this, is that Scheckter's relationship with the P34 is like one of those grumpy old men who insists he doesn't want a dog, is given a dog, and inevitably falls in love with it

[@socalraven17]

Outstanding example. 👌🏽

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

I must admit that I really, *really* love this sort of innovation. The crazier the better!

[@Pablo668]

It's a cool car no doubt. I remember as a kid thinking it was awesome, and so did my mates. We didn't call it a Tyrell though, we referred to it as the Elf.

[@polaria.coronel-gt2762]

Awesome vid, and a late congrats on 100k, the Top Gear esque segment is awesome, although I feel you can still improve it by including a picture in picture view of you in the rig and turn up the FFB, so we really get a feel for what the car is doing based on your inputs, and see the struggle to keep one of these beasts on the road!

[@jeffreydanilko6657]

I liked the Top Gear voice over, keep it up.

[@laurencemoore2105]

It's the most successful 6 wheeled car............................ In the world!

[@Stairwagon]

Tremendously entertaining

[@l1a146]

I was 9 and 10 in 76 / 77. I thought this thing was the coolest car on the planet. Every kid I knew had the matchbox sized version. (Well it was Tomica, but we still called them matchbox). The one to one version wasnt much bigger. Lol.

[@areasquirrel]

"The proliferation of resources to be assigned to the design confines of the car's technical parameters are such as to extract too many financial efficiencies from the budgetary departments to warrant a full development of the concept, and so expedites the exclusion of the concept from the spirit of the technical regulations governing the constructors." - Ron Dennis, probably. Anyway, it's got six wheels, not four! What madness is this? Indeed, this is the one we all go to for clicks, the best way to get newbies to do a double take and shout 'wait, what?!'

[@63MGSedanman]

Aidan- One of my favorites of all time. I currently have the 1/20 Tamiya kit under construction and the 1/12 in the queue. Iʻm enjoying your channel tremendously. "Success baggage". Hah! Tim

[@javierlarrayoz843]

Faster than this Alpine

[@palm92]

Very informative once again, I had no idea the braking was so bad but it makes sense. Also, this car is very popular in Japan among car/racing Otaku. There is a racing Anime from the late-1970s that features a car heavily inspired by it (Arrow Emblem: Hawk of the Grand Prix) and it also appears in a Dreamcast game called Super Runabout.

[@NazarovVv]

Looking at the Tyrrell and the 1976 season in particular...mind doing a video on airboxes? Their birth, death and rebirth.

[@CyanRooper]

One of the greatest F1 interviews of all time was about air boxes: Stirling Moss: "So James, they've changed the regulations concerning the air boxes and the wings and yet you're still extremely fast. How do you do it?" James Hunt: "Big balls."

[@NazarovVv]

@@CyanRooper Indeed. The reason why the P34 made me recall my interest in airboxes is because in its prototype stages it had a tall one, then a split intake like the McLaren only more phallic looking, and then come race day they went a bugger it, take it off entirely. At the same time Ferrari were doing some fighter jet style shenanigans trying to get more air into the engine

[@CyanRooper]

@@NazarovVv I loved the NACA ducts on the Ferrari 312T2, I thought it was the best interpretation of the rules.

[@NazarovVv]

@@CyanRooper Certainly the most aesthetically pleasing. But I firmly believe they had no other option. You see whilst the rest of the field used DFVs which had the throttle bodies on the very top of the engine and thus somewhat into the airflow, Ferrari’s flat 12 throttle bodies were actually on the level if now lower than the radiators in the side pods which I suspect would have pretty much starved the engine for air had they decided to run without them, as opposed to the other teams which could afford naked engines whilst losing relatively small amount of performance.

[@AshPil98]

@AidanMillward that success ballast joke genuinely just made my day 😂

[@JohnSmithShields]

I remember seeing pictures of this as a kid in the mid-80s thinking it was an April fool.

[@wrecker7430]

Refreshed the page and this was freshly posted. Time to turn my thinking brain off and just relax.

[@filipruml]

Exactly what I did after work. Perfect timing.

[@littlerougue]

The p34 is what got me into F1

[@markko17]

There's a video series called "Lap Of the Gods" which is in car videos of various F1 cars at various tracks. Among them is Patrick Depailler at Monaco in the 6 wheeler. Pretty freaky watching those front wheels.

