Zakspeed 891

The Zakspeed 891 was Formula 1 car of the German Zakspeed racing team, which was used in the 1989 Formula 1 season. The car used a naturally aspirated engine from Yamaha. It was Zakspeeds first ( and only ) Formula 1 car that was not driven by a self-constructed motor. The car was unsuccessful. He qualified in the course of the 1989 season, only two starting appearances, but never got it to the finish.

The connection Zakspeed Yamaha

The alliance with Yamaha resulted in the fall of 1988. Zakspeed As far exclusively designed turbo engines and had no experience with the 1989 alone registered normally aspirated engines, the team at the end of the so-called turbo era of Formula 1 looking for an engine supplier was. Primarily for financial reasons, team boss Erich Zakowski decided against an expensive Cosworth DFR engine and the Yamaha engine, which was delivered in 1989 for free. Yamaha other hand, had an interest in connection with a small Formula 1 team. The Japanese company had indeed constructed in the 1980s, some successful engines for the Formula 2 or Formula for 3000, but has so far been non-runner in Formula 1. By working with a small team consisted of Japanese perspective the possibility without great expectations to gain experience and further develop the engine. The combination of Yamaha and Zakspeed resembled the extent of the Alliance of Honda Racing and Spirit in 1983.

The construction

The car

The 891 was designed by Gustav Brunner. It was a complete redesign, which only showed very low similarities with the older turbo models Zakspeeds. Instead, there were references to Brunner's last years of construction, the successful ARC1 the German team Rial Racing. The Zakspeed 891 was a compact car with a narrow rear and low side boxes. He pointed to a sloping engine cover with an integrated air scoop. The suspension consisted of diagonal ties.

The engine

Used as drive Zakspeed a newly constructed eight-cylinder engine of the Japanese manufacturer Yamaha OX88 type. The Yamaha OX88 is described as compact. The engine block was 56 cm long and 57 cm wide; the cylinder angle was 75 degrees. The engine had a cylinder head with five valves for each cylinder. He had only one timing belt was driven by the both the valve timing as well as the oil and water pump.

The engine had many shortcomings. He was with an output of 580 hp, the weakest engine that was used in 1989. He also proved to be immature and unreliable, and the Yamaha designers were überfordert.Der with the comparatively sophisticated technology long toothed belt and the resulting vulnerability to changes in load were the cause of many engine damage, which often led to failure to complete the training.

The racing applications

Zakspeed undertook before the start of the season, a number of tests with the new car. In February and March 1989, there were countless problems around the engine. During the tests in Rio, which took place immediately before the first race of the year, the team suffered eight engine damage and could travel only a few kilometers of testing.

The Zakspeed 891 was reported in the Formula 1 season 1989 by Team West Zakspeed Racing for Bernd Schneider and Aguri Suzuki to 16 Grand Prix. Suzuki failed at every race already in the pre-qualification, Bernd Schneider failed four times. Just for the Brazilian Grand Prix, the first race of the year, and for the Japanese Grand Prix, he succeeded in qualifying. Both times he dropped out of the race with engine failure.

Zakspeed tested in January 1990 in Le Castellet, a modified 891, but was ultimately before the start of the new season the withdrawal from Formula 1 is known.

Yamaha OX88 was not used again. Yamaha 1990 was not represented in Formula 1. The Japanese engine manufacturer came back in 1991 with a newly designed twelve-cylinder engine of the type OX99, which was first used in 1992 by Brabham and Jordan.