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Benetton
Formula One World Championship career

Full name	Benetton Formula Ltd.
Base	Witney, England, UK (1986–1991) Enstone, England, UK (1992–2001)
Noted staff	Flavio Briatore Rocco Benetton Ross Brawn Frank Dernie Mike Gascoyne Nigel Stepney Pat Symonds Steve Matchett David Richards Peter Collins Rory Byrne Nikolas Tombazis Willem Toet Pat Fry Nick Wirth John Barnard Philip J. Henderson Greg Field
Noted drivers	Teo Fabi Gerhard Berger Thierry Boutsen Alessandro Nannini Johnny Herbert Emanuele Pirro Nelson Piquet Roberto Moreno Michael Schumacher Martin Brundle Riccardo Patrese Jos Verstappen JJ Lehto Jean Alesi Alexander Wurz Giancarlo Fisichella Jenson Button
Previous name	Toleman Motorsport
Next name	Renault F1 Team
First entry	1986 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races entered	260
Engines	BMW, Ford, Renault, Playlife
Constructors' Championships	1 (1995)
Drivers' Championships	2 (1994, 1995)
Race victories	27
Podiums	102
Points	851.5 (861.5)
Pole positions	15
Fastest laps	36
Final entry	2001 Japanese Grand Prix

Benetton Formula Limited, often just called Benetton, was a famous Formula One racing team. They competed in F1 races from 1986 to 2001. The team was owned by the Benetton family, who are well-known for their clothing stores around the world. In 2000, another big car company, Renault, bought the team. However, the team kept the Benetton name for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. In 2002, the team officially became the Renault F1 Team.

How Benetton Formula Started
Benetton's Racing Story
Benetton's Lasting Impact
Team Nationality
Racing Results Summary
Images for kids
See also

How Benetton Formula Started

The Benetton Group first got involved in Formula One by sponsoring other teams. They sponsored Tyrrell in 1983, then Alfa Romeo in 1984 and 1985. Finally, they sponsored Toleman in 1985. Toleman had a tough year in 1985. They missed the first three races and could only enter one car for the next six races. This was because of problems with their tyre suppliers. Even though Teo Fabi got a pole position for Toleman at the German Grand Prix, the team didn't score any points that season. Their cars often broke down, finishing only two out of 20 races. Benetton Formula Limited was officially created in 1985. This happened when the Toleman team was sold to the Benetton family.

Benetton's Racing Story

Early Years with BMW and Ford (1986-1994)

The Beginning (1986–1987)

Toleman had already designed a car for the 1986 season, called the TG186. After Benetton took over, this car was renamed the Benetton B186. Benetton's first F1 season also brought a new engine. The old Hart engines were replaced with powerful BMW M12 engines from a big car maker. Teo Fabi stayed as a driver, and Gerhard Berger joined from Arrows.

Gerhard Berger driving the Benetton B186 at the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix.

The B186 car was very fast. Berger got the team's first podium (a top-three finish) at Imola and started from the front row in Belgium. Fabi earned two pole positions in Austria and Italy. Then, Berger achieved the team's first victory in Mexico, finishing almost half a minute ahead of the next car. Despite being fast, the B186 often broke down. The team had 19 retirements, with Fabi retiring eight times in a row. Benetton finished 6th in the championship with 19 points.

Berger left for Ferrari at the end of 1986. Thierry Boutsen, his former teammate, replaced him at Benetton. BMW, which supplied engines to three teams in 1986, decided to only supply Brabham in 1987. Since the Haas Lola team closed, Benetton was able to get turbocharged Ford engines. The Benetton B187 had engine problems early in 1987. But it became more reliable later in the season. It got many 4th and 5th place finishes, plus two 3rd places in Austria and Australia. Benetton finished 5th in the championship with 28 points.

Rising Up (1988–1990)

Thierry Boutsen driving the Benetton B188 at the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix.

For the 1988 season, Fabi was replaced by Alessandro Nannini from Minardi. This ended Fabi's F1 career. The Benetton B188 was the team's first car with a naturally-aspirated engine. Ford wanted to focus on these engines because turbocharged engines would soon be banned. The B188 was even better than the last car. It had almost half as many retirements and earned seven podium finishes, all 3rd places. Boutsen finished 3rd in Belgium, but both Benetton cars were later disqualified for fuel rule breaking. The team finished 3rd in the championship with 39 points.

