1994 Formula One season

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1994 FIA Formula One World Championship season
1993	1995
Index: Races by country \| Races by season

The 1994 Formula One season was the 45th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 27, 1994, and ended on November 13 after sixteen races. It was one of the closest in history, and provided a season with many highs, lows, extremes, deaths, records and controversy.

Contents

1 Season summary
2 Drivers and constructors
3 Season review

3.1 Grands Prix
3.2 1994 Constructors Championship final standings
3.3 1994 Drivers Championship final standings

Season summary

At the start of the year, Williams were searching for their third straight drivers' and constructors' double with the assistance of star driver Ayrton Senna, recruited from McLaren to replace the retired reigning champion Alain Prost and 34 year old Damon Hill, entering his second year with the team. Benetton's hopes lay with young Michael Schumacher, and Ferrari had Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger as title contenders.

The first two races saw Senna take pole relatively comfortably, before being forced to retire at Brazil after spinning off and Aida due to a first-lap collision. Schumacher took comfortable wins, taking a lead in the championship. But what happened in the next race shook the Formula One racing world.

At San Marino, in Friday practice Rubens Barrichello's Jordan left the track on the high speed chicane called "Variante Bassa," giving the young Brazilian severe injuries. Swift action by F1 doctor Sid Watkins was all that prevented Barrichello swallowing his tongue. Then, on Saturday during qualifying, Roland Ratzenberger's car hit a wall at the fast Villeneuve corner, killing the Austrian on impact. Senna was so shaken by these events he considered retiring and not taking part, but he eventually decided that he should race. At the start, there were further complications, as JJ Lehto stalled his Benetton and was hit by Pedro Lamy, which caused the safety car to be deployed. After a six-lap safety car sequence, racing resumed, but just one lap the steering appeared to fail on Senna's car as he went through the fast left-hander of Tamburello and the Williams-Renault FW16 slammed head-on into a wall at 135mph. Senna died, according to sources, that night in hospital. A touching and chilling thing was later discovered about Senna's car – inside his FW16 a blood-soaked Austrian flag was found, that Senna had planned to use as a victory tribute in honour of Ratzenberger.

A shaken Formula one world moved on to Monaco, where Schumacher took a convincing win, his fourth in a row. In Spain, he looked on course for another, only for his car to jam in fifth gear and Hill to win instead. Schumacher, however, still nursed his car for many laps in one gear to finish second. For many, Schumacher's crushing dominance all but wrote off the chance of a competitive championship. This seemed so, until the FIA began what many viewed as political cleverness to tighten the championship.

At Silverstone Schumacher illegally overtook on the formation lap. He was given a stop-and-go penalty, which he decided to ignore as his team protested. For several laps, Schumacher refused to honour his penalty, which resulted in a black flag. He was stripped of his second place behind Hill, and banned for two races, pending an appeal.

Hill took advantage of this, cutting back at Schumacher's lead. However, neither drivers scored at the German Grand Prix, where Berger took Ferrari's first win since 1990. Schumacher, however, was at his best at the Hungarian Grand Prix and at Belgium, taking sensational victories. However, when the car was investigated after the Belgian GP, it was found that the bargeboards were outside of regulations, and Schumacher was disqualified from this second victory, and then missed the next two races as his appeal against the two-race ban imposed at Silverstone failed. Hill yet again took advantage of this, taking 20 points with two wins during his absence, giving Schumacher a lead of just one point. Schumacher won in Europe with Hill second, but Hill drove a superb race in Japan in torrential rain to win with Schumacher following him home. This kept the points margin between them at one point, so the F1 racing world prepared for a nailbating climax at Adelaide.

