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Tyrrell-Ford in 1990


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#1 L'Autista

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Posted 31 May 2006 - 07:08

Hey all

*Admin please edit title to "Tyrrell-Ford in 1990" as I left out an "r"!!

I was after some opinions on the season Jean Alesi had with Tyrrell in 1990. When you look at the results, he had stronger races at the start of the season, and I wonder if in hindsight the team would have been better served developing the 018 chassis over introducing the anhedral front-wing arrangement of the 019.

The 018's competitive life was over almost before it had started, only being introduced in mid-1989. I recall an interview with Alesi saying he felt he could do whatever he wanted with the 018, and when he took out the spare 018 during Monaco practice he begged Harvey Postlethwaite to race it as he felt it was so much better than the 019, but Harvey insisted the new baby be driven. The race at Monaco was to be Jean's final finish in the points.

The 1990 races seemed to reflect Jean's confidence in the older machine- his style seemed much more fluid and the car less twitchy.

Perhaps 018 used the Pirelli's more completely, perhaps the pace in development of the other teams reduced Tyrrell to being nothing more than mid-field for the later stages of the season.

I would like to hear the boards thoughts on this topic!

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#2 Tim Murray

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Posted 31 May 2006 - 09:43

He was a consistent Top-10 qualifier all through 1990, with both 018 and 019 (which he hadn't been the previous year). This suggests to me that 019's lack of results stemmed more from poor relliability than speed.

#3 Amaroo Park

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Posted 31 May 2006 - 10:05

They were badly under funded maybe that had something to do with, while other teams spent a lot on new developments Ken didnt have the money too

#4 ralt12

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Posted 01 June 2006 - 00:39

The 018 appeared first in the second race of 1989, at Imola; the 019 first appeared at Imola as well, but it was the third race of the season. The primary difference between the 018 and the 019 is the nose, as most point out, but the rest of the car is virtually identical. Same suspension, same bodywork, same gearbox, same powerplant. It's hard to think that there was any part of the 019 that would have been less reliable than the 018's under the same circumstances. Even the nose of the 018 is substantially higher than that of the 017, by a good 3-4", and my view is that it qualifies as the first high-nose car, not the 019.

But unless downforce was diminished with the new front wing, it's a toss-up.

Chassis 018/1 and 018/2 under restoration:
http://nelson-motors.../new_page_1.htm

#5 L'Autista

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Posted 02 June 2006 - 02:13

I think also as the season wore on the other teams had the development capacity to enhance their machines, whereas the Ford engine for example in the Tyrrell stayed pretty much stagnant. Also the Pirelli tyres clearly lacked development throughout the season, Minardi and Dallara also tailed off that year.

In another interview Alesi said he felt he lost some of his driving 'edge' through the season with all the contractual issues unsettling him through inexperience.

I thought the 018 first raced later in the 1989 season then that, but admittedly I didn't recheck my records before posting. I remember Alboreto having a cracking race in Mexico of that year.

There were still highlights with 019 in the second half of the season- Monza qualifying and the start of that race, along with Spain qualifying. Jean in his time with 018 however seemed to be more consistent in races.

Ralt12, fantastic site and pictures!