Photo: John Chapman (Pyrope), Donington Grand Prix Collection, 2007 / CC BY-SA & GFDL via Wikimedia Commons (Credit links at the end of the content)
In the past, we covered some of these machines as standalone stories. This time, we wanted to bring all the famous 4WD F1 cars together and look at the bigger picture. The idea dates back much earlier than most fans realize, and for a while several teams believed it was the future of Formula 1. But looking back now, did 4WD F1 cars actually work?
That was exactly what engineers thought during the 1960s; for a brief period, some of the brightest minds in motorsport became obsessed with the idea of four-wheel-drive F1 cars.
Teams poured money, time, and engineering talent into the concept; some believed it would become the future of F1, instead it became one of F1’s strangest dead ends.
Only one 4WD F1 car ever won a race, most never came close; some barely survived a single weekend, so this is the story of every 4WD F1 car ever built.
Ferguson P99: The One That Actually Worked
In the past we have shared the story of Ferguson P99, so if there is a hero in the story of four-wheel-drive F1 cars, it is the Ferguson P99.
The car was built for the 1961 season; the P99 looked unusual even by the standards of its day, while most teams were rapidly moving toward rear-engines designs, Ferguson went in the opposite direction.
With Coventry Climax engine; it sat at the front of the car, while an innovative four-wheel-drive system delivered power to both axles.
The layout was so unconvential that the driver sat on the right side of the cockpit while engine and transmission occupied the left side; and the car even featured an early anti-lock braking system decades before ABS became common in road cars.
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On dry tracks; the P99 struggled, the additional drivetrain components made it heavier than its rivals, and the front wheels often resisted turning, drivers had to learn an entirely different style of racing, but when rain arrived, everything changed, the car suddenly became a monster.
While rivals fought for grip, the P99 simply dug into the wet asphalt and launched forward, Sir Stirling MOss quickly discovered its secret weapon and used it to devastating effect.
Non official race, at the rain-soaked 1961 Oulton PArk Gold Cup, Moss dominated the race, by the finish he was 40+ seconds ahead of Jack Brabham.
The victory remains historic, not only was it the only race win by a four-wheel-drive F1 car, but it was also the final major victory for a front-engined F1 machine.
In the past, we shared the story of the Ferguson P99, as well as the story of the Cooper F1 team—the first team to win in Formula 1 with a rear-engined car. Both are incredible stories from the past.
BRM P67: The Frankenstein Experiment
Three years later; British Racing Motors decided to see if Ferguson’s ideas could be adapted to a modern F1 chassis, the result was the BRM P67.
Calling it a purpose-built racing car might be generous; it was assembled from whatever parts happened to be available around the factory, different suspension pieces, an older chassis, and a small V8 engine were all combined into a single experimental machine, the result was predictably disappointing.
The four-wheel-drive hardward added significant weight; but the tiny 1.5-liter engine produced around 200 horsepower, but the car simply didn’t have enough power to overcome its own bulk.
When Richard Attwood attempted to qualify the P67 for the 1964 British GP; the result was embarrassing, he ended up more than seven seconds slower than pole position, BRM immediately withdrew the car.
Its F1 career was over before it had even begun, ironically, the P67 later found success away from F1, given a larger engine and modified drivetriain, it became a dominant force in British hillclimbing, proving that four-wheel drive could work brilliantly in the right environment.
Lotus 63: Colin Chapman’s Costly Mistake
No designer shaped F1 more than Colin Chapman, he revolutionized chassis design; aero, and race car engineering, but even geniuses get things wrong, the Lotus 63 was one of those moments.
In 1969, it was Chapman’s attempt to build the ultimate 4WD F1 car, the engineering was fascinating, the Cosworth DFV engine was mounted backwards, the gearbox sat directly behind the driver, mechanics could even adjust how much power went to the front and rear wheels, everything sounded brilliant.
Everything worked terribly, the car suffered from severe understeer and felt completely unnatural to drive, drivers could no longer rotate the car using the throttle, something top racers relied on instinctively, Graham Hill didn’t like it, also Jochen Rindt, most drivers wanted nothing to do with it.
Results were disappointing, the Lotus 63 never scored points and never competed at the front, and despite being a failure, the car accidentally changed F1 forever.
Its wedge-shaped body, side mounted radiators, and innovative packaging inspired the creation of the Lotus 72, one of the greatest F1 cars ever built, the Lotus 63 failed, but parts of its DNA went on to become legendary.
McLaren M9A: One Race and Gone
Bruce McLaren wasn’t interested in being left behind; when 4WD became the latest trend, McLaren built the M9A.
Unlike many rivals; the team developed much of the drivetrain themselves; the driver sat unusually far forward to accomodate the front driveshafts, creating one of the strangest cockpit positions in F1 history, but testing quickly revealed problems.
The front and rear drivetrains constantly seemed to fight one another; drivers complained the car was wandered unpredictably down straights.
Bruce McLaren summed it up perfectly; driving the M9A, he said, felt like trying to sign your name while someone continuously bumped your elbow, the car’s racing career lasted exactly one Grand Prix.
AT the 1969 British GP; Derek Bell qualified near the back of the field, during the race, he spun before a suspension failure ended the car’s afternoon, McLaren never entered with that car again, they quietly returned its attention to conventional rear-wheel-drive cars and never looked back!
Matra MS84: The Point That Barely Counts
The Matra MS84 occupies a strange place in F1 history, technically, it’s the most successful 4WD F1 car after the Ferguson P99.
When reigning World Champion Jackie Stewart tested the car, he disliked it, heavy steering and stubborn understeer convinced him to stay far away from the project, Matra handed the car to Johny Servoz-Gavin instead.
The team then made a fascinating discovery: the car actually worked better when the front wheels were no longer being driven. It was still heavier and less agile than the standard MS80, but the handling improved enough to make it competitive. At the 1969 Canadian Grand Prix, Johnny Servoz-Gavin managed to bring the car home in sixth place.
That result earned a single World Championship point. To this day, the Matra MS84 remains the only 4WD F1 car ever to score a championship point. The irony is hard to ignore, it achieved that milestone only after the team had effectively abandoned the four-wheel-drive system that it was built to showcase.
Cosworth 4WD: The Car That Never Escaped Testing
Most people know Cosworth because of engines; for a brief moment, the company wanted to build an entire F1 car.
The project began with a simple idea; the legendary DFV engine was becoming so powerful that engineers worried tires could no longer cope with the output, and their solution was obvious; drive all four wheels!
The resulting car was one of the most radical designs of the era; it featured a custom-built drivetrain, advanced composite construction, and futuristic engineering ideas, unfortunately, it drove terribly.
Drivers complained about impossibly heavy steering and overwhelming understeer; during testing, the car seemed to fight against its own driver.
Even Jackie Stewart was unimpressed; by the time development was underway, F1 had discovered a better solution, aerodynamic wings.
Suddenly, teams could generate enormous grip without carrying the weight and complexity of four-wheel drive systems, the Cosworth project became obsolete almost overnight, it never started a race!
In the past, we have shared the full story of the Cosworth 4WD, where you can find more details about both the car and the project behind it.
Lotus 56B: The Most Insane F1 Car Ever Built
If F1 ever produced a machine that felt more like science fiction than motorsport; it was the Lotus 56B, imagine combining four-wheel drive with a jet engine, that’s exactly what Lotus did.
CC BY 2.0 Daventry, England via Flickr
Instead of a conventional piston engine, the 56B used a Prat & Whitney gas turbine similar to those found in aircraft; the turbine could spin at astonishing speeds and produce roughly 600 horsepower; it sounded unstoppable, but the reality was much more complicated.
There was no gearbox; no clutch, and perhaps worst of all, the turbine suffered enormous throttle lag, drivers could press the accelerator and wait several seconds before full power arrived.
However, the Lotus 56B never scored a championship point; but it remains one of the most fascinating cars ever created; among F1’s long history of bizarre experiments, nothing quite compares to a four-wheel-drive, jet-powered F1 car.
The Lotus 56B deserves a story of its own, and we have previously covered the project in detail on our website for those who want to learn more.
Why Four-Wheel Drive Failed in Formula 1
The idea seemed logical; more driven wheels should mean more traction, the problem was that F1 evolved faster than four-wheel-drive techn.
Every 4WD system added weight, every extra differential added complexity; every driveshaft increased friction and reduced responsiveness.
At the same time; aerodynamic downfroce exploded, wider tires arrived, mechanical grip improved dramatically, suddenly, teams could achieve all the traction they needed without carrying dozens of kilograms of extra hardware.
Four-wheel drive had solved a problem that no longer existed; by the early 1970s, the concept was effectively dead, later regulations would ensure it never returned!
Ranking Every 4WD Formula 1 Car
What we believe is that the Ferguson P99 stands alone at the top. It remains the only four-wheel-drive F1 car to win a race. Sure, it was a non-championship event, but it is still the only 4WD F1 car that truly delivered on its promise.
But we also need to remember that these were the early days of Formula 1. If you look at how much the sport changed from the 1960s to the early 1970s, it is no surprise that most of the later 4WD projects struggled. F1 evolved incredibly fast, and what looked promising one year could be outdated just a few seasons later.
Our second pick is the Matra MS84. While its only championship point came after the team backed away from the four-wheel-drive system, we still have to give it credit. The car was built as a 4WD project from day one, and despite all its problems, Matra somehow managed to score a point and make the concept work, at least for one memorable afternoon.
Third goes to the BRM P67; while it failed in F1, it reinvented itself as a dominant hillclimb machine and proved the concept could work elsewhere.
The Lotus 56B deserves fourth simply because of its extraoridnary potential; on the right day, in heavy rain, it looked capable of beating the rivals.
The Lotus 63 follows next; it never delivered results but its engineering ideas directly influenced one of F1’s greatest cars.
Sixth belongs to the McLaren M9A, whose entire career lasted barely longer than a cup of coffee.
And the last pick is the Cosworth 4WD, a car so flawed that it never even reached a starting grid.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: John Chapman (Pyrope), Donington Grand Prix Collection, 2007 / CC BY-SA & GFDL via Wikimedia Commons