In 1989, Boutsen left Benetton to join Williams. Rookie driver Johnny Herbert replaced him. The new engine Ford was making for the Benetton B189 wasn't ready for the start of the season. The old engine didn't fit the new car. So, the team had to keep using the B188. Even with this problem, the B188 was still good. Nannini got a podium finish at Imola. Before his F1 debut, Herbert had a bad crash in Formula 3000, breaking both his legs. He had some good results, like 4th place in his first race. But he was dropped after failing to qualify for the Canadian Grand Prix. It was clear he hadn't fully recovered. Emanuele Pirro, a rookie and McLaren test driver, replaced him. The B189 was finally ready for the next race. Nannini then achieved Benetton's first win since 1986 at the Japanese Grand Prix. This happened after Ayrton Senna was disqualified. Pirro only scored points once in his ten races, finishing 5th in Australia. Benetton finished 4th in the championship with 39 points.

Before the 1990 season, the team management was changed. Businessman Flavio Briatore was appointed as the new team manager by the Benetton family. Pirro was replaced by three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, who had left the struggling Lotus team. Benetton used a changed B189 before bringing in the Benetton B190 at the third race. 1990 was the team's most successful year so far. Piquet won the last two races of the season, and the team got six other podium finishes. Sadly, Nannini lost his right forearm in a helicopter crash late in the season. His arm was re-attached, but the injuries ended his F1 career. Roberto Moreno became available after his team, EuroBrun, left the sport. He was hired to replace Nannini. The next race in Japan was Benetton's first ever 1-2 finish, and Moreno's only career podium. Benetton finished 3rd in the championship with 71 points.

The Schumacher Era Begins (1991–1993)

In 1991, American cigarette brand Camel became a new main sponsor. The 1991 season was not as good for Benetton. An updated B190 was used for the first two races before the Benetton B191 debuted at the San Marino Grand Prix. Piquet got an unexpected win in Canada after Nigel Mansell retired on the last lap. But only two other 3rd place finishes were the team's only podiums in 1991. Benetton was looking for a young driver for the future. They felt neither Moreno nor the older Piquet fit this role. Michael Schumacher impressed everyone in his first race for Jordan at the Belgian Grand Prix. Benetton then hired him for the next race, replacing Moreno. Jordan protested this in court, but Benetton won.

For the 1992 season, Tom Walkinshaw Racing bought a share in Benetton. Tom Walkinshaw and Ross Brawn were brought in to manage the team's engineering. The team also moved its base from Witney to a new factory near Enstone. Piquet had retired from Formula One, and experienced Brabham driver Martin Brundle replaced him. Benetton's new car was delayed again. The team used an upgraded B191 for the first three races, where Schumacher got two podiums. The B192 was a big improvement. It earned eleven more podium finishes, including Schumacher's first career win at Spa-Francorchamps. Benetton finished 3rd in the championship with 91 points.

Michael Schumacher driving the Benetton B193 at the 1993 British Grand Prix.

Brundle was unexpectedly replaced for 1993 by veteran Riccardo Patrese, who had left Williams. The Benetton B193 was similar in performance to the previous car. Schumacher won one race at the Portuguese Grand Prix. The team finished 3rd in the championship for the fourth time. Benetton got ten other podium finishes that season. Despite these good results and improvements in 1992 and 1993, Benetton couldn't give Schumacher a car to win the world championship. They were outclassed by the dominant Williams team.

Championship Glory (1994–1995)

In 1994, Japanese cigarette brand Mild Seven replaced Camel as the team's main sponsor. This meant Benetton's cars became sky blue. Patrese retired from Formula One, ending his long career. JJ Lehto from Sauber replaced him. However, Lehto was injured while testing the B194 before the season. Benetton's test driver Jos Verstappen stepped in to replace him. The B194 was very strong with Schumacher driving. He won six of the first seven races, including the tragic San Marino Grand Prix. He also got Benetton's first pole positions since 1986. Verstappen and Lehto were less successful. Verstappen retired from his first two races after accidents. Lehto was fit for the San Marino Grand Prix, but only scored one point in the next four races. Verstappen replaced him again from the French Grand Prix onwards.

Schumacher finished 2nd at the British Grand Prix. But he was found to have overtaken Damon Hill on the formation lap and ignored black flags. He was disqualified after the race and later banned for two races. At the German Grand Prix, Verstappen's B194 caught fire during his pit stop when fuel spilled. He escaped with minor burns. He returned to get two podiums in a row in the next races, his first ever. Schumacher was disqualified again after finishing 1st at the Belgian Grand Prix. His car had too much wear on its skid block. He served his two-race ban in the next two races, with Lehto returning as a replacement. To try and win the constructors' championship, Benetton replaced Verstappen with the more experienced Johnny Herbert for the last two races. This marked Herbert's return to the team. But it didn't work, as Herbert retired from both races. Even though Benetton lost the constructors' championship to Williams, Schumacher won his first world title. He collided with his rival Hill at the final race in Australia, taking both drivers out.

Schumacher driving the Benetton B195 at the 1995 British Grand Prix.

