Team owner, Ken Tyrrell (left) with car designer, Derek Gardner (right) and driver Patrick Depailler (in cockpit).





Overview of 3 drivers during 2 seasons (1976 and 1977)




Patrick Depailler - 1976 and 1977 seasons.




Jody Scheckter - 1976 season.



Ronnie Peterson - 1977 season.

Tyrrell P34 Race results for 1976



Tyrrell P34 Race results for 1977

Event                              Peterson                                       Depailler



Derek Gardners' Design Goals
Following his earlier and successful Tyrrell four wheel F1 design, which carried Jackie Stewart to the World Championship, he considered the primary things he had to deal with to improve a chassis for the 1976 season. These were :

            1) reduce drag
            2) improve cornering power
            3) increase braking grip

Four smaller wheels at the front seemed a logical solution. First calculations, showed just about everything going for it :

            1) a drop in height of the wheel and tyre of 4", lowered drag, increased top speed
            2) 2" narrower front wheels reduced frontal area, worth about 10-15 bhp
            3) a 40% increase in the area of contact patch on the road
            4) 34% more brake pad pressing on 26.5% more disc swept area
            5) smaller, lighter discs, wheels, tyres, dampers and coils  
                        
Chassis Development
Alloy monocoque, riveted tub.

Curb Weight        575 kg

The need for such unusual parts' dimensions for the new design, cut the car off from some of the semi "off-the-shelf" parts and services obtainable at high speed and short notice within Britain's racing car industry. Initial test at the Paul Ricard circuit, showed instant promise. It rapidly proved faster than the previous car with corner loads rising to a formidable 1.88G.

Braking was better and those three main objectives on which the original concept was developed, had initially been achieved. Paradoxically, a higher top speed is not necessarily a total blessing in a racing car. The driver arrives at a higher speed than previously experienced at every corner, and much has to be given awy in harder or earlier braking, extra heat, tyre wear, a slightly different line of approach or attitude in the corner itself.

Larger braking area and tyre contact patches dealt with two aspects, but the laws of thermodynamics were not going to permit the evasion of more heat.

The still massive rear, together with the wing, largely governed frontal area, and smaller fronts could not exert decisive effects. However, it was always quicker in a straight line. Having reduced the width of the car at the front, cornering force had to be recovered, a weakness mainly due to heaviness. Exotic materials weren't used yet, but as time went on, these exotic materials crept in, and the car drastically improved.

In the end, it was recognised by other F1 designers as brilliant, but gradually failed because, while constant development was going into the rear tyres, which all teams were using, the same work could not go into the small fronts, so it gradually fell behind everyone else.

The P34 had been born out of passion and the guts to try something different, and there are those who say that it was ahead of its time. If Goodyear had fully developed the tyre it needed, and the overheating brake problem was resolved, who knows what might have been possible.


Dimensions

Info to follow........



Performance

Top Speed            175 mph



Engine

Ford Cosworth DFV, 3-litre, 465 bhp.



Transmission

Hewland FG400


Final Drive     
             
In unit with transaxle


Suspension

Front            Twin double wishbones with outboard coils


Rear             Parallel lower links, single top link, twin radius rods, outboard coils  


Steering

Single rack and pinion with slave link to each axle



Brakes

Outboard discs all round. Front calipers integral with uprights.

For the opposition, better turn-in grip was also improving their braking, and they had the elbow room to experiment with larger, multi-pot calipers, double installations and bigger, thicker discs. Such alternatives on the Tyrrell, where the caliper was actually an integral part of the upright, verged on the impossible. Bit by bit the weight load crept up as well.



Wheels

Front            Twin wheels, 10" diameter, 9" wide

Rear             13" diameter, 18" wide   



Tyres

Goodyear special fronts with 16" OD.

Goodyear agreed to make tyres in at least two compounds and constructions, in both wets and dry slicks. All other teams were using similarly-sized tyres on 13" front wheels, so any new experiments in carcase, tread rubber or combination of the two could be produced in relatively high numbers. They went to half a dozen teams, different cars, different drivers. The feedback was considerable with easy crosschecks to filter out really way-out compliments, ot criticisms.

Small tyres went against all the calculations by refusing to heat up properly on the first compounds. Other designers had forged ahead to utilise  altered front suspensions with nwer front tyres, and were a long way on their own improved high G turn-in success. With every race they nibbled away at the P34's advantage.


