Tyrrell 019
| Industry | Formula One racing team |
|---|---|
Key people | Harvey Postlethwaite (technical director), Jean-Claude Migeot (lead designer) |
| Products | Formula One cars (including Tyrrell 019) |
The Tyrrell 019 was a Formula One car from the 1990 season, engineered under the guidance of technical director Harvey Postlethwaite and constructed by Tyrrell Racing. As a development of the previous Tyrrell 018, it made its first appearance during the third race of the 1990 championship and immediately earned points with driver Jean Alesi. Its power unit was the naturally aspirated 3.5-litre Ford Cosworth DFR V8 engine, enhanced by Hart Racing Engines, delivering around .
Design
Building upon the moderate achievements of the Tyrrell 018 in 1989, Postlethwaite and lead designer Jean-Claude Migeot concentrated on improving aerodynamic performance, especially focusing on airflow beneath the car. Although ground effect technology had been prohibited in the 1980s, designers at the time utilized a flat underbody combined with a sizable rear diffuser to create downforce by accelerating low-pressure air underneath the vehicle.
The team recognized that most competitors’ low nose designs restricted airflow beneath the chassis, limiting downforce generation. By elevating the nose cone, they increased the volume of air passing underneath, thereby enhancing aerodynamic efficiency. However, optimal front wing function requires closeness to the track surface, presenting a design challenge. This conflict resulted in the Tyrrell 019’s unique inverted-V (anhedral) front wing arrangement, which balanced these aerodynamic demands.
Its structure consisted of a carbon fibre monocoque chassis equipped with double wishbone suspension at both front and rear, utilizing push-rod actuated coil springs over dampers. The car ran on Pirelli tyres and featured a six-speed manual gearbox developed collaboratively by Tyrrell and Hewland.
Competition history
While technologically advanced, the Tyrrell 019’s race outcomes did not fully reflect its innovation. At its debut during the San Marino round, Alesi qualified seventh and finished sixth to score points. He then secured second place in both qualifying and race at Monaco. Beyond these highlights, only two further points finishes were recorded throughout the season. Despite limited results, the high nose design pioneered by Tyrrell rapidly became widespread in Formula One engineering. The last competitive car with a low nose was the Williams FW16, introduced four years later. Since then, all championship-winning cars have adopted elevated nose configurations inspired by Tyrrell’s concept.
The Tyrrell 019 was replaced by the Tyrrell 020 at season’s end, which continued to refine Postlethwaite’s high nose innovation.
Legacy
In recognition of its groundbreaking design, the car received the Autosport Racing Car of the Year Award for 1990.
It represented a significant aerodynamic advancement in Formula One by introducing an elevated nose cone—an approach that became standard practice by 1996 as teams embraced its performance benefits.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts. | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:F1 | Tyrrell Racing Organisation | Ford DFR V8 |
Template:Pirelli | USA | BRA | SMR | MON | CAN | MEX | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | ESP | JPN | AUS | 16† | 5th | |
| Satoru Nakajima | Ret | Ret | 11 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | DNS | Ret | 6 | Ret | ||||||||
| Jean Alesi | 6 | 2 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 8 | 11 | Ret | 8 | Ret | 8 | Ret | DNS | 8 |
Seven points were accumulated using the preceding Tyrrell 018.
References
- Frankel, A. and Brundle, M. 2000. Half a Century of Formula One. Motor Sport. Volume LXXVI, Issue 7 (July 2000), pages 24-37
- Nose cone. F1Technical.net. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
- Tyrrell 019. Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2007-08-04.