THAT WAS 1994
AYRTON SENNA’s death, Nigel Mansell’s return and the Schumacher era begins. Court cases, massive fines and driver bans. An FIA safety drive, knee-jerk reactions and the reintroduction of refuelling. Rumours, accusations and scapegoats. Drivers in comas, mechanics on fire and a wreckage in the crowd. Regulation changes, calendar changes and the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association’s renaissance. The death of Lotus. Debatable hi-tech software and debatable planks of wood. It’s all wrapped up by one of the most controversial title-deciders in Formula One history... through the tragedies, bickering and technical complexities, Formula One’s 1994 season was both one to forget and also utterly unforgettable.
In the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s the F1 world title usually passed between McLaren, Williams and Ferrari. Only in 1994-’95 did another team get a look-in. For a short period Benetton had everything in place. The colourful leadership of Flavio Briatore was balanced by the take-no-prisoners approach of Tom Walkinshaw.
The oft-maligned Scot’s contribution has been overlooked; it was he rather than Flavio who pulled all the key elements together to win.
It was Tom who gunned for Michael Schumacher’s services after the German’s impressive GP debut, and it was Tom who brought Ross Brawn with him
