JANUARY 11, 2011

Tyrrell designer Derek Gardner dies

Derek Gardner, the designer of Tyrrells in the 1970s, including the legendary six-wheeler, has died at the age of 79.

Gardner joined Ken Tyrrell's team in 1970, after Gardner - a transmission specialist - had worked with Matra in F1 the year before.

He designed the first Tyrrell 001 chassis and built it in his garage. It was first raced at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1970, and Jackie Stewart qualified the car on pole position before retiring in the race.

In 1971, the Tyrrell 003, driven by Stewart and Francois Cevert, went on to win seven victories, the constructors' championship. and Stewart took the drivers title.

In 1973, the Tyrrell 006 took Stewart to his third drivers title, but this was overshadowed in the final race of year when his team mate Cevert was killed in practice at Watkins Glen.

Gardner designed the unique six-wheel P34 in 1976, and although Tyrrell's competitiveness was on the slide, Jody Scheckter took the car to a victory at the Swedish Grand Prix - despite calling the car, "a piece of junk".

Disheartened with the results of the P34, Gardner decided to turn his back on Formula 1 and became a researcher with the Borg-Warner clutch company.