Tyrrell P34/2 Elf No. 4 Patrick Depailler 1977 Kyosho 1:64

The Tyrrell P34 occupies a singular position in Formula 1 engineering history: it remains the only six-wheeled car to have started a World Championship Grand Prix. By 1977, Tyrrell had evolved the original 1976 design into the P34/2 specification, refining suspension geometry and aerodynamics. Patrick Depailler piloted car No. 4 for the entire 1977 season alongside team-mate Ronnie Peterson in No. 3, and the Elf-sponsored machine in its blue-and-white livery became one of the decade's most recognised silhouettes on the grid.

Four Small Wheels Up Front: The P34's Radical Concept

Derek Gardner's Tyrrell P34 replaced the conventional pair of front wheels with four 10-inch tyres on twin front axles. The engineering rationale was straightforward: smaller front wheels reduce frontal area and, with it, aerodynamic drag. The Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 — Ford-branded and the era's dominant unit — sat at the rear, driving a standard pair of rear wheels. The packaging of the front axle arrangement was a considerable design exercise.

Depailler, Goodyear, and the 1977 Swan Song

The P34/2's competitive decline in 1977 is directly traceable to a single external factor: Goodyear prioritised development of its standard-size tyres, leaving Tyrrell's specialist 10-inch front compounds on an ageing specification. Depailler secured points finishes during the season, but the car could not match the pace of rivals running conventional layouts with fresher rubber. Elf — Société Nationale Elf Aquitaine — remained the primary sponsor throughout, and the blue-and-white livery with prominent Elf branding is today one of the most sought-after colour schemes among 1970s F1 livery collectors. After 1977, Tyrrell abandoned the six-wheel concept entirely in favour of the conventional Tyrrell 008.

Kyosho's 1:64 Scale Model: Die-Cast Precision in Miniature

This replica is part of Kyosho's 1:64 Mini-Car series, a die-cast range engineered for accurate outline and livery fidelity at pocket scale. Die-cast metal construction gives the model solid weight and a cleanly rendered body. The Elf blue-and-white livery and No. 4 race number are applied to match Depailler's 1977 car. At 1:64, the format suits both dedicated F1 collections and those focused specifically on technically unconventional machinery — and the six-wheel configuration reads unmistakably even at this scale.