Tyrrell 009
When it appeared in the winter of 1979, the 009 caused something of a stir for its striking resemblance to the Lotus 79 that had dominated the previous season. Of course, new ideas in Formula One have always been copied quickly—but in the case of the Tyrrell 009, many could hardly believe their eyes, convinced they were looking at last year’s Lotus, only painted blue.
The car was designed by Maurice Philippe, who had joined Tyrrell two years earlier to replace Derek Gardner. Its chassis was an aluminium monocoque, and the side skirts revealed the wing car profile of the broad sidepods—a solution first devised by Colin Chapman to exploit the ground-effect principle that had ruled Formula One in 1978 and was of course swiftly copied by everyone else. Power came from the now ageing but ever-reliable and relatively inexpensive Ford-Cosworth V8 that had served British teams for more than a decade.
Drivers:
Didier Pironi: The young Frenchman was in his second Formula One season. After a year of apprenticeship alongside the more experienced Patrick Depailler, he climbed onto the podium for the first time in 1979, finishing third in both the Belgian and United States East Grands Prix. Despite those two podiums, his 1979 campaign was inconsistent, hampered by the modest performance and patchy reliability of the 009.
Jean-Pierre Jarier: By the time he arrived under Ken Tyrrell’s wing, Jean-Pierre was a driver with eight seasons behind him—and, sadly, his best days as well. Yet he remained quick and capable, and on his inspired days—or perhaps more accurately, when the car allowed it—he could still deliver flashes of brilliance. During the 1979 season, Jarier struck twice, claiming third place at the South African and British Grands Prix.
Our model cars:
Unfortunately for Ken Tyrrell—who by then had lost two major sponsors, Elf and First National Bank, and began the season running two unbranded cars (Candy would come later) on a shoestring budget that hindered development—the 009 would never match the success of the car that inspired it. Even so, it managed to deliver a few moments of satisfaction, taking both drivers to the podium on four occasions: at Kyalami, Zolder, Silverstone, and Watkins Glen.
It remained in service until the spring of 1980, when it was replaced by the 010. In total, it contested seventeen Grands Prix without ever taking a victory.
