Ken Tyrrell quickly realised that his own future did not lie behind the wheel. Instead, he turned his focus to team management—an instinct that would lead to the creation of one of Formula One’s most successful independent teams.
In the late 1950s, Tyrrell partnered with former Grand Prix driver Alan Brown, running 1500cc Cooper Formula 2 cars under the banner of Weyside Racing. This early experience gave Tyrrell valuable insights into race team organisation.
In 1960, he founded the Tyrrell Racing Organisation, operating from his timber yard in Surrey. The team entered factory-supported Cooper-BMC cars in Formula Junior, with drivers such as Tony Maggs, John Love, and Jo Siffert.
A defining moment came in 1964 with the arrival of the Cooper T72 Formula 3 car and a young Scottish driver: Jackie Stewart. Stewart dominated the season, establishing both himself and Tyrrell as rising talents.
By 1965, Tyrrell shifted focus to Formula 2, entering Cooper-BRM cars for Stewart and Maggs. Stewart simultaneously made his Formula One debut with BRM.
At the end of the year, Tyrrell met Jean-Luc Lagardère of Matra Sports. Impressed by Matra’s engineering, and with input from Jabby Crombac, Tyrrell agreed to run Matra machinery.
The partnership began in 1966 with the Matra MS5, driven by Jackie Stewart and rising Belgian talent Jacky Ickx. Success followed quickly.
In 1967, Ickx won the European Formula 2 Championship driving the Matra MS7 (Cosworth FVA engine), while Tyrrell cars won seven races. At the Nürburgring, Ickx even challenged Formula One cars, highlighting the competitiveness of the team.
Meanwhile, Formula One entered a new era when Lotus debuted the Ford Cosworth DFV V8 at Zandvoort in 1967—and won immediately. Tyrrell recognised its potential and ordered three engines, despite lacking both funds and a Formula One chassis.
With backing from the French government, Elf, Dunlop, and Ford, Tyrrell stepped into Formula One in 1968. The team operated as Équipe Matra International, the joint project between Tyrrell and Matra.
The official Équipe Matra works team ran Jean?Pierre Beltoise, while Tyrrell fielded Jackie Stewart.
The season began in South Africa with an unpainted Matra MS9-Ford prototype for Stewart, who impressed by qualifying on the front row.
( photo below #11, J.Stewart; #21. JP Beltoise)
However, Stewart missed the next race in Jarama due to injuries sustained in a Formula 2 accident. There, the new Matra MS10, designed by Bernard Boyer, made its debut after appearing in the Race of Champions. Beltoise finished fifth.
At Monaco, Stewart was again absent and replaced by Johnny Servoz-Gavin. He qualified on the front row but crashed on the second lap, while Beltoise’s Matra also retired later in lap 8 at the chicane. It was here that Matra officially entered the MS11 with the V12 engine and his beautiful sound. This car would be modified during the season because it was to heavy.
Stewart returned at Spa and drove brilliantly in wet conditions, leading the race before running out of fuel with just two laps remaining.
Redemption came at Zandvoort, where Stewart delivered a dominant wet-weather performance—often described as a driving masterclass. Beltoise finished second, securing a one-two for Matra.
At Rouen, Stewart again started from the front row, but it was the other “rain master” Jacky Ickx who took victory, with Stewart finishing third.
At Silverstone, the Matras could not match the pace of the Lotus cars, and Stewart finished sixth.
At the Nürburgring, Matra introduced the MS11, featuring an early aerodynamic innovation: an adjustable aerofoil mounted above the engine. Controlled via a pedal switch, it altered angle under braking—an early precursor to modern aerodynamic systems.
The race itself, held in heavy rain, became one of Stewart’s greatest performances. Starting from the third row, he quickly took the lead and built an extraordinary advantage, eventually winning by four minutes over Graham Hill.
Stewart continued his strong form by winning the non-championship race at Oulton Park.
J.Stewart at Zandvoort
At Monza, three Matras started. Stewart led briefly but retired with engine failure. Behind, Ickx and Servoz-Gavin battled for second place before Ickx had to pit with fuel issues. Servoz-Gavin finished second, with Beltoise fifth.
In Canada, Stewart recovered from suspension damage to finish sixth, with Servoz-Gavin fifth.
At Watkins Glen, despite a fire in the Tyrrell garage before the race, the team dominated, leading from start to finish.
The championship finale in Mexico saw Stewart hampered by engine misfiring.
He ultimately finished second in the World Championship behind Graham Hill, while Matra-Ford placed third in the Constructors’ standings.
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The 1968 season marked Tyrrell’s arrival as a serious force in Formula One. With Jackie Stewart’s exceptional driving and Matra’s engineering, the team laid the groundwork for future championship success.
