Tyrrell 003
Encyclopedia
The Tyrrell 003 is a Formula One
racing car which was designed for the 1971 Formula One season
by Tyrrell
's Chief Designer, Derek Gardner
. It was effectively the same car as Tyrrell 001, with a redesigned nose section, longer wheelbase and narrower monocoque. Tyrrell 003 was a one-off design, its type number also serving as its Tyrrell chassis number. François Cevert
drove the Tyrrell 002.
.png)
When Ken Tyrrell
, the team's owner, was disenchanted with the poor performance of March
chassis during the season, he decided he would design and build his own car. He employed Derek Gardner to design it in secret at his own house. The project, codenamed "SP" which meant "Special Project" cost Tyrrell over £22,000 of his own money. The resulting car named Tyrrell 001 made its debut at Oulton Park
at a non-championship race.
After the season had finished Gardner redesigned some sections of the car, altering the airbox, remodelling the nose section, lengthening the wheelbase and slightly narrowing the monocoque. The redesigned car became known as the 002 and 003, which were chassis numbers given to each of the car's made for the season. The team also switched tyre supplier to Goodyear
after Dunlop
withdrew from F1.
, it debuted at the 1971 Spanish Grand Prix
and won at the first attempt. Tyrrell and Jackie Stewart
took advantage as Lotus
and Ferrari
struggled during 1971; they won six races with Stewart claiming his second World Championship. Interestingly, Stewart and team mate François Cevert
used different chassis throughout both 1971 and 1972, with Stewart having exclusive use of 003 and Cevert competing with 002.
The season saw Lotus back on form with Emerson Fittipaldi
challenging Stewart for the championship. 003 was not a match for the developed Lotus 72
and the Tyrrell team only won when the 72 failed to finish. Fittipaldi won the title that season by a comfortable margin. Despite scoring four wins with Stewart during 1972, 003 had come to the end of its racing life. Tyrrell 003 remains the Tyrrell team's most successful chassis. It is also the individual chassis that has scored the most Grand Prix wins in Formula One history.
The vehicle is currently on display at the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
.
Tyrrell 003 was replaced by 005 for .
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing car which was designed for the 1971 Formula One season
1971 Formula One season
The 1971 Formula One season included the 22nd FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 6, 1971, and ended on October 3 after eleven races.-Season summary:...
by Tyrrell
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
's Chief Designer, Derek Gardner
Derek Gardner (motorsport)
Derek Gardner designed advanced transmission systems. He joined Formula One while employed by Harry Ferguson Research, developing four-wheel drive systems for Matra in 1969. He met Ken Tyrrell in 1970 and Tyrrell chose Gardner to design his chassis...
. It was effectively the same car as Tyrrell 001, with a redesigned nose section, longer wheelbase and narrower monocoque. Tyrrell 003 was a one-off design, its type number also serving as its Tyrrell chassis number. François Cevert
François Cevert
Albert François Cevert Goldenberg was a French racing driver who took part in the Formula One World Championship.-Family background:...
drove the Tyrrell 002.
Conception
Ken Tyrrell
Robert Kenneth "Ken" Tyrrell was a British Formula Two racing driver and the founder of the Tyrrell Formula One constructor.-Biography:...
, the team's owner, was disenchanted with the poor performance of March
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
chassis during the season, he decided he would design and build his own car. He employed Derek Gardner to design it in secret at his own house. The project, codenamed "SP" which meant "Special Project" cost Tyrrell over £22,000 of his own money. The resulting car named Tyrrell 001 made its debut at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
at a non-championship race.
After the season had finished Gardner redesigned some sections of the car, altering the airbox, remodelling the nose section, lengthening the wheelbase and slightly narrowing the monocoque. The redesigned car became known as the 002 and 003, which were chassis numbers given to each of the car's made for the season. The team also switched tyre supplier to Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
after Dunlop
Dunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...
withdrew from F1.
Competition
Driven by Jackie StewartJackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
, it debuted at the 1971 Spanish Grand Prix
1971 Spanish Grand Prix
The 1971 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Montjuïc circuit on April 18, 1971. It was the second round of the 1971 Formula One season....
and won at the first attempt. Tyrrell and Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
took advantage as Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
and Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
struggled during 1971; they won six races with Stewart claiming his second World Championship. Interestingly, Stewart and team mate François Cevert
François Cevert
Albert François Cevert Goldenberg was a French racing driver who took part in the Formula One World Championship.-Family background:...
used different chassis throughout both 1971 and 1972, with Stewart having exclusive use of 003 and Cevert competing with 002.
The season saw Lotus back on form with Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
challenging Stewart for the championship. 003 was not a match for the developed Lotus 72
Lotus 72
The Lotus 72 was a Formula One car designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe of Lotus for the 1970 Formula One season.- Development :The 72 was yet another innovative design by Chapman featuring inboard brakes, side mounted radiators in sidepods, as opposed to the nose mounted radiators which...
and the Tyrrell team only won when the 72 failed to finish. Fittipaldi won the title that season by a comfortable margin. Despite scoring four wins with Stewart during 1972, 003 had come to the end of its racing life. Tyrrell 003 remains the Tyrrell team's most successful chassis. It is also the individual chassis that has scored the most Grand Prix wins in Formula One history.
The vehicle is currently on display at the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Tyrrell 003 was replaced by 005 for .