Zakspeed 891

**Zakspeed 891**
	Zakspeed 891
Constructor:	Zakspeed
Designer:	Gustav Brunner
Predecessor:	Zakspeed 881
Technical specifications
Chassis:	CFRP monocoque
Wheelbase:	2820 mm
Weight:	515 kg
Tires:	Pirelli
statistics
Driver:	Bernd Schneider Aguri Suzuki;
First start:	1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last start:	1989 Japanese Grand Prix
World Cup points:	-
Podiums:	-
Leadership laps:	-

The Zakspeed 891 was a Formula 1 car from the German racing team Zakspeed , which was used in the 1989 Formula 1 season . The car used a naturally aspirated Yamaha engine . It was Zakspeed's first (and only) Formula 1 car that was not powered by a self-constructed engine. The car was unsuccessful. During the 1989 season he only qualified for two start-ups, but never crossed the finish line.

The Zakspeed-Yamaha connection

The alliance with Yamaha came about in the autumn of 1988. Since Zakspeed had so far only designed turbo engines and had no experience with the naturally aspirated engines that had been approved since 1989, the team was looking for an engine supplier at the end of the so-called turbo era of Formula 1. Primarily for financial reasons, team boss Erich Zakowski decided against an expensive DFR engine from Cosworth and for the Yamaha engine, which was delivered free of charge in 1989. Yamaha, on the other hand, had an interest in connecting with a small Formula One team. The Japanese company had designed some successful engines for Formula 2 and Formula 3000 in the 1980s, but had not competed in Formula 1 so far. From a Japanese perspective, working with a small team gave them the opportunity to gain experience and develop the engine further without great expectations. The alliance between Yamaha and Zakspeed was similar to the alliance between Honda and Spirit Racing in 1983 .

The construction

The car

The 891 was completely redeveloped by Gustav Brunner . The construction had very few similarities with the older Zakspeed turbo models. Instead, there were references to Brunner's successful ARC1 from the German team Rial Racing from the previous year . The Zakspeed 891 was a compact car with a narrow rear, low side pods and a sloping engine cover with an integrated air scoop. The suspension consisted of double wishbones with internal spring-damper units at the front and rear.

The motor

Yamaha OX88

Zakspeed used a newly designed eight-cylinder OX88 engine from the Japanese manufacturer Yamaha as the drive. 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. It only had a single toothed belt, which was used to drive both the valve control and the oil and water pump.

The engine had many shortcomings. With an output of 426 kW (580 hp), it was the weakest engine that was used in 1989. It also proved to be immature and unreliable, and the Yamaha designers were overwhelmed by the comparatively demanding technology. The long toothed belt and the resulting susceptibility to load changes were the cause of numerous engine damage, which often led to failures during training.

The races

Zakspeed did a number of test drives with the new car before the start of the season. In February and March 1989 there were countless problems with the engine. During the test drives in Rio, which took place immediately before the first race of the year, the team suffered eight engine failures and could only cover a few test kilometers.

The Zakspeed 891 was entered in the 1989 Formula 1 season by the West Zakspeed Racing team for Bernd Schneider and Aguri Suzuki at 16 grand prizes. Suzuki failed in the pre-qualification in every race, Bernd Schneider failed fourteen times. He only managed to qualify for the Brazilian Grand Prix , the first race of the year, and the Japanese Grand Prix . He retired both times in the race with engine failure.

Zakspeed tested a modified 891 in Le Castellet in January 1990, but finally announced the withdrawal from Formula 1 before the start of the new season.

The Yamaha OX88 has not been used again. Yamaha was not represented in Formula 1 in 1990, but returned in 1991 with a newly designed twelve-cylinder OX99 engine, which was first used by Brabham and then in 1992 by Jordan .

Race results

driver	No.	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	Points	rank
1989 Formula 1 season																		0	-
Germany B. Schneider	34	DNF	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNF	DNPQ
Japan A. Suzuki	35	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ	DNPQ

literature

Adriano Cimarosti: The Century of Racing. Cars, tracks and pilots. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 .
David Hodges: A – Z of Grand Prix Cars. Crowood Press, Marlborough 2001, ISBN 1-86126-339-2 (English).
David Hodges: Racing Cars from A – Z after 1945. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 116.
Malte Jürgens: With us you sit in the back row. Misery of the Germans in Formula 1. In: Auto Motor und Sport, issue 22/1989, p. 312 ff.
Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1st 2nd edition. Chronosports, St. Sulpice 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 (French).
Bernd Ostmann: Music in it . Presentation of the Zakspeed-Yamaha in: Auto Motor und Sport issue 21/1988, p. 310 ff.

Web links

Commons : Zakspeed 891 - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Yamaha was represented as an engine manufacturer in the automobile sport since 1984. Yamaha equipped some teams in the Japanese Formula 2 championship with the 2.0-liter six-cylinder type OX66; the OX77 (3.0 liter, eight cylinder) developed together with Cosworth was used in the Japanese Formula 3000 series.
↑ ^a ^b Ménard, p. 602.
↑ ^a ^b Auto Motor und Sport, issue 21/1988, p. 312.
↑ Hodges: Racing Cars from AZ after 1945, p. 271.
↑ Cimarosti: The Century of Racing, p. 407.
↑ ^a ^b Auto Motor und Sport, Issue 22/1989, p. 313.
↑ The Cosworth DFR engine and the Judd EV developed 448 kW (610 hp), the Honda RA 109E of the McLaren team already achieved 492 kW (670 hp). See overview at Cimarosti: Das Jahrhundert des Rennsport, p. 407.
↑ Motorsport aktuell, issue 13/1989, p. 4.
↑ Motorsport Aktuell, issue 7/1990, p. 14.

[1] Yamaha was represented as an engine manufacturer in the automobile sport since 1984. Yamaha equipped some teams in the Japanese Formula 2 championship with the 2.0-liter six-cylinder type OX66; the OX77 (3.0 liter, eight cylinder) developed together with Cosworth was used in the Japanese Formula 3000 series.

[Ménard,_S._602-2] Ménard, p. 602.

[Sport_1988-3] Auto Motor und Sport, issue 21/1988, p. 312.

[4] Hodges: Racing Cars from AZ after 1945, p. 271.

[5] Cimarosti: The Century of Racing, p. 407.

[Sport_1989-6] Auto Motor und Sport, Issue 22/1989, p. 313.

[7] The Cosworth DFR engine and the Judd EV developed 448 kW (610 hp), the Honda RA 109E of the McLaren team already achieved 492 kW (670 hp). See overview at Cimarosti: Das Jahrhundert des Rennsport, p. 407.

[8] Motorsport aktuell, issue 13/1989, p. 4.

[9] Motorsport Aktuell, issue 7/1990, p. 14.