Tyrrell Racing was a British Formula 1 team that competed from 1970 to 1998. Founded by Ken Tyrrell — a former timber merchant with an eye for talent and a flair for doing things his own way — the team won three Drivers’ Championships and one Constructors’ title in its early years. Tyrrell became known for bold engineering (hello, six-wheeler) and a stubborn independence that endured through decades of change. While it faded from the front by the 1980s, its legacy runs deep: Tyrrell gave Formula 1 Jackie Stewart, the P34, and the DNA of what would become Mercedes-AMG Petronas.
Tyrrell – Key Info
| Category | Detail |
| Full Name | Tyrrell Racing Organisation |
| Active Years | 1970–1998 |
| Founder | Ken Tyrrell |
| Nationality | British |
| Base | Ockham, Surrey, England |
| Constructors’ Titles | 1 (1971) |
| Drivers’ Titles | 3 (Jackie Stewart – 1969*, 1971, 1973) |
| Race Wins | 23 |
| Engines Used | Cosworth, Yamaha, Renault, Honda, Ford |
| Known For | P34 six-wheeler, launching legends, independent grit |
| Became | BAR → Honda → Brawn → Mercedes |
*Note: Stewart’s 1969 title was with Matra, but the car was run by Tyrrell.
From Sawdust to Stardust: The Story of Tyrrell
The Tyrrell story doesn’t start with wind tunnels and billion-dollar sponsors — it starts in a shed. Literally. Ken Tyrrell, who once sold lumber for a living, started running racing teams in the 1960s. He wasn’t an engineer, but he knew people. People like Jackie Stewart. Tyrrell spotted his talent early, ran him in F3, then brought him into F1 via a Matra partnership. That move alone would justify Tyrrell’s place in history.
But they weren’t done.
In 1970, Ken Tyrrell said: screw it — let’s build our own damn car. The result was the Tyrrell 001, followed by the title-winning 003 and the golden years of Jackie Stewart, who took the 1971 and 1973 titles in cars that were simple, light, and effective. The team’s blend of family spirit and competitive edge made it a fan favorite — they weren’t corporate, they were craftsmen.
Then came the madness: the Tyrrell P34, a six-wheeled spaceship disguised as a race car. It won a Grand Prix. It blew minds. It made kids beg their parents for diecasts. It was completely bonkers — and completely Tyrrell.
But the 1980s weren’t kind. Turbo tech, big budgets, and manufacturer muscle squeezed out the independents. Tyrrell clung on with creative regulation-dodging (hello, water ballast scandal in 1984) and the occasional surprise result. But they were no longer title contenders.
Still, the team had one more trick: scouting raw, ridiculous talent. Tyrrell gave debuts to Jean Alesi and both Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen — three men who’d go on to define entire eras of F1. If nothing else, Ken Tyrrell had the best eye in the paddock.
By the late ’90s, Tyrrell was running on fumes. In 1997 it was bought by British American Tobacco and transformed into BAR. From there, the line leads straight to Brawn GP… and then Mercedes. So yeah — Tyrrell still wins races. Just with a bit more silver paint.
The Shed That Shaped the Silver Arrows
Tyrrell didn’t win the most races. They didn’t have the biggest budget, or the fanciest facilities. But they had heart. And instincts. And the kind of glorious audacity that builds six-wheeled cars because “why the hell not?”
They proved that you could punch above your weight if you were smart enough, bold enough, and maybe just a little bit mad. They launched legends. They disrupted the grid. And they left behind a blueprint for every underdog with a dream and a drawing board.
So next time a Mercedes cruises to a win, or a young talent turns heads in his rookie year, raise a glass to Ken Tyrrell. The man who turned timber into trophies.
