How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1

The inexorable and sometimes confusing decline of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation was summed by a perverse predicament at the beginning of 1983. Having won the final race of the previous year, Tyrrell was attractive to potential sponsors. Denim was very keen to expand the association initiated in such style by Michele Alboreto’s popular victory in Las Vegas, the irony being that this high-profile connection had triggered the interest of Benetton, another progressive Italian company with an eye for marketing opportunities.

Going into 1983, Tyrrell appeared to have the best of both worlds thanks to a proposed livery carrying identification for the cosmetics company on the upper half of the car, with Benetton’s logo beneath. When the fashion house upped the ante by choosing to cover the entire car, Tyrrell had the tricky job of explaining to Denim that its support had become surplus to requirements. The jeopardy of such apparent financial extravagance would be exposed 12 months later when Benetton unceremoniously switched to Alfa Romeo (prior to taking over Toleman) and Denim settled into a successful relationship with Williams. Not for the first time, Tyrrell had a fat zero in the title sponsorship column.