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

Come on Aidan, Roberto Moreno, while we're young 🤣🤣

[@matzemunz2827]

Every time the video is mentioned in the comments, it will be postponed a month

[@GregBrownsWorldORacing]

@@matzemunz2827 This alleged video, yes!

[@victorbitter583]

@@matzemunz2827 He didn't say that, surely?

[@mrkipling2201]

I love 1970's and 1980's F1! All of it! Especially things like the 6 wheeled Car, the Fan Car, lead shot in the Tyrrells etc......

[@silverback_lp]

If u think this IS Crazy Just think about the Brabham BT46B from Niki Lauda 😂😮

[@AntoniusTyas]

I may be in a minority but that TopGear-style voiceover while driving is kind of fun. Maybe you should give it a try again in future videos

[@gregfelix6979]

I don’t think your live commentary was terrible - I liked it!

[@judgegixxer]

I was a kid in the 70's, these 6 wheelers were models, slot cars, hot wheels, matchbox and any other kind of toy car you could imagine.

[@Scoots1994]

I remember the claims the brakes were bad and I always assumed it was because of the limited space in the small wheels, never heard it was a problem of balance adjustments. I learned something new!

[@Robi11114]

Nice vid, I was always curious about the history of this car :) thank you!

[@hippyjason]

My favorite car _ever._ Especially the '76 season version.

[@jctheU.G.SafariBigGamecat]

It's just iconic 70s mayhem, very cool car ❤

[@Thebibs]

Nice to see Larry Perkins in the drivers results from Spain

[@auraline_vt]

I really liked that Top Gear inspired Segment

[@bradleycottam8661]

I remember the first time I saw this car as a kid, me and a school friend were looking through a formula 1 book and we were just flabbergasted that this was a real thing as up until then we were used to the early 2000s cars. it's a car that's always stuck in my mind when anyone mentions f1 to me

[@mukulnag1578]

Next time some talks about my tummy i am calling it "success ballast" 😂😂

[@michaellakinloch5371]

I loved watching this car race in 1976, at 7 GPs. My favourite was the Canadian GP where Depaillier was burning up the track.

[@ytfakemail]

Success ballast? More like BoP!

[@clansome]

Memories, memories, memories of youth. The good old days, don't really want them back but would love cars with much smaller dimensions.

[@simonolsen9995]

Yes Aidan. I did learn new stuff today. I'm 61 and have probably seen every YT doc ever made about them and have raced one in rf2. But you did a great job of explaining the peculiarities and challenges of brake balance across 6 wheels and gave me a much better overall understanding of what the P34 was as a race car. Well done.

[@blainy-o93]

Wow that 1976 rF1 mod is a throwback. The Top Gear-esque bit was a nice touch though.

[@Joe2328]

Success ballast!!! 🤣😂🤣😂

[@Noctaven]

My favorite of the experimental cars, always a treat seeing it rip around Goodwood.

[@Sleepy.Time.]

From what ive read it was not a bad concept and was really only held back by the lack of purpose built tires for the front. They had to use tires meant for one of the junior leagues not meant for F1 speeds.

[@gchampi2]

Not so. The tires were built specifically for the P34. The problem was that Goodyear weren't willing to update the compound. This meant that whenever the tire compound was changed for the rest of the field, Tyrrell were stuck with either increasingly out of date tires if they stayed with the old compound on the rears, or an increasingly out of balance car if they changed the rears alongside the rest of the field. Apparently Goodyear were happy to come up with the initial tire design as an experiment, just to see if they could build a working F1 tire in an unusual size, but having done so, weren't willing to spend the money and time needed to update the tires to keep them current with the rest of the field. With the pace of development during the mid-70's, this was the death knell of the P34.

[@tomhiett3970]

@@gchampi2 Goodyear did fine in 1976 as they were the only tire supplier. There is little need to spend money on development with no competition, so they didn't. The P34 and its drivers finished ahead of everyone except Lauda and Hunt, disproving any claims it was a bad design (You were not making this claim, but that is the most frequent comments on the car.) In 1977 Michelin entered F1, a tire war broke out ,and Goodyear was no longer able/willing take the time for them.

