Dancing in the rain

Patrick Depailler stayed with the ELF Team Tyrrell, while Jody Scheckter moved to Wolf for the 1977 Formula One season, and Swede Ronnie Peterson was brought in to replace him. Tyrrell persevered with the six-wheeler concept, building three new cars, the P34/2, an evolution of the 1976 model.

However, Goodyear were unable (and were not very motivated) to develop Tyrrell’s 10-inch tyres at the same pace as the conventional 16-inch tyres on the other cars, and the P34s were at an increasing disadvantage. The cars became heavy and unwieldy, the drivers became discontent, and Derek Gardner, the father of the six-wheeler, returned to the motor industry.

An entire new 4-wheels design, the 008, from a new designer to the team, Maurice Philippe, would be introduced in 1978. Patrick Depailler, seen here-below, working hard in the rain at the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, qualified 8th and was classified 14th, 3 laps behind winner James Hunt (McLaren).