ITALIAN FASHION HOUSE Benetton was officially a Formula 1 constructor for 16 years between 1986 and 2001 – although it actually bought Toleman in the spring of 1985 and sold the team to Renault in March 2000. During those years a host of big-name racing drivers passed through Team Witney/Team Enstone (from 1993). Some were on the way up… others were heading in the other direction. Here, we name and rate our best 10.
It’s worth noting that we’ve only taken their performances into account from their Benetton years – hence no Jenson Button thanks to his horrendous single Benetton season in 2001. Likewise, Riccardo Patrese in 1993. And given the dearth of victories – the team only scored 27, most of them by a certain chap from Kerpen – we’ve listed podiums too. But again, only those scored in Benettons.
10 TEO FABI
Benetton years: 1986-87
Benetton starts 32
Benetton wins 0
Benetton poles 2
Benetton podiums 1
Unofficially Benetton’s first F1 driver, if you count 1985 (which team members do even if the record books don’t). If 1985 was counted, the stat would read three pole positions thanks to Fabi’s rain-affected effort at the Nurburgring, where he crashed on the wet Saturday, headbutted the steering wheel and likely had a concussion when he took the start.
Ferociously fast over one lap, Fabi contrived never to lead a lap of a grand prix despite his three poles. Those with Benetton proper came at the Osterreichring and Monza in 1986 with the near-megawatt BMW turbo.
“I loved Teo, super guy, lovely bloke,” says Pat Symonds, his engineer.
“An extraordinary driver with an amazing ability, particularly on a fast circuit. In fast corners there was no one like him, which is why he was so good at Indy [he took pole at the 500 in 1983]. He was so smooth.
