elf

Elf is a French petroleum and lubricants brand, launched in 1967 and now owned by TotalEnergies. It built much of its reputation through motorsport, using racing to position the brand around performance, engineering credibility, and technical innovation.

Its connection with Team Tyrrell was both commercial and cultural. In the early 1970s, Elf became a prominent backer of the team, to the point that it was commonly referred to as Elf Team Tyrrell. The partnership sat naturally alongside Tyrrell’s close links to French talent, most notably François Cevert, and Elf also used Formula 1, including its work with Tyrrell, to promote French motorsport more broadly. Contemporary and retrospective motorsport sources describe Elf as retaining financial backing for Tyrrell and explicitly note its title sponsorship role with the team.

In practical terms, Elf helped give Tyrrell financial support and technical-brand prestige during one of the team’s strongest periods, the Jackie Stewart and Cevert era. So the simplest way to describe it is: Elf was not just an oil logo on the car, but one of the key commercial partners associated with Tyrrell’s early-1970s peak.

Team Tyrrell is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with Elf.