Tyrrell 026

The Tyrrell 026 was the car with which the Tyrrell Formula One team competed in the 1998 Formula One season, it was the last Tyrrell car to compete in F1. It was driven by Ricardo Rosset and rookie Toranosuke Takagi.

Tyrrell 026
Toranosuke Takagi driving the Tyrrell 026 at the 1998 Spanish Grand Prix.
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorTyrrell
Designer(s)Harvey Postlethwaite (Technical Director)
Mike Gascoyne (Deputy Technical Director)
Tim Densham (Chief Designer)
Ben Agathangelou (Head of Aerodynamics)
Predecessor025
SuccessorBAR 01
Technical specifications
Chassiscarbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Suspension (front)double wishbones, pushrod, horizontal coil-spring/damper
Suspension (rear)double wishbones, pushrod, horizontal coil-spring/damper
EngineFord Zetec-R, 3.0-litre 72-degree V10
TransmissionTyrrell six-speed longitudinal sequential semi-automatic
Power710 hp (529 kW) @ 15,000 rpm[1]
FuelElf
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsPIAA Tyrrell Racing
Notable drivers20. Brazil Ricardo Rosset
21. Japan Toranosuke Takagi
Debut1998 Australian Grand Prix
Last event1998 Japanese Grand Prix
RacesWinsPolesF/Laps
16000
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

This was Tyrrell's last year in F1, as Ken Tyrrell had sold the team to British American Racing prior to the first race.[2] Paul Stoddart had almost bought the team prior to BAR's takeover, but the deal was done. Nevertheless, Stoddart's European Aviation sponsored the team and provided transportion during the season.[3]

Tyrrell left the team soon afterward BAR's takeover in anger, after Rosset was chosen to drive alongside Takagi, rather than 1997 Tyrrell driver Jos Verstappen. The team had a V10 engine and a reasonable chassis, but the season was seen as a holding year before BAR took over in 1999. The car retained the tower sidepod mounted wings introduced by Tyrrell the year before. The wings had been copied by other teams but were banned partway into the season.[4]

Tyrrell 026 at the 1998 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Ken Tyrrell preferred to retain Verstappen but new team principal Craig Pollock signed Rosset due to his superior sponsorship money. Tyrrell was so incensed at this that he quit the team before the first race.[5] Rosset failed the 107% qualifying cutoff on five occasions, and his performance at Monaco infuriated his mechanics so much that they defaced his paddock scooter, changing the letters in 'Rosset' to spell 'tosser'.[6]

Rosset finished eighth in Canada, which was ultimately the team's best result of the season, but was in danger of losing his seat to Danish driver Tom Kristensen. At a test at Magny-Cours, Rosset and Takagi posted almost equal times, with Kristensen around half a second slower, albeit with an older engine.[7] Rosset said in 2019 that Kristensen drove the same car as he did, with only a change of seat and minor adjustments.[8] Rosset went on to outqualify Takagi at the following race at the same circuit, the French Grand Prix.[9]

For the first few races, X-wings were used, but they were banned after the San Marino Grand Prix.

The team was unclassified in the Constructors' Championship, with no points but behind Minardi due to the Italian team having a better finishing record.

Current locations

The two Tyrrells raced by Takagi and Rosset were later owned by Dutchman Frits van Eerd. He raced the cars in the EuroBOSS series.

Paul Stoddart bought most of the team's assets including the 026 chassis, which formed the basis of his Minardi two seater cars.[10]

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1998 PIAA Tyrrell Ford V10 G AUS BRA ARG SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR AUT GER HUN BEL ITA LUX JPN 0 NC
Ricardo Rosset Ret Ret 14 Ret DNQ DNQ 8 Ret Ret 12 DNQ DNQ DNS 12 Ret DNQ
Toranosuke Takagi Ret Ret 12 Ret 13 11 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 14 Ret 9 16 Ret

References
  1. "Engine Ford Cosworth". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. Henry, Alan. "Tyrrell sells on team to new force". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  3. "Paul Stoddart attempts to enter the F1 before Minardi". 31 July 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  4. "New Tyrrell 026 Breaks Cover". Crash.net. 21 January 1998. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  5. "Dutch courage: the unfulfilled promise of Jos Verstappen". 8W. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  6. Noble, Jonathan (1998). "1998 FIA Formula 1 World Championship: Monaco GP". In Strang, Simon (ed.). Autosport Grand Prix Review 98. Haymarket Publications. p. 93.
  7. "Kristensen tests – for now". Crash.net. 25 June 1998. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  8. "Edd Straw: Interview with Ricardo Rosset and Lito Cavalcanti". Autosport. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  9. "France 1998 - Qualifications". StatsF1. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  10. "The 2018 upgrade plan for a 20-year-old F1 car". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 21 January 2020.


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