History behind the Benetton F1 cars

[daygoVR6]

For most F1 fans you know who Michael Schumacer is. What some of you don't know is he first got his claim to fame by driving for the Benetton Ford team in the early 90s. At the time their front end aero package on the Benetton's is dam near the same of what is used today

The first Benetton's looked like these

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/firstone.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/b188front.jpg

Benetton then moved onto these - which at the time was a favorite of mine back when they signed Schumacer and he dominated the class.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/B192front.jpg

Look closely at the knose of these as the front wing actually would pull down on the front instead of push on it like the older chassis

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/fronttofront.jpg

Schumacer stuck with the team for another couple of seasons and Benetton changed their car colors to the new blue and white and dropped off the yellow and green all together

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/F1_Schumacher_Spa_1994_01.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/benetton.jpg

After Schumacer left in I think 2000 the rest is pretty much history as he went on to Ferrari. The aero packages all started looking the same as teams adapted to what the Benetton team was doing.

Current Benetton car

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/benettonnew.jpg

Here is the current Williams BMW car (note the front end)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/williams.jpg

Mercedes / McLearn Team

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/mercedesf1.jpg

And here is Schumacer playing in the rain (i think this is the 03 or 04 car again note front end)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/ferrarif1.jpg


*photos found around the web

[daygoVR6]

Here is a couple of the Jaguar teams - again note the aero package on the nose of the car

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/jaguar.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/daygoVR6/F1%20photos/jaguaragain.jpg

[ncttrnl]

Is it just me or is that second pic a model?

[kooz]

Is it just me or is that second pic a model?
+1

I did a double take on that one too.

[daygoVR6]

ya its a model - diecast it looks like i wasn't able to find too many larger images of the cars ...most of the stuff i saw were like 100x250 or something like that ;)

[ReNNeN.CaRL]

nice pics brad.