At Adelaide, Schumacher had one thing on his mind: aerodynamics. The angles of his front and rear wings were set to extremely low levels, giving a high straightline speed, but impaired cornering due to lack of downforce and therefore grip. This was in order to achieve a top speed comparable with the more powerful Williams-Renault. Nigel Mansell assisted at keeping Schumacher at bay for Williams by taking pole position, but he was eventually left behind in third after a poor start as the two title protagonists fought hard for the lead, and indeed, the title. Schumacher's extreme aerodynamic package began to unravel late in the race when his car ran wide and clipped a wall on the outside of a corner. Hill slipped through on the inside of the next corner, but Schumacher, upon regaining balance and control of the car, attempted to protect his line and had his car collide with Hill. Schumacher was out on the spot, but so was Hill in the pits, with broken suspension. Schumacher, at age 25 was Germany's first Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion, but under highly controversial circumstances. While Mansell took his 31st and final win of his career, the feeling lingers to this day that Schumacher's collision with Hill was far from a mistake, but rather an attempt to take his rival out. On the other hand Schumacher had nearly always beaten Hill in direct comparison and the disqualifications (such as in the Belgian GP) and bans for Schumacher have also been controversial.

Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1994 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Team Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre No Driver Test driver(s)
Rothmans Williams Renault Williams FW16
FW16B Renault RS6 3.5 V10 G 0 Damon Hill n/a
2 Ayrton Senna
David Coulthard
Nigel Mansell
Nokia Tyrrell Yamaha Tyrrell 023 Yamaha OX10B 3.5 V10 G 3 Ukyo Katayama n/a
4 Mark Blundell
Mild Seven Benetton Ford Benetton B194 Ford ECA Zetec-R 3.5 V8 G 5 Michael Schumacher n/a
5/6 JJ Lehto
6 Jos Verstappen
Johnny Herbert
Marlboro McLaren Peugeot McLaren MP4-9 Peugeot A6 3.5 V10 G 7 Martin Brundle n/a
Philippe Alliot
8 Mika Häkkinen
Footwork Ford Footwork FA15 Ford HBE7/8 3.5 V8 G 9 Christian Fittipaldi n/a
10 Gianni Morbidelli
Team Lotus Lotus 107C
109 Mugen Honda MF-351 HB 3.5 V10 G 11 Pedro Lamy n/a
Philippe Adams
Mika Salo
11/12 Alessandro Zanardi
12 Johnny Herbert
Total Jordan Hart Jordan 194 Hart 1035 3.5 V10 G 14 Rubens Barrichello n/a
15 Eddie Irvine
Aguri Suzuki
Andrea de Cesaris
Tourtel Larrousse F1 Larrousse LH94 Ford HBF7/8 3.5 V8 G 19 Olivier Beretta n/a
Philippe Alliot
Yannick Dalmas
Hideki Noda
20 Érik Comas
Jean-Denis Deletraz
Minardi Scuderia Italia Minardi M193
M194 Ford HBC7/8 3.5 V8 G 23 Pierluigi Martini n/a
24 Michele Alboreto
Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier JS41 Renault RS6 3.5 V10 G 25 Eric Bernard n/a
Johnny Herbert
Franck Lagorce
26 Olivier Panis
Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 412T1
412T1B Ferrari 043 3.5 V12 G 27 Jean Alesi n/a
Nicola Larini
28 Gerhard Berger
Sauber Mercedes Sauber C13 Mercedes-Benz 2175B 3.5 V10 G 29 Karl Wendlinger n/a
Andrea De Cesaris
Jyrki Järvilehto
30 Heinz-Harald Frentzen
MTV Simtek Ford Simtek S951 Ford HBD6 3.5 V8 G 31 David Brabham n/a
32 Roland Ratzenberger
Jean-Marc Gounon
Domenico Schiattarella
Taki Inoue
Ursus Pacific Grand Prix Pacific PR01 Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10 G 33 Paul Belmondo n/a
34 Bertrand Gachot

