--- title: "One of Tyrrell’s Iconic P34 Six-Wheeled F1 Cars Is Going to Auction" description: "A 1977 Tyrrell P34 in Jody Scheckter's collection will head to the block in Monaco this May, on the weekend of the annual Historic Grand Prix." date: "2024-04-01" modified: "2024-04-01" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/one-of-tyrrells-iconic-p34-six-wheeled-f1-cars-is-going-to-auction" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # One of Tyrrell’s Iconic P34 Six-Wheeled F1 Cars Is Going to Auction ![]() There are a surprising number of ways you can legally drive a six-wheeled vehicle. [Mercedes-AMG's G63 6x6](), Hennessey's [Velociraptor 6x6](), and technically many dually pickups will give you two more wheels than everyone else on the road. But what about at the track? Well, if you have deep enough pockets, you can also increase your wheel count by half with this legendary 1977 Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car headed to an [RM Sotheby's]() auction in Monaco on May 10 and 11, ahead of the city's annual Historic Grand Prix. Admittedly, this specific P34 wasn't actually built in the '70s, nor was it ever used in an F1 race. Instead, it was built in the 2000s, from chassis #8, an unused P34 chassis from 1977. However, it has a period-correct Ford-Cosworth DFV engine and a Hewland manual gearbox, like every other P34 and most F1 cars of the era. It's also won at the Monterey Historics race meeting and is eligible for other similar events, so it is still an authentic piece of F1 history, even if it never contested a Grand Prix. It's currently a part of driver Jody Scheckter's collection. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The Tyrrell P34 is one of the most iconic F1 cars ever, not for its performance but for its unusual design. Derek Gardner, one of Tyrrell's designers at the time, came up with the six-wheeled concept in an effort to reduce front-end lift. The P34's four tiny tires remained within the width of the bodywork, but still offered the same size contact patch for grip. It technically worked and, [according to Gardner](), it gave the car the equivalent of 40 extra horsepower. However, it wasn't as effective in practice as in theory. In perfect conditions, the six-wheeled design was great for grip and aerodynamics but made braking a nightmare, since the braking balance between two front axles and one rear was incredibly difficult to calibrate. It would also lose braking grip through corners according to Scheckter, who earned the P34 its only win at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix. Tyrrell drivers of the era had a love/hate relationship with the P34 and, in the end, the team had to stop the experiment after the 1977 season due to tire supply issues. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Judging the Tyrrell P34 based on its racing prowess is missing the point, though. It was never a dominant car, nor was it ever highly successful. Instead, it's a realization of the ingenuity of 1970s Formula 1 and one of the most unique race cars of all time. Whoever can afford to be the winning bidder on this P34 will have one of the coolest cars at every historic race meet. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()