Drivers and other heavy objects were edging forwards in the chassis, increasing the front weight distribution, and somewhat ironically for Tyrrell, the much greater tyre contact area of four patches meant correspondingly less weght pressing on them. One undisputed component is the actual weight on the contact patch. Tyrrell were very much on their own, and Goodyear was having to produce the special tiny tyres in tiny numbers. No one had ever made such tyres or suitable wheels to carry them at those speeds and revs.


Given time Tyrrell was quoted as saying, we couls have solved the tyre problem, but time is what you've never got in F1 racing.

http://retroscenemag.com/post/Rare-Car--Tyrell-P34.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrrell_P34

http://www.project34.co.uk/

http://www.residenz-swia.org/hyper/

http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/tyrrell-ford-p34.htm

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/703/Tyrrell-P34-Cosworth.html

http://v12.ch/Exoto/Tyrell%20P34/Tyrell%20P34%20Aluminium.htm

http://www.classiccarsphoto.com/images/tyrrell/p34_2_formula_1/htm/index.php

At March Engineering in Bicester, designer Robin Herd had watched the P34 experiment closely and, by late 1976, had come to the conclusion that the 'four front wheels' concept might have been a blind alley. In his assessment, the improved aerodynamics at the front were largely negated by the rear tyres which at 24" (60 cm) diameter would still have accounted for 30 to 40% of the car's total drag. He also felt that with a modern rear wheel drive F1 car, the extra grip could be employed more usefully for the driven wheels.

With this in mind, Herd drew up plans for a six-wheeled car with four driven wheels at the rear and all of the wheels the same 16" diameter. His theory was that with all six tyres the same size as the regular F1 front tyre, the car would not only be slimmer than normal F1 cars but would possess improved aerodynamic performance at the rear with much cleaner air passing over wing. Four driven wheels would also mean better traction and, unlike the Tyrrell, there would be no problem with tyre development since the car would use exactly the same rubber as a conventional F1 car. Herd called this concept '2-4-0', following the Whyte notation used to describe railway rolling stock: two wheels leading, four driven wheels, zero trailing wheels.

With the apparent technical advantages of this concept laid out, Max Mosley (Herd's partner at March Cars) gave the go-ahead for a prototype to be built. Mosley noted that the P34 had generated a lot of additional publicity for Tyrrell and, aside from the technical merits, believed a March six-wheeler would be an attractive package to present to potential sponsors.

Unfortunately, the March team was at something of a low point financially during 1976/77 and the development costs of an all-new six-wheel car would be high. As a compromise measure, a 1976-design Cosworth DFV-powered March 761 was adapted by team engineer Wayne Eckersley in a quiet corner of the Bicester factory. Existing parts from the factory stores were used wherever possible.
A key feature of a car with four driven wheels at the rear would be the transmission. An ingenious gearbox design was required to minimise any frictional power losses. It would also have to be stronger (and hence heavier) to counteract the higher torsional and flexural stresses that the close-coupled four-wheel-drive system would generate.

Herd's original design for the gearbox casing recognised these factors and specified a series of strengthening ribs to counteract the additional loading. However, at some point in development it was decided that the casting would be very complex and expensive to produce. By way of a cost-cutting measure, some of the ribs were duly removed from the drawing. In fact, the design utilised a standard Hewland F1 gearbox for the first axle. To this, the new casing, gears and an extended pinion for the second axle were fitted. Practically, this meant that any 761 chassis could be easily adapted should the concept prove workable. Once the 2-4-0 was partially built, the press were invited to the factory in late November 1976 for a viewing of the hitherto 'secret' project. The unveiling generated a huge amount of interest with articles in several motor sport magazines plus a photograph on the cover of the following week's Autosport magazine (dated 2nd December 1976). Simultaneously, the company also outlined plans for a full running demonstration and developmental testing at Silverstone circuit scheduled for a fortnight later.

The first test took place at Silverstone in late 1976. Unfortunately, on the initial lap the gearbox casing flexed and the gears became unmeshed. No immediate solution could be found and so the rear crown wheel and pinion were removed for the rest of the day's testing. Effectively the 2-4-0 had become a two-wheel drive car again. Fortunately for March, it was a wet day at the circuit and the driver Howden Ganley could not push the car too fast. Consequently, the test was reported as a success by the media.