Renault Engines (1995-1997)

After eight years with Ford engines, Benetton switched to full-factory Renault V10 engines for 1995. Ford then started supplying engines to Sauber. Herbert stayed with Schumacher, while test driver Verstappen was loaned to the Simtek team. Schumacher initially didn't like the new Benetton B195. He said it was hard to control. The car was not as good as the Williams FW17 early in the season. This led to Schumacher crashing out from pole position at Imola. However, changes to the car's setup at the next race in Spain improved Schumacher's performance. He then dominated the rest of the season, winning nine out of seventeen races. He claimed his second world title. Herbert got his first career podium in Spain. He then went on to win the British and Italian Grands Prix. This combined effort won Benetton its first constructors' championship, ending Williams' three-year winning streak. Herbert later said the team didn't give him equal equipment and favored Schumacher.

The Decline (1996–1999)

Jean Alesi driving the Benetton B196 during practice at the 1996 San Marino Grand Prix.

Benetton started racing under Italian nationality for the 1996 season, but stayed based in the UK. Even though he had a contract with Benetton, Schumacher left early to join Ferrari. He said the team's actions in 1994 were why he left. Herbert was dropped and joined Sauber. Their replacements were Jean Alesi and the returning Gerhard Berger, both from Ferrari. Williams became dominant again in 1996. Schumacher's departure allowed Ferrari to compete for wins, leaving Benetton struggling. The Benetton B196 got ten podium finishes, but the team didn't win a race for the first time since 1988. Alesi and Berger were close to winning in Monaco and Germany, but both retired late in the races. Benetton finished 3rd in the championship with 68 points, less than half of what they got in 1995.

By 1997, technical director Ross Brawn and chief designer Rory Byrne, along with many other staff, had left Benetton to join Schumacher at Ferrari. The Benetton B197, like the car before it, struggled to compete with Williams and Ferrari. However, the team still got several podium finishes that season. Berger had to miss three races due to illness and his father's death. His replacement was rookie test driver Alexander Wurz. Wurz scored a podium in Britain, in only his third F1 race. Berger returned for the German Grand Prix, winning the race from pole position in a strong performance. This would be Benetton's last victory in Formula One, and Berger's 10th and final career win. Alesi got pole position in Italy but lost out due to a slow pit stop, finishing 2nd. Benetton finished 3rd in the championship with 67 points.

Mecachrome and Supertec Engines (1998-2000)

The 1998 season brought many changes for Benetton. Berger retired from F1, and Alesi left to join Sauber. Test driver Wurz was promoted to a full-time driver, partnering Giancarlo Fisichella from Jordan. Renault left Formula One, but Benetton and Williams still got a supply of Renault's 1997 engines, which were now developed by Mecachrome. Benetton renamed these engines "Playlife", a sportswear brand owned by the Benetton family. Chief executive Flavio Briatore was replaced by David Richards. Fisichella had some success with the Benetton B198. He got two 2nd places in a row in Monaco and Canada, and pole position in Austria. However, Benetton became less competitive towards the end of the season. They scored only one point in the last seven races. The team partly blamed their tyre supplier, Bridgestone, saying they favored the more successful McLaren team. Benetton finished 5th in the championship with 33 points.

Chief executive Richards left Benetton after only a year. Rocco Benetton replaced him for 1999, due to disagreements about future plans. The Renault engines were now developed by Flavio Briatore's Supertec company, but still called Playlife. The Benetton B199 was a disappointment and showed the team was getting worse. The best moment of the season was Fisichella's 2nd place in Canada. However, this only happened after many other cars retired. In the next ten races, Benetton only scored points once, with Wurz's 5th place in Austria. Benetton finished 6th in the championship with 16 points, their worst finish ever.

Renault Takes Over (2000–2001)

After Williams switched to BMW engines, Benetton officially worked more closely with Supertec. Before the 2000 season, the team was sold to Renault. Renault wanted to return to Formula One, but the team kept the Benetton name. As part of the changes, Renault brought back Flavio Briatore as team manager. The Benetton B200 was better than the previous car. It got three podium finishes, including 2nd place in Brazil after David Coulthard was disqualified. All three podiums were scored by Fisichella. Wurz struggled with the car and only got one points finish, 5th place in Italy. Benetton finished 4th in the championship with 20 points.

Benetton's final Formula One car, the Benetton B201, driven by Jenson Button at the 2001 French Grand Prix.

The Renault name officially returned to Formula One in 2001. Benetton received full-factory Renault engines. Wurz's struggles in 2000 led to him being replaced by a young Jenson Button, who had left Williams. Despite these changes, Benetton had a very bad start to 2001. The Benetton B201 often barely qualified in the top 20. They only scored one point in the first eleven races, when Fisichella finished 6th in Brazil after many other cars retired. The team's luck started to change at the German Grand Prix. Fisichella and Button finished 4th and 5th. Continued improvements to the car allowed Benetton to leave Formula One on a better note. Button and Fisichella scored 10 points for the team, including an impressive podium finish for Fisichella in Belgium.

