Tyrrell’s Project 34 six-wheel Formula One car was one of those refreshingly radical cars that used to come into Grand Prix racing in the 1970s, designs seldom seen today. Many look back on this car as a total failure, forgetting the early success it had in 1976, for Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler with that memorable 1-2 at Anderstorp in the Swedish GP. Both Scheckter and the Tyrrell team finished 3rd in their relevant Driver and Constructor Championships that year. The second year was less successful, agreed. Unfortunately, this has somewhat perverted the course of the car’s history.
Derek Gardner, designer of the Tyrrell P34, had been instrumental in my winning the 1994 Euro Historic F2 Championship, and it was his wish for us to race the Tyrrell 005 in the 1995 FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix Championship, which we won. I drove, Simon Bull was the patron and Derek the brains. A “B” spec Tyrrell P34—chassis 006—became available, so Simon purchased the car. The plan was to compete the car in the FIA TGP Championship, for Simon and me it was the challenge, however, for Derek Gardner it was a case of unfinished business.