Team	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	No	Driver	Test driver(s)
Rothmans Williams Renault	Williams	FW16 FW16B	Renault RS6 3.5 V10	G	0	Damon Hill	n/a
2	Ayrton Senna
David Coulthard
Nigel Mansell
Nokia Tyrrell Yamaha	Tyrrell	023	Yamaha OX10B 3.5 V10	G	3	Ukyo Katayama	n/a
4	Mark Blundell
Mild Seven Benetton Ford	Benetton	B194	Ford ECA Zetec-R 3.5 V8	G	5	Michael Schumacher	n/a
5/6	JJ Lehto
6	Jos Verstappen
Johnny Herbert
Marlboro McLaren Peugeot	McLaren	MP4-9	Peugeot A6 3.5 V10	G	7	Martin Brundle	n/a
Philippe Alliot
8	Mika Häkkinen
Footwork Ford	Footwork	FA15	Ford HBE7/8 3.5 V8	G	9	Christian Fittipaldi	n/a
10	Gianni Morbidelli
Team Lotus	Lotus	107C 109	Mugen Honda MF-351 HB 3.5 V10	G	11	Pedro Lamy	n/a
Philippe Adams
Mika Salo
11/12	Alessandro Zanardi
12	Johnny Herbert
Total Jordan Hart	Jordan	194	Hart 1035 3.5 V10	G	14	Rubens Barrichello	n/a
15	Eddie Irvine
Aguri Suzuki
Andrea de Cesaris
Tourtel Larrousse F1	Larrousse	LH94	Ford HBF7/8 3.5 V8	G	19	Olivier Beretta	n/a
Philippe Alliot
Yannick Dalmas
Hideki Noda
20	Érik Comas
Jean-Denis Deletraz
Minardi Scuderia Italia	Minardi	M193 M194	Ford HBC7/8 3.5 V8	G	23	Pierluigi Martini	n/a
24	Michele Alboreto
Ligier Gitanes Blondes	Ligier	JS41	Renault RS6 3.5 V10	G	25	Eric Bernard	n/a
Johnny Herbert
Franck Lagorce
26	Olivier Panis
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	412T1 412T1B	Ferrari 043 3.5 V12	G	27	Jean Alesi	n/a
Nicola Larini
28	Gerhard Berger
Sauber Mercedes	Sauber	C13	Mercedes-Benz 2175B 3.5 V10	G	29	Karl Wendlinger	n/a
Andrea De Cesaris
Jyrki Järvilehto
30	Heinz-Harald Frentzen
MTV Simtek Ford	Simtek	S951	Ford HBD6 3.5 V8	G	31	David Brabham	n/a
32	Roland Ratzenberger
Jean-Marc Gounon
Domenico Schiattarella
Taki Inoue
Ursus Pacific Grand Prix	Pacific	PR01	Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10	G	33	Paul Belmondo	n/a
34	Bertrand Gachot

Season review

Grands Prix

Rnd	Race	Date	Location	Winning Driver	Winning Team	Report
1	Brazilian Grand Prix	March 27	Interlagos	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
2	Pacific Grand Prix	April 17	TI Circuit, Aida	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
3	San Marino Grand Prix	May 1	Imola	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
4	Monaco Grand Prix	May 15	Monaco	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
5	Spanish Grand Prix	May 29	Catalunya	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
6	Canadian Grand Prix	June 12	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
7	French Grand Prix	July 3	Magny-Cours	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
8	British Grand Prix	July 10	Silverstone	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
9	German Grand Prix	July 31	Hockenheimring	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	Report
10	Hungarian Grand Prix	August 14	Hungaroring	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
11	Belgian Grand Prix	August 28	Spa-Francorchamps	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
12	Italian Grand Prix	September 11	Monza	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
13	Portuguese Grand Prix	September 25	Estoril	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
14	European Grand Prix	October 16	Jerez	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
15	Japanese Grand Prix	November 6	Suzuka	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Report
16	Australian Grand Prix	November 13	Adelaide	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report

1994 Constructors Championship final standings

Pos	Team	Chassis	Tyre	Points	Wins	Podiums	Poles
1	Williams-Renault	FW16 FW16B	G	118	7	13	6
2	Benetton-Ford	B194	G	103	8	12	6
3	Ferrari	412T1 412T1B	G	71	1	11	3
4	McLaren-Peugeot	MP4/9	G	42		8
5	Jordan-Hart	194	G	28		1	1
6	Tyrrell-Yamaha	023	G	13		1
7	Ligier-Renault	JS41	G	13		2
8	Sauber-Mercedes	C13	G	12
9	Footwork-Ford	FA15	G	9
10	Minardi-Ford	M193 M194	G	5
11	Larrousse-Ford	LH94	G	2
12	Pacific-Ilmor	PR01	G
13	Lotus-Mugen-Honda	107C 109	G
14	Simtek-Ford	S951	G

