Frits van Eerd: Who doesn't appreciate the little things, is not worthy of the Formula 1

Tyrrell
Frits van Eerd was driving in a fast and beautiful Tyrrell 026 F1 during the Masters of F3 weekend at Circuit Park Zandvoort back in June. Tyrrell is quite a legendary name in the Formula 1. Ken Tyrrell’s cars won several world championship titles in the 1970’s with Jacky Stewart behind the steering wheel. The team still exists almost four decades later. Ricardo Rosset and Toranosuke Takagi were the last two drivers in the official Tyrrell cars back in 1998. Van Eerd has the aforementioned two cars in his possession these days and he’s glad to be racing in the two Tyrrells in the BOSS GP.

Everything that’s Formula 1
“I used to dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day, like so many other young boys,” smiled Frits van Eerd, who is living the dream in the BOSS GP. “It’s simply amazing to drive toward the Tarzan curve with a speed of 290 kilometer per hour and only to hit the brakes 70 meters before the curve. That’s a huge thrill,” says the racing businessman. “I’ve always been attracted to fast cars and the Formula 1. I particularly liked the cars from the late eighties and the early nineties. They represented everything that’s Formula 1. The broad back, the wings, the tires; that combination really got me going.”



Beautiful dynamics
Van Eerd’s Tyrrell 026 F1 has a beautiful ‘crying’ Cosworth 3.0 engine as its power source. Additionally, some technical adjustments ensure that the car will drive as fast as possible. “The gear box is programmed in a way that ensures that it automatically shifts up at the perfect moment. All I have to do is shifting back every now and then,” explains Van Eerd, who raced around at Circuit Park Zandvoort with an average speed of 175 kilometer per hour. “The speed is extreme. It makes the dynamics of this car even more beautiful.”

Top sport
The man from Brabant underlines that he’s full of respect for the ‘real’ Formula 1 drivers, who race between one-and-a-half and two hours per Grand Prix. “We drive races of about twenty minutes in the BOSS GP-series and I’m absolutely exhausted after every race. Racing in this kind of cars is without a doubt top sport.”



Rollercoaster
Frits vividly remembers his first time in a Formula 1 car. “That was at Brands Hatch,” reveals Van Eerd. “The car was going so fast, I thought I had completely lost the plot. You can’t compare driving a Formula 1 car to anything else. I though the car was about to explode when I heard the engine roaring with a rotational speed of 16.000. But that’s apparently completely normal. You also experience enormous G-forces, incredible speeds and you always hit the brakes as late as possible. Racing in a Formula 1 car is like one big rollercoaster ride.”

Teamwork essential
At the paddock in Zandvoort, Van Eerd had a nice racing trailer with him with the words ‘Tyrrell F1 Team Holland’ on its side. The Brabant native was full of praise for the members of his technical crew. “I can only record good results with the help of my mechanics. They are the ones who perfectly adjust my car and give me the chance to shine. I have six lads with me who have worked for the Formula 1 teams of Tyrrell and Minardi in the past. They don’t only know what they’re talking about, but they also give me the feeling that they’re really enjoying what they’re doing. They always do their utmost to get a good result for the team,” states Van Eerd. “It’s a bit like with Jumbo supermarkets. The only way to achieve your goals is when all individuals work together.”