Celebrity news is not normally my thing, but I like “Saturday Kitchen” and I like F1 cars (you may have noticed) so this story squeaks in. TV chef James Martin is to indulge his passion for cars by driving a 1996 Benetton B196 in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix next year. The event for historic … Continue reading Celebrity chef to drive 1996 Benetton B196 at Monte-Carlo (Pictures)
Benetton articles archive
Benetton
Jenson Button’s career in video (Part 1)
Posted onF1 Fanatic guest writer Journeyer takes a look at some early video of Jenson Button in karts and F3 – and his debut in Formula 1. It may be June rather than July, but it’s still Silverstone, and it’s the British Grand Prix! And everyone’s attention will be on one man: Jenson Button. With a … Continue reading Jenson Button’s career in video (Part 1)
Michael Schumacher vs Adrian Newey, 1991-2008 (F1 in numbers)
Posted onMichael Schumacher?s biggest rival was not a driver but a designer: Adrian Newey. So said K last week in the comments on an article about which driver won the most races. Journeyer suggested a graph showing how the seven-times world champion compared with the man who designed title-winners for McLaren and Williams.
Kubica, Schumacher and Hamilton: Why they are ‘the ones who got away’
Posted onRobert Kubica scored his maiden Grand Prix win for BMW this weekend. But if someone at Renault had been paying better attention four years ago he could have been driving for them instead. He’s not the only top driver to have slipped through the fingers of a top team early in his career. For a … Continue reading Kubica, Schumacher and Hamilton: Why they are ‘the ones who got away’
Max Mosley accused of helping Michael Schumacher win 1994 championship
Posted onMax Mosley has been accused of helping Michael Schumacher win the 1994 world championship by advising his Benetton team on how to handle a dispute with the FIA. Benetton were investigated by the FIA following the fuel rig fire that engulfed Schumacher’s team mate Jos Verstappen’s car in the German Grand Prix. The FIA accused … Continue reading Max Mosley accused of helping Michael Schumacher win 1994 championship
Which Schumacher title was the best?
Posted onMichael Schumacher was back at the wheel of an F1 car this week. But sadly it seems we will not see him return to the track to take on Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, and square up against new talent like Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica. He’s probably done enough winning in F1 and that … Continue reading Which Schumacher title was the best?
Giancarlo Fisichella: the driver debates
Posted onIn the first driver debate we looked at Adrian Sutil. Today it’s the turn of his vastly more experienced team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. The 35 year-old Italian will be present at his 200th Grand Prix in Spain in two weeks’ time. How do you rate his career?
Wurz to retire from F1
Posted onAlexander Wurz will retire from F1 at the end of the year. The Austrian’s future at Williams has been under doubt as he has struggled to match team mate Nico Rosberg’s pace. He made the decision to retire following the Canadian Grand Prix, where he finished third.
Debate: End of the line for Fisichella?
Posted onWhat next for Giancarlo Fisichella? The man who was once considered the most promising talent not to have a front-line seat has conspicuously failed to deliver since arriving at Renault in 2005. He’s lagging behind his junior team mate in the world championship standings and the team has not yet confirmed his position for next … Continue reading Debate: End of the line for Fisichella?
The feeder formula champions (p2/4)
Posted onGP2 is the ultimate category for young drivers looking to get into F1 – and before that was F3000. But no driver that won the F3000 or GP2 championship has then won the F1 title. In this four part series we take a look at the 22 champions – and what became of their F1 … Continue reading The feeder formula champions (p2/4)
The feeder formula champions (p1/4)
Posted onFormula 3000 and lately GP2 have been pushing young driver towards F1 for over two decades. And yet no F3000 or GP2 champion has ever gone on to win the sport’s ultimate prize – the Formula 1 World Championship. In this four part series we take a look at the 22 champions – and what … Continue reading The feeder formula champions (p1/4)
Debate: Is it all over for Button?
Posted onNigel Mansell has criticised fellow Briton Jenson Button, saying he’s wasted his F1 opportunity: Jenson should have won more races, he has under-performed and that is down to him. He had the opportunity and he didn’t take it – there won’t be any more. Do you agree with the 1992 world champion? Or are Button’s … Continue reading Debate: Is it all over for Button?
Top ten… Minardi heroes
Posted onWatching Markus Winkelhock lead his first ever Grand Prix having qualified his un-competitive Spyker at the back of the grid had me reminiscing about backmarker heroes Minardi. The Italian team became cult heroes during their two decades in Formula 1. They were often the first to get lapped, but they also made some giant-killing performances … Continue reading Top ten… Minardi heroes
1992 British Grand Prix flashback
Posted onWe’ve been promised Lewis-mania for Sunday. Britain’s prodigious F1 star has his homecoming before tens and thousands of enraptured fans. The Silverstone crowd knows how to get behind a heroic home driver – none more so than Nigel Mansell. He held the crowd in the palm of his hand every time he went there after … Continue reading 1992 British Grand Prix flashback
Grand Prix flashback: France 1988
Posted onThe inter-McLaren battle between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton is already being compared to the great McLaren rivalry of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Hamilton is cast in the role of new boy Senna – Alonso is a two times champion just as Prost was in 1988. But at that year’s French Grand Prix Prost … Continue reading Grand Prix flashback: France 1988
Debate: Are 2007 F1 cars ugly?
Posted onEvery F1 car is an exercise in function over form. But sometimes the by-product of ultimate speed is automotive beauty. Most F1 fans can reel off a list of the F1 cars they found the most attractive. Today’s cars are distinctive for being peculiarly narrow – as demanded by the regulations – and bristling with … Continue reading Debate: Are 2007 F1 cars ugly?
Spanish Grand Prix 2007 preview
Posted onIf Bernie Ecclestone thought no-one would notice that he left a San Marino-sized hole in the 2007 calendar, he was wrong. The championship may have got off to a sparkling start with three different winners, three different championship leaders, and the magnificent debut performances of Lewis Hamilton, but all that momentum has dissipated in the … Continue reading Spanish Grand Prix 2007 preview
Banned! Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Posted onWilliams unleashed one of the greatest technological blows the sport has ever seen in 1992 when their computer-controlled active suspension FW14B stormed the championship. The technological onslaught continued in 1993 as traction control and anti-lock braking became commonplace and Williams’ rivals up and down the pit lane grappled with active suspension. Astonishingly even as the … Continue reading Banned! Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
The Ben Evans column: Malaysia’s winners and losers
Posted onWe’re two Grands Prix into 2007 and already a fantastic four way battle for supremacy is shaping up. However, this is yet to translate itself into a decent race. Unlike Melbourne the Sepang race was highly watchable, but aside from the opening exchanges between Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton it was hardly exciting. The bulk … Continue reading The Ben Evans column: Malaysia’s winners and losers
F1 2007 Preview: The defecting champion
Posted onFormula 1 in 2007 is all about change – and the change that I find most fascinating of all is Fernando Alonso’s defection to McLaren. It’s a very rare thing indeed to see a reigning champion switch teams. In the last three decades Alonso is only the fifth champion to make such a change. The … Continue reading F1 2007 Preview: The defecting champion