http://www.benettonf1.com/
After enjoying two years of championship successful with Michael Schumacher in 1994 and 1995, Benetton has moved down the pecking order - only winning one race since 1995. Changes are promised for 2000, but the retention of customer Supertec engines means wins are unlikely.
After sponsoring various grand prix teams, clothing manufacturer Benetton joined F1 racing in its own right in 1986, buying the Toleman team. Gerhard Berger won the Mexican Grand Prix for the team in its first season, and Benetton was one of the few teams to challenge the dominant McLarens in 1988.
The 1989 season marked the start of a new era, with charismatic businessman Flavio Briatore joining the outfit. Despite possessing little knowledge of motorsport, the Italian made some smart decisions, forming technical partnerships with John Barnard and then Tom Walkinshaw. He also had a good eye for drivers, hiring Nelson Piquet, and then making strenuous efforts to secure the services of Michael Schumacher.
The young German was an inspired signing, and it was soon clear how talented he was. With the Benetton improving all the time it looked like it would finally become a regular winner.
The ultimate prize came in 1994, when Michael Schumacher took the drivers’ championship in the Ford V8-powered B194, a year filled with accusations of cheating and disqualifications. The German repeated the feat with Renault V10 power the following year, adding Benetton’s first constructors' championship for good measure. Schumacher was lured away by the money, prestige and challenge of driving for Ferrari.
Berger returned to the team for 1996, and was joined by long-time Ferrari team-mate Jean Alesi. The pair struggled in a team that had been focused for so long on Schumacher’s unique driving style, and for the first time since 1988 there were no Benetton victories.
There was little respite in 1997, during which the team struggled with an inconsistent chassis. Berger took an emotional win at Hockenheim a few days after his father’s death - also his comeback event after missing three races through illness. But, at the end of the year it was all change. Briatore, Berger and Alesi were out, replaced by Prodrive’s Dave Richards, Giancarlo Fisichella and Alex Wurz.
The two hard-charging young drivers impressed everyone, but made mistakes and struggled with a car that seemed not to suit Bridegstone's development rubber. Richards looked set to rescue the team with some ambitious plans for the future, but the Benetton family objected to his ideas and he left the outfit. He was replaced by Rocco Benetton.
The 1999 car once again failed to live up to expectations, despite the radical ‘Front-Torque-Transfer’ system. This development did not find favour, and failed to see out the season. Early season consistency from Fisichella faltered halfway through the year, and Wurz never got into his stride. The glory years of 1994-95 now seem a long time ago, and the announcement that the team is to be sold to Renault surprised few.
The increased morale should give the team a boost, as will the possibility of greater development on the Renault designed engines. The return of Briatore in a team management role caused more raised eyebrows, and many are curious to see if the Italian can have as big an impact as he did in 1989.
2000 Result - Fourth in Constructors' Championship, 20 points, no wins.
2001 Line-up - Jenson Button, Giancarlo Fisichella