Benetton

Interesting facts

The Benetton family bought the struggling Toleman team in 1985 and debuted as Benetton Formula at the 1986 Brazilian Grand Prix, running BMW engines. Michael Schumacher signed for Benetton in 1991 after just one race for Jordan, despite a legal dispute between the two teams over the move, and won his first world title with Benetton in 1994. At the 1994 season-ending Australian Grand Prix, Schumacher and title rival Damon Hill collided; both retired, but the outcome secured the championship for Schumacher. That same year, the FIA found illegal launch-control software in the B194's engine code, though it found no evidence the software had actually been used in races. During a pit stop at the German Grand Prix, fuel spilled onto Jos Verstappen's Benetton and ignited, setting the pit lane ablaze; Verstappen escaped with only minor burns. In 1995, Schumacher won his second title with Benetton, and the team also claimed the Constructors' Championship with 137 points. Renault bought Benetton in 2000; the team raced on under the Benetton name through 2001 before becoming the official Renault F1 Team in 2002. Benetton's Formula 1 history ran from 1986 to 2001, 16 seasons in total as an Italian team. Benetton won the Constructors' Championship once, in 1995. The team scored a total of 861.5 constructors' championship points.