Shadow DN8

The Shadow DN8 was conceptualised by Tony Southgate before he left the team to join Team Lotus. Dave Wass then completed the design work. It featured a low monocoque tub with hip radiators and an oil cooler positioned in the nose (but which would later be moved). Originally intended for the beginning of the 1976 season, a lack of funds following the withdrawal of major sponsor UOP the previous year meant the DN8 did not make its debut until late in the year, at the Dutch Grand Prix. Only one DN8 was produced for 1976, and it would not be until the third race of the following season that two DN8s were available for the drivers.[2]

Southgate returned to the team in the summer of 1977, and this prompted development of the DN8; the chassis was slimmed down with the water and oil coolers reworked for the latter part of the season.[3]

After qualifying third in the hands of Tom Pryce, the DN8 finished fourth in its first race of the year, in the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix. After the promise of this first race, it reverted to a midfield runner for the rest of the season. This continued into the early part of the 1977 Formula One season. After Pryce was killed during the South African Grand Prix, the team brought in Alan Jones as a replacement.[2] Jones finished in the points in Monaco and Belgium, and scored a win in the Austrian Grand Prix, from 14th on the grid. He had run second for much of the race and inherited the lead when James Hunt's car developed engine trouble.[1] Jones finished third in Italy and fourth in Canada and Japan for 22 points and 7th in the Drivers Championship standings.[2]

Renzo Zorzi had proved very slow and was replaced with Riccardo Patrese after five races.[2] Patrese dovetailed the second Shadow seat with his Formula Two commitments, and Jackie Oliver, Arturo Merzario and Jean-Pierre Jarier all deputised on occasion.[3] Patrese scored a point with sixth place in the Japanese Grand Prix.[1][2]

The DN8 remained in service for the early part of the 1978 Formula One season for the team's new drivers, Hans Stuck and Clay Regazzoni. Regazzoni finished fifth at Brazil, but both drivers failed to qualify for the next race in South Africa. The Shadow DN9 was introduced at the following race for Stuck's use, while Regazzoni got his DN9 the race after.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shadow DN8.

• Nye, Doug (1985). Autocourse History of the Grand Prix Car 1966 – 1985. Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom: Hazelton Publishing. ISBN 0905138376.
• Hodges, David (2001). A – Z of Grand Prix Cars. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 1861263392.