The problems on the first lap highlighted the fact that the car needed a new, stronger gearbox casing and a serious development program. Unable to afford the time and resources that this would require, the 2-4-0 project was de-prioritised by the company. The car made a brief appearance during practice for the 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix at the end of January. At this time, the car was painted in blue and white Rothmans livery (March's sponsor at the time) but it did not take part in the race. A few days later in February, the car (now fitted with a stronger gearbox) ran again at Silverstone with driver Ian Scheckter at the wheel. Although it was another wet day, the car was run up and down the Hangar Straight and, with four driven wheels, Scheckter reported that the traction was 'incredible'. Additionally, the events of the day again made Autosport magazine's front page (dated 10th February 1977). But this was the end of 2-4-0's F1 development history. On its reappearance at the Belgium GP in June, the converted 761 chassis had been reconfigured as a conventional four wheeler.
[edit]

Hill climbing - In 1979 the 2-4-0 concept was revived by British Hillclimb specialist Roy Lane. Lane had bought a March 771 chassis and with Robin Herd's blessing was loaned the improved 2-4-0 transmission unit. The fact that the 2-4-0 was originally an inexpensive workshop conversion of the standard March F1 chassis meant that Lane was easily able to fit the unit to his car. Taking advantage of four-wheel traction, Lane won several British hill-climbing events in the 771/2-4-0 that year with the first win at Wiscombe Park in May. However, over the season the car proved troublesome and Lane eventually switched back to the four-wheel configuration.

Despite only limited success in short duration racing events, the 2-4-0 concept was never disproven. It is possible that if a weight-shedding program had been pursued (possibly using stronger and lighter materials) and the car's suspect handling improved, the 2-4-0 could have proved successful in F1. The concept would certainly have adapted well to ground effect which was the coming technology in grand prix racing.

The WilliamsF1 team seem to have agreed with Herd's theory because in 1982 they built and tested a '2-4-0' style six-wheeler - designated the FW08B. However, any hopes of seeing a '2-4-0' race car compete in a grand prix were dashed when the FIA banned all four-wheel drive systems in this category. The FW08B remains on display in the Williams' factory museum.

The Covini C3A is the first 6 wheeler supercar to receive the very exclusive invitation to Goodwood Festival of Speed by Lord March and was one of the stars of the show all weekend in 2011.

The exclusive and groundbreaking car attracted lots of interest from sport enthusiasts, both in the paddock and running up the hill. The Covini corner of the supercar paddock was constantly full of people marveling at the novelty of the car and wondering why... why 6 wheels?

We asked Gianluca Covini, son of the Italian expert and mechanical engineer Ferruccio Covini who developed his passion for cars and engines by focusing his experimentation and innovation towards a very unique prototype.

Gianluca explains that, for performance enthusiasts, four front wheels offer the ability to get around a racetrack faster than ever before as better traction offers higher cornering speeds and deeper braking, particularly when the pavement is slippery or less than ideal.

In a roadgoing sense, even without considering the passive safety afforded by two front wheels at each corner (which means a front tyre puncture will not cause the vehicle to lose control), 6 wheels will grant additional stopping power afforded by four front discs and four tyre treads to transmit the force - although the individual area of each tyre tread is smaller than that of a traditional tyre, the total area is greater. Increased grip is also guaranteed by the drop in the individual unsprung weight of each wheel, offering much better directional stability and higher cornering speeds than a four wheeler. Finally the Covini feels more comfortable than it's 4 wheels rivals, thanks to less unsprung weight at each wheel, that allows the suspension to control wheel movement better and guarantees more evenly distributed reaction forces in the suspension.
Powered by an Audi 4.2 litre V8 that produces nearly 500bhp, and with its weight kept to just 1150kg using a tubular steel frame and a lightweight carbon fibre body, the Covini C3A is capable of exceeding speeds of 300kph (190mph).

Powered by its great technical innovation and Italian passion, the Covini C3A has been presented in the UK by Genius Car Ltd, a company founded by Eugenio Carugati (another Italian engineer with a passion for cars) and it's aimed at the top end of the market who requires unique, bespoke and innovative solutions.

With its bold, timeless design, genius technical innovation and extraordinary performance, the Covini C3A might lead the way to more manufacturers going the way of six wheels and, if we judge by the interest from both enthusiasts and experts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, we'll certainly see some interesting developments in the world of motoring.




The Covini C3A Story

Covini is a niche name known primarily by car enthusiasts in automotive circles - that's almost certain to change thanks to the company's latest design - a six wheel sports car along similar engineering lines to the famous Tyrrell P34 Formula One racing car of the mid-seventies. The Tyrrell P34 is without doubt the most recognisable car in the history of world motor sport - it remains the only six wheeler ever to start (and even win) a Grand Prix. Today, the spirit of that extraordinary machine lives on in the exquisite, hand crafted Covini C3A - the only supercar in the world with a remarkable six wheel configuration. Powered by an Audi 4.2 litre V8 that produces nearly 500bhp, and with its weight kept to just 1150kg using a tubular steel frame and a lightweight carbon fibre body, the C3A is capable of exceeding speeds of 300kph (190mph).

The Covini C3A is the realisation of a 35 year dream that stretches back to the era of the Tyrell P34. After constructing a few prototypes as a hobby, in 1978 mechanic Ferruccio Covini founded Covini Engineering, a small company dedicated to the construction of static and automotive prototypes. Built from his passion for cars and engines, his artisan company has always kept its focus on experimentation and innovation rather than big volume production.

The inspiration for his six wheeled design came after Covini noticed how little grip and comfort his 4 wheeled cars afforded him, particularly on wet, slippery roads. Fuelled by a desire to erase this problem, Covini and his small team set to work developing a prototype that would give greater power, braking and handling performance than any other car in the world.

The first tests provided Covini with more encouragement then he could have predicted. The prototype showed remarkable levels of performance and safety, as the six wheels gave the car a greater tyre surface. In addition to its fantastic handling, speed and braking, the original prototype also nullified aquaplaning in wet conditions, because the two foremost wheels clear the water for the ones behind them and allow better road adhesion.
Encouraged by the margin that the prototype had exceeded its forecasts, the project soon attracted the attention of a second mechanical engineer, Eugenio Carugati. Instantly falling in love with the car, Carugati joined forces with Covini and headed up a passionate team that developed the project in Covini's small workshop.

Other partners in the project have included DAEWOO (technological research on prototypes), BOSCH (electronic and braking system), BREMBO (brake system), MOMO (airbag and new technology), PIRELLI (special tyres and research), ANTERA (special ultra-light alloy wheels) and POLITECNICO DI MILANO (optimization of the chassis set-up).

There are many arguments for four front wheels - Tyrrell's aim with the P34 front-end layout was intended to minimize induced drag by reducing lift at the front and to turn that gain into the ability to enter and leave corners faster. The modern day C3A's six wheeled design offers many advantages over a conventional four wheel car. For performance enthusiasts, four front wheels offer the ability to get around a racetrack faster than ever before as better traction offers higher cornering speeds and deeper braking, particularly when the pavement is slippery or less than ideal.

In a roadgoing sense, the passive safety afforded by two front wheels at each corner means a front tyre puncture will not cause the vehicle to lose control (thanks to the other wheel next to it). Then there's the additional stopping power afforded by four front discs and four tyre footprints to transmit the force - although the individual area of each tyre footprint is smaller than that of a traditional tyre, the total area is greater.

Comfort is another consideration - less unsprung weight at each wheel allows the suspension to control wheel movement better and the overall ride benefits from more evenly distributed reaction forces in the suspension. The drop in the individual unsprung weight of each wheel also offers much better grip and better directional stability - with a well-matched set of tyres, a six-wheeler can be expected to have higher cornering speeds than a four wheeler.

With its bold, timeless design, genius technical innovation and extraordinary performance, the Covini C3A might lead the way to more manufacturers going the way of six wheels, now that modern computers, sensors and material science have all advanced to the degree necessary to control all the complexities of what's happening with those front wheels.




Covini is Developing a Speedster Version of its Supercar

Genius Car Ltd is developing a prototype project for the speedster version of the C3A, the first 6 wheeled supercar. This exclusive car has been developed in the Covini factory and is now approaching the testing phase. This version of the C3A will only be driven on racing circuits and has already proven to be extremely fast and superior in braking, grip and road handling. GeniusCar is working hard on making Covini's exciting 6 wheeled sports car a champion that will change the rules of racing.


6 Wheeled ECO Supercar

Covini is a sports car competing in fast, powerful and luxurious environment where performance and speed are the most important aspects and manufacturers cannot afford to compromise these factors. Covini wants to stand out and be different, this manufacturer has invested time and money and finally developed an eco sustainable project. The C3A will be an hybrid car, half petrol and half electric, able to combine power and speed typical of sport cars together with creativity and responsibility towards the environment and the planet. The car's electric engine will also be able to reuse the braking power, which, using a technique known in Formula 1, will guarantee clean energy to drive around town or cruise in the countryside without harming the environment, at the same time assuring top performance when pushed to the max on the tracks!