The first Benetton F1 car was designated B186 and was equipped with a turbo engine manufactured by BMW. That car got a win at the Mexican Grand Prix with Gerhard Berger behind the wheel. For the next season Benetton chose Ford as the engine supplier for his cars. This association would last until 1994.
The Benetton B187 used in the 1987 season incorporated a Ford-Cosworth V6 turbo engine, with the best result being a third place.
Subsequently, in 1988 a new B188 car was redesigned that would set aside the turbo engine, adopting a 3,500 cm3 Ford-Cosworth engine. The B188 was very heavy and its engine was not one of the most powerful. Even so, rider Thierry Boutsen managed to climb the podium in third place in six Grand Prix, and teammate Alessandro Nannini twice. These points earned Benetton third place in the Constructors' Cup.
In 1989 Benetton achieved a victory at the Japanese Grand Prix by the driver Alessandro Nannini. The B189 car featured an improved Ford V8 at 75º.
The biggest changes would come in 1990, when the new Benetton B190 was developed under the supervision of expert John Barnard. The aerodynamics were far superior and the engine was improved to yield a power of 650 hp. With this car Nelson Piquet won two victories in Japan and Australia.
The year 1991 was “the revolution” in the Benetton team, which hired three of the forgers of their greatest successes to come: ing. Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne (returned) and pilot Michael Schumacher. With a fully redesigned chassis and a much more powerful 730 hp engine, Piquet won the Canadian Grand Prix.
In 1992 Benetton was competitive to return to third place in the Constructors' Cup. Schumacher won for the first time in F1 in Belgium and Martin Brundle scored points in nine consecutive races. In 1993 Schumacher won another race but the car was less reliable, although they repeated third place in the Constructors' Cup.
In 1994 there was a curious fact: Benetton reached its best level by winning 8 Grand Prix just after announcing that he would hire Renault as an engine supplier for the 1995 season.
The 1994 car was very forceful, although he always suspected of violating the regulations in his black boxes of electronic systems. Even Schumacher was excluded by the authorities three times and disqualified in another.
Schumacher was also in controversy, as despite winning 8 Grand Prix he reached the last very tight race against his rival Damon Hill of Williams Renault. Hill was ahead of Schumacher, who pulled him off the track, beating him with obvious bad intent and no sanction. Thus began the history of Schumacher and the little appreciation he always had in the environment.
Schumacher won the driver's title but the team was not strong enough to score points for the Constructors' Cup, where he placed second behind Williams Renault.
The successes of Benetton and Michael Schumacher would continue in 1995, at that time with the provision of Renault engines.
© Adrián Blanco 2007 - No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
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