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

@@tomhiett3970 Yep, Goodyear was struggling to keep pace with Michelin's radial development - a new concept in F1 at the time - and could not commit the resources to manufacturing, let alone developing new 10" fronts. Some of the physical tyres Tyrrell were running by late '77 had been made at the tail end of 1976, they weren't just technologically out of step but in some instances literally out of date.

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

I’m a fan; I always loved the DFV soundtrack and I built the Matchbox plastic kit as a kid (which then went onto a shelf in the hall alongside the Bentley, MG and Bugatti T35 racing cars I also built. My folks are great). Seeing one attack the hillclimb at FoS was a proper “no, it’s just ‘cos of the pollen, honest” moment. Thanks for the nostalgia trip 🙂

[@kevinhaakede]

Congratulations on the 100k!! FINALLY!

[@Skaloody]

Why does the cosworth DFV in the simulator sound more like a matra V12 from the late 60s?

[@happyocd]

Excellent and informative video. Thank you for making this production. What gaming system are you using on this video when you show the P-34 racing. I am looking for a nice game in which I can race vintage sports and F1/Grand Prix cars. Thank you.

[@caileanthomson1286]

Don't put yourself down for the "Top Gear" segment. It was nowhere near as bad as what Chris Evans presented to us after Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond & James May left. Or the entireity of Top Gear USA.

[@simontravers2715]

After that Top Gear style clip, you should’ve taken the parody further and do a spinning camera still shot of the car while narrating normally. “Some say he’s more Hungary than Zsolt Baumgartner…..and that if HE was directing the 2021 F1 finale, he would’ve let every lapped car unlap themselves properly instead of thinking about ‘the show’……All we know is, he’s the Taller Hammond!”

[@stian_nor5190]

In a Japanese anime called Lupine the 3rd. Does he drive Monaco gp in a Tyrrell P34. it is from 1977

[@mad-b264]

Go on bro, Interesting in the world of motorsport, O love it because it is innovation and thinking from outside the box, I wonder if Reiza could bring a DLC pack with all the unusual racing cars, I just recently tried VR with the Sim Racing thing, And damn AMS 2 is amazing in VR, Oh and Beam NG is since the latest update I find the VR to be a tiny bit better, But AMS 2 holds the top spot for Sim Racing in VR, In fact I have noticed a lot more people using VR than screens, As soon as you done VR though you won't be going back to a flat or curved or even triples, VR puts you inside the game, That will always beat watching a game while you play the game, VR is giving the gaming and Sim Racing world a whole new lease of life, lol... This is interesting not going to lie, I bet it felt safe to drive this 6 wheeled F1 car, Probably a bit of fun lol.....

[@ClumsyCardboard]

I don’t know what you’re on about.. the Top gear esque segment was brilliant! You should consider doing it more in future videos as well.

[@greyone40]

Yep I agree it's a cool car. I always liked people who tried radical ideas to improve things. This was the only F1 car from the Tamiya collection that I ever got to build, although dreaming about building many from that era. I don't know if I have that model hidden in a box somewhere, probably not. Beautiful kits.

[@JimmyRJump]

To me, these cars always looked like something out of "Thunderbirds" or "The Wacky Races". Futuristic and cartoonish at the same time.

[@Sirdoolan]

I thought the top gear voiceover was a fun little aside. Good for talking about handling characteristics and so on, but too much and it would begin to feel a bit…. Shit? That Tyrell was absolutely bonkers though, amazing, genuinely iconic and one of those very few cars that just screams awesome.

[@Sinmale1]

sucess balast okay🤣🤣 i keep calling my boyfriends belly that from now on

[@NBSV1]

Makes me wonder how it would have worked with a walking beam style front suspension. Steering would get complicated, but it would help keep the weight on the tires more even and less likely to lock up just 1 or 2 tires under braking.

[@JSmith19858]

Avon may not be producing tyres for them any more. Cooper decided to shut the factory in Melksham so no idea if or where they're made now. It's not a company I'll shed a tear for as the Avon tyres I've tried in the past were all awful

[@tangerinedream7211]

P34 was stitched up because of the lack of tyre development due to being a one off/two cars only .

[@dascooter8287]

More r&d plus more help from the tire company and this car could have become, as you say, a “thing”.