Formula 1

Verstappen joins Tyrrell for 1997

DUTCH ACE TO RACE FOR TYRRELL TEAM The Tyrrell Racing Organization is delighted to announce the signing of Jos Verstappen for the Formula One team as race driver alongside Finland's Mika Salo and test driver Toranosuke ...

Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

DUTCH ACE TO RACE FOR TYRRELL TEAM The Tyrrell Racing Organization is delighted to announce the signing of Jos Verstappen for the Formula One team as race driver alongside Finland's Mika Salo and test driver Toranosuke Takagi of Japan. The 24-year old Dutchman was a multiple champion in karting before switching to single-seater race cars and winning the German Formula Three title in only his second season of full-time competition. Today, Jos has 31 Grand Prix races to his credit, having previously driven for the Benetton, Simtek and Arrows teams. "For me, the chance to join the Tyrrell team was an opportu- nity not to be missed," enthused Jos. "It is a compact efficient team with excellent design and engineering skills and I know from my experience with the Ford V8 that drivers can achieve great things with this highly responsive powerful unit." Verstappen twice claimed third place and climbed onto the winners' podium during his F1 debut season in 1994 and also rates winning the Formula Three Masters at Zandvoort before his `home' crowd as one of the most memorable experiences of his career so far. Welcoming Jos Verstappen to the team, Tyrrell chairman and team principal Ken Tyrrell commented: "With major sponsor PIAA on board, a new long-term marketing initiative with Nakajima Plan- ning in Japan, a complete line-up of race and test drivers and the promise of reliable power from our new Ford engines, we have key elements for success in place well before the start of the 1997 season. Construction of the all-new Tyrrell-Ford 025 is on schedule at the team's Surrey headquarters and the 1997 Formula One chal- lenger will be launched in January. All three drivers - Salo, Verstappen and Takagi - will then immediately begin testing the 025 at Silverstone. The team has scheduled preseason testing at four race tracks in England, Spain and Portugal prior to the opening of the 1997 FIA World Championship in Melbourne, Austra- lia on March 9th.

1,000,000,000,000 wanted for good cause

* 1st 2.00 #8604 * .1,000,000,000 would look good in my bank account. :-)

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Argentinian GP fastest laps

Next article San Marino GP McLaren preview

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1 44 min

Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda

Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign

Indy NXT

IndL Indy NXT 2 h

Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign

GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen

GT World Challenge Europe Endurance

WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 2 h

GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen

13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion

IMSA

IMSA IMSA 2 h

13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion

Feature

Discover prime content

Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Stuart Codling

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

What we learned from the 2026 F1 Singapore GP sprint and qualifying

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What we learned from the 2026 F1 Singapore GP sprint and qualifying

How Honda plans a return to being an F1 powerhouse

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

How Honda plans a return to being an F1 powerhouse

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts