Ken Tyrrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Tyrrell
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Tyrrell at the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix
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Robert Kenneth "Ken" Tyrrell
3 May 1924 East Horsley, Surrey, England
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| Died | 25 August 2001 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Founder of Tyrrell Racing |
| Spouse(s) | Nora Isobel Tyrrell |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Kenneth Tyrrell (born May 3, 1924 – died August 25, 2001) was a famous British figure in auto racing. He started as a Formula Two racing driver. Later, he became well-known as the founder of the Tyrrell Formula One team.
Contents
Ken Tyrrell's Life and Career
Early Life and Racing Days
Ken Tyrrell was born in East Horsley, England. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II. After the war, he worked as a timber merchant. This job earned him the nickname "Chopper."
In 1952, when he was 28, Ken began his racing career. He raced a Cooper car with a Norton engine in Formula 3 races. By 1958, he moved up to Formula Two. He drove a Cooper-Climax car and achieved some good results.
Becoming a Team Manager
Ken soon realized his skills were better suited for managing a racing team. In 1959, he stopped driving himself. He started running the Cooper Formula Junior team. He even used his family's timber business workshop as a place to work on the cars.
By 1961, he was also managing the Mini Cooper cars. He even helped out in Formula One when John Cooper was injured.
Discovering Racing Stars
Ken Tyrrell had a special talent for finding great drivers. He discovered Jackie Stewart in 1964. Jackie went on to become one of the greatest Formula One drivers ever. Ken also helped drivers like Jody Scheckter get their start in racing.
Moving to Formula One
Ken dreamed of having his own Formula One team. He got financial help from companies like Elf, Dunlop, and Ford. In 1968, he finally entered Formula One. He became the team principal for Matra International. This was a partnership between his team and the French car maker Matra.
Ken convinced Matra to use the powerful Cosworth DFV engine. This engine was very successful. Jackie Stewart helped the team finish second in the Constructors' Championship in 1968.
Building His Own Cars
Matra wanted to focus on their own V12 engine. So, Ken secretly hired Derek Gardner. Derek designed Ken's very first Formula One car, the Tyrrell 001. It was fast but sometimes had problems.
The Tyrrell 001 led to the much better Tyrrell 003 car in 1971. With Jackie Stewart and François Cevert driving, the Tyrrell 003 won eight races in 1971 and 1972. Jackie Stewart won the World Drivers' Championship in 1971.
Challenges and Changes
In 1973, Ken faced a very sad time. François Cevert, one of his drivers, died in a practice session. This deeply affected Ken. Jackie Stewart, who had already won the World Championship that year, decided to retire.
For 1974, Ken hired Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler. Derek Gardner designed the Tyrrell 007 car. It was a good car, and Scheckter finished third in the World Championship. The team continued to race this car in 1975.
The Six-Wheeled Car
Ken Tyrrell was always looking for new ideas. In 1976, his team created a very unusual car: the Tyrrell P34. This car had six wheels! It had four small wheels at the front. The P34 even won a race.
However, the idea was eventually stopped. The tire company Goodyear didn't want to make the special small tires needed for the car. They wanted to focus on their regular tires.
Later Years and Team Sale
In the early 1980s, the Tyrrell team faced tough times. They struggled to find sponsors. Ken still had a great eye for talent. He brought drivers like Michele Alboreto, Stefan Bellof, and Martin Brundle into Formula One. But he couldn't afford to keep them.
His team was the only one still using the older Cosworth DFV engine. Other teams had switched to more expensive turbocharged engines. In 1983, Alboreto scored the last win for the Cosworth DFV engine.
In 1984, the team was removed from the championship. They were accused of running cars that were too light. Ken denied this. He felt his team was being targeted because they refused to use the more expensive turbo engines.
In the early 1990s, Ken gave more control of the team to his sons. The team introduced the "high-nose" car design, which became very popular. Jean Alesi achieved two second-place finishes in 1990. The team's last podium finish was in 1994.
In 1997, the Tyrrell Formula One team was bought by British American Tobacco. Ken did not stay with the team for its final year in 1998. He disagreed with the new owners about which driver to hire.
On August 25, 2001, Ken Tyrrell passed away at the age of 77.
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See also
In Spanish: Ken Tyrrell para niños