1994 Drivers Championship final standings

Pos	Driver	BRA	PAC	SMR	MON	ESP	CAN	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	EUR	JPN	AUS	Points
1	M.Schumacher	1	1	1	1	2	1	1	DSQ	Ret	1	DSQ	Ex	Ex	1	2	Ret	92
2	Hill	2	Ret	6	Ret	1	2	2	1	8	2	1	1	1	2	1	Ret	91
3	Berger	Ret	2	Ret	3	Ret	4	3	Ret	1	12	Ret	2	Ret	5	Ret	2	41
4	Häkkinen	Ret	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	3	Ret		2	3	3	3	7	12	26
5	Alesi	3			5	4	3	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	3	6	24
6	Barrichello	4	3	DNQ	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	4	Ret	Ret	Ret	4	4	12	Ret	4	19
7	Brundle	Ret	Ret	8	2	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	5	6	Ret	Ret	3	16
8	Coulthard					Ret	5		5	Ret	Ret	4	6	2				14
9	Mansell							Ret							Ret	4	1	13
10	Verstappen	Ret	Ret					Ret	8	Ret	3	3	Ret	5	Ret			10
11	Panis	11	9	11	9	7	12	Ret	12	2	6	7	10		9	11	5	9
12	Blundell	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	3	10	10	Ret	Ret	5	5	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	Ret	8
13	Frentzen	Ret	5	7	DNQ	Ret	Ret	4	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	6	7	7
14	Larini		Ret	2														6
15	Fittipaldi	Ret	4	13	Ret	Ret	DSQ	8	9	4	14	Ret	Ret	8	17	8	8	6
16	Irvine	Ret				6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	Ret	7	4	5	Ret	6
17	Katayama	5	Ret	5	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	5
18	Bernard	Ret	10	12	Ret	8	13	Ret	13	3	10	10	7	10	18			4
19	Wendlinger	6	Ret	4	DNQ													4
19	de Cesaris			Ret	4		Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret			4
21	Martini	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	9	5	10	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	12	15	Ret	9	4
22	Morbidelli	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	6	Ret	9	11	Ret	Ret	3
23	Comas	9	6	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	6	8	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	9		2
24	JJ Lehto			Ret	7	Ret	6						9	Ret		Ret	10	1
25	Alboreto	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	9	Ret	13	14	Ret	Ret	1
26	Herbert	7	7	10	Ret	Ret	8	7	11	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	11	8	Ret	Ret	0
27	Beretta	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	7	9							0
28	Lamy	10	8	Ret	11													0
29	Gounon							9	16	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	15				0
30	Zanardi					9	15	Ret	Ret	Ret	13		Ret		16	13	Ret	0
31	Brabham	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	14	Ret	15	Ret	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	Ret	0
32	Salo															10	Ret	0
33	Ratzenberger	DNQ	11	DNS														0
33	Lagorce															Ret	11	0
35	Dalmas												Ret	14				0
36	Adams											Ret		16				0
37	Schiattarella														19		Ret	0
	Suzuki		Ret															0
	Senna	Ret	Ret	Ret														0
	Gachot	Ret	DNQ	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0
	Noda														Ret	Ret	Ret	0
	Deletraz																Ret	0
	Belmondo	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	Ret	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0
	Alliot										Ret	Ret						0
	Inoue															Ret		0
Pos	Driver	BRA	PAC	SMR	MON	ESP	CAN	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	EUR	JPN	AUS	Points

Colour	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	Finished, in points
Blue	Finished, no points
Purple	Did not finish (Ret)
Red	Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black	Disqualified (DSQ)
White	Did not start (DNS)
blank	Did not participate / excluded (Ex)

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