The Craziest F1 Car Has Gone Up For Auction

The P34 Ford Cosworth (V8) that was in play back in the 1977 FIA Formula 1 world championship is a widely popular car that was in action almost five decades ago. It was fast, often times furious, and was up against some of the most talented and dynamic drivers of the day.

Commanded by the likes of the incredible Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler, the car dubbed the craziest F1 car in history shone brightly a year earlier at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix. Round seven in that year, the contest was aced by the car’s notable talent- Jody Scheckter who raced away to victory at the 65-kilometre track at Sweden’s Anderstorp. Interestingly, it was Scheckter who had even captured pole position for the said Grand Prix.

Furthermore, it was Jody Scheckter’s French teammate who captured a second to make it a memorable 1-2 finish for the famed Constructor at the race in Sweden.

Having said that, the car called the craziest F1 car in history was also popular dubbed a ‘six wheeler’. And in what appears as a brand new development off the action-packed Formula 1 grid, the P34 Ford Tyrrell has gone under the hammer.

The same car that has been presented from the Jody Scheckter collection, made notable headlines around the world for being invented at a time where most teams on the grid were trying to solve the aerodynamic efficiency rebus. The spoiler of the car, among the conditions that made it unique, was required to be not wider than 1.5 meters (as per the FIA directives).

Recently, the Tyrrell P34 went up for auction under the aegis of the world-famous RM Sotheby’s auction house. But here is what you might consider the most interesting facet about this very auction.

The craziest car in F1 history went under the hammer for a price that’s rather staggering. It is reported to be between £385,000 and £550,000. If that’s not a seriously hefty amount, then one wonders, what is?

A noted motorsport-related handle on social media site “X” (formerly Twitter) described the car in the following way:

‘The P34 was one of the most famous Formula 1 cars of all time and it’s undeniably one of the most distinctive open-wheel racing cars of the 20th century.’

It is believed that the car was designed back in the day by a gentleman called Derek Gardner and engineers at the time came up with an effective aero solution to make the car quicker and more efficient on-track. They said that the four small front wheels would actually offer a notable or significant reduction in the aerodynamic drag generated by the two standard wheels, which were the usual mode of operation.

What’s also interesting is to note just how early the car began showing signs of great speed, capturing pole position in what was just its debut event at the 1976-bound Spanish Grand Prix. A fascinating tale, isn’t it?