Benetton's Lasting Impact

2001 was the last season for the Benetton name. The team was fully renamed the Renault F1 Team for the 2002 season. The Renault F1 Team went on to win the drivers' and constructors' championships in both 2005 and 2006 with Fernando Alonso. The team was later sold and became the Lotus F1 Team in 2012. Renault bought the team back and renamed it Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2016. It then became Alpine in 2021. The team still operates from the factory in Enstone that Benetton built in 1992.

The Benetton team is best known today for its success with Michael Schumacher. He won 19 of the team's 27 race victories and both of their World Drivers' Championships.

Team Nationality

The Benetton Team had a British licence from 1986 to 1995. Then, they switched to an Italian licence from 1996 to 2001. This made them only the second team in F1 history to officially change their nationality. The Benetton family wanted their Formula One team to represent their home country. At the 1997 German Grand Prix, Benetton became the only team to have won races under more than one nationality. The team was always based in the UK. First, they were at the old Toleman factory in Witney, Oxfordshire. Then, they moved to a new, modern, bigger factory at Enstone in 1992.

Racing Results Summary

(Bold means championships won.)

Year	Name	Car	Engine	Tyres	No.	Drivers	Points	WCC
1986	Benetton Formula	B186	BMW M12/13 L4 t	P	19. 20.	Teo Fabi Gerhard Berger	19	6th
1987	Benetton Formula	B187	Ford-Cosworth GBA 1.5 V6 t	G	19. 20.	Teo Fabi Thierry Boutsen	28	5th
1988	Benetton Formula	B188	Ford-Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8	G	19. 20.	Alessandro Nannini Thierry Boutsen	39	3rd
1989	Benetton Formula	B188 B189	Ford-Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 Ford HBA1 3.5 V8 Ford HBA4 3.5 V8	G	19. 20. 20.	Alessandro Nannini Johnny Herbert Emanuele Pirro	39	4th
1990	Benetton Formula	B189B B190	Ford HBA4 3.5 V8	G	19. 19. 20.	Alessandro Nannini Roberto Moreno Nelson Piquet	71	3rd
1991	Camel Benetton Ford	B190B B191	Ford HBA4 3.5 V8 Ford HBA5 3.5 V8	P	19. 19. 20.	Roberto Moreno Michael Schumacher Nelson Piquet	38.5	4th
1992	Camel Benetton Ford	B191B B192	Ford HBA5 3.5 V8 Ford HBA7 3.5 V8	G	19. 20.	Michael Schumacher Martin Brundle	91	3rd
1993	Camel Benetton Ford	B193 B193B	Ford HBA7 3.5 V8 Ford HBA8 3.5 V8	G	5. 6.	Michael Schumacher Riccardo Patrese	72	3rd
1994	Mild Seven Benetton Ford	B194	Ford ECA Zetec-R 3.5 V8	G	5. 5./6. 6. 6.	Michael Schumacher JJ Lehto Jos Verstappen Johnny Herbert	103	2nd
1995	Mild Seven Benetton Renault	B195	Renault RS7 3.0 V10	G	1. 2.	Michael Schumacher Johnny Herbert	137	1st
1996	Mild Seven Benetton Renault	B196	Renault RS8 3.0 V10	G	3. 4.	Jean Alesi Gerhard Berger	68	3rd
1997	Mild Seven Benetton Renault	B197	Renault RS9 3.0 V10	G	7. 8. 8.	Jean Alesi Gerhard Berger Alexander Wurz	67	3rd
1998	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	B198	Playlife GC37-01 3.0 V10	B	5. 6.	Giancarlo Fisichella Alexander Wurz	33	5th
1999	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	B199	Playlife FB01 3.0 V10	B	9. 10.	Giancarlo Fisichella Alexander Wurz	16	6th
2000	Mild Seven Benetton Playlife	B200	Playlife FB02 3.0 V10	B	11. 12.	Giancarlo Fisichella Alexander Wurz	20	4th
2001	Mild Seven Benetton Renault Sport	B201	Renault RS21 3.0 V10	M	7. 8.	Giancarlo Fisichella Jenson Button	10	7th

Images for kids

Gerhard Berger driving the Benetton B186 at the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix.
Thierry Boutsen driving the Benetton B188 at the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix.
Michael Schumacher driving the Benetton B193 at the 1993 British Grand Prix.
Schumacher driving the Benetton B195 at the 1995 British Grand Prix.
Jean Alesi driving the Benetton B196 during free practice at the 1996 San Marino Grand Prix.
Benetton's final Formula One car, the Benetton B201, driven by Jenson Button at the 2001 French Grand Prix.