Shadow DN9 explained

Car Name:Shadow DN9
Category:Formula One
Constructor:Shadow Racing Cars
Designer:Tony Southgate
John Baldwin
Predecessor:DN8
Successor:DN11
Team:Shadow Racing Cars
Technical Ref:[1]
Chassis:Aluminium monocoque
Wheelbase:2642NaN
Track:Front: 1631NaN
Rear: 1641NaN
Engine Name:Cosworth DFV
Turbo/Na:NA
Gearbox Name:Hewland FGA 400
Gears:5-speed
Type:manual
Weight:605NaN
Fuel:Fina/Valvoline
Tyres:Goodyear
Debut:1978 United States Grand Prix West
Races:26
Cons Champ:0
Drivers Champ:0
Wins:0
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0

The Shadow DN9 was a Formula One car used by the Shadow team during the 1978 and 1979 Formula One seasons. It is most famous for having been copied by the new Arrows team for their FA1. Arrows, formed by a disgruntled group of Shadow's staffers, were in the end prohibited from using the design.[2]

Development

The Shadow DN9 was developed by Tony Southgate, returning to Shadow from Team Lotus. After racing the last three-quarters of the 1978 season, it returned for 1979. A new sponsor (Holland's Samson shag tobacco) necessitated a new paintjob and a series of wind tunnel tests and subsequent aerodynamic improvements were carried out. New side skirts were introduced, helping to lower drag while doubling downforce.[3]

Racing history

The Shadow DN9 was introduced at the 1978 Long Beach Grand Prix for first driver Hans-Joachim Stuck's use, although he did not start the race. Second driver Clay Regazzoni got the new car for the race after (Monaco).[4] Hawaiian driver Danny Ongais was also entered twice, by Interscope Racing, but failed pre-qualifying on both occasions.[1] Ongais also tested at Silverstone, where he went faster than Lammers who was to become Shadow's second driver in 1979.[5]

A disappointing 1978 meant using drivers of a lower caliber for 1979, with rookie drivers Elio de Angelis and Jan Lammers scoring only once, with de Angelis' surprise fourth place in the car's last race at the rainy 1979 United States Grand Prix. Interscope Racing, the privateer who had twice entered a DN9 in 1978, was the team fielding de Angelis, Shadow's de facto first driver.[1] The choice of Dutchman Lammers was tied to the Shadows team's main sponsor, the Dutch Samson shag tobacco company.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearEntrant(s)Engine(s)TyresDrivers12345678910111213141516PointsWCC
Shadow Racing CarsFord V8ARGBRARSAUSWMONBELESPSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITAUSACAN6*11th
Hans-Joachim StuckDNSRetRetRet11115RetRetRetRetRetRet
Clay RegazzoniDNQRet155RetRetDNQNCDNQNC14DNQ
Interscope RacingDanny OngaisDNPQDNPQ
Shadow Racing CarsFord V8ARGBRARSAUSWESPBELMONFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITACANUSA310th
Jan LammersRet14RetRet1210DNQ181110RetRetDNQ9DNQ
Interscope Shadow RacingElio de Angelis712Ret7RetRetDNQ161211RetRetRetRet4

References

. Doug Nye. Autocourse History of the Grand Prix Car 1966 – 1985. 1985. Hazelton Publishing. Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom. 0905138376.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stats F1. Shadow DN9. 2 December 2015.
  2. Web site: CONSTRUCTORS: ARROWS GRAND PRIX . GrandPrix.com . 2015-12-02 .
  3. Autovisie . 24 March 1979 . 24 . 6 . Arnold van der Wees . Amersfoort, Netherlands . Dutch . Lammers' Visie . Lammers . Jan . 61 . stjärt .
  4. Hodges, 2001, p. 210
  5. Web site: Danny Ongais Biography. https://web.archive.org/web/20130321222810/http://f1rejects.com/drivers/ongais/biography.html . F1 Rejects. 21 March 2013 .