Formula One - Through the Year's
1990's
The decade began with the separation of one of the sport's strongest ever driver line-ups as Prost left Senna at McLaren to join Ferrari. The pair continued to fight for supremacy both on and off the track, battling for wins while vying with each other to get the best seat at Williams as their technologically advanced cars moved back to the front. But everything was to change at Imola in 1994 in one of the most shocking weekends Formula One has ever seen! Improvements in safety had made the sport complacent and the tragic deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenburger, who both perished at San Marino, instigated fundamental change!.
For the 1990 season Berger lined up besides Senna at McLaren, and so began another bitter fight to the title with Prost and Senna. It was Senna who started the season in style at the US Grand Prix in Phoenix, Prost earned victory, and his first for Ferrari at Brazil, on Senna's home soil. At the final race of the season in Japan, it was Senna with the lead in the championship to Prost, as they both lined up on the front row of the grid, Senna had a poor start from pole on the dirty-side of the grid, which for some reason or another was switched a few hours before the race began!. So Prost on the racing-line got the better start, but Senna refused to concede as they raced towards the first corner, they collided taking them both out of the race, granting the title to Senna, some would say, what goes around comes around, others may say, revenge is sweet..
In the 1991 season reigning champion Senna was concerned by the pace of his new McLaren, but a great opening run put him in the driving seat early on. Senna took pole and victories in the first four races, but Piquet and Benetton broke the stranglehold in Canada. The Belgium Grand Prix at Spa saw the debut of Michael Schumacher driving for the new Jordan team, Schumacher then moved to the Benetton team and scored his first points with a 5th place finish in Italy. Senna won the title quite comfortably in his under-powered McLaren, he even handed victory to his team-mate Burger in the Japanese Grand Prix, and then went on to win a shortened race in terrible conditions in Australia.
In 1992 there was no stopping the dominant Williams cars this time, with some of the most technologically advanced equipment seen to date in the sport helping Mansell and Patrese to win after win! And while Senna battled hard for McLaren it was Schumacher who came closest to the leading Williams duo. In between the dominance of the Williams, Schumacher scored his maiden victory in Belgium by picking the right strategy in variable wet-dry conditions. Senna also dragged his seriously under-powered McLaren to victory at Monza. But little could be done about the dominance of the Williams team, Mansell went on to break the record number of wins in a single season, on the way to the Drivers World Championship title.
In 1993 Williams went on to be dominate, with Prost and Damon Hill teaming up as their driver line-up. Senna took the fight to his old rival in the Ford-powered McLaren after deciding to drive on a race-by-race basis. Prost won in San Marino, and in Spain, before Senna took his sixth Monaco win. Schumacher won in Portugal, but Prost finished close behind in second and, on winning the title, announced his retirement.
The 1994 season, for many of Formula One fan, is remembered as one of the most tragic of all-time!. Senna joined Williams to create one of the most hotly anticipated car-driver combinations, but a change in regulations meant the car suffered from a ban on driver aids. The sport was shocked when Roland Ratzenburger died after crashing in Saturday practice at the San Marino GP, then a failure on Senna's car, caused him to lose control at high speed and crash during the race, Schumacher drove on to victory, but then news came through that Ayrton Senna had sadly passed away. The incedent itself was quite shocking!. His car still travelling at very high speeds when it flew straight across the narrow run-off area and collided head-on into the safety barriers!. No one realised at first how serious the incedent was, but on reflection, the speed of impact and then the lack of movement from Senna's car after impact is distinctly upsetting! I remember watching the race live as a young lad of 14, and being totally shocked and traumatised by the whole thing.. The race and the season went on, ultimately Schumacher went on to claim his first Drivers World Championship when he collided into Damon Hill at the last race of the season with just one point between them, leaving the coast clear for Mansell to go on and score his final Formula One race victory.
For the 1990 season Berger lined up besides Senna at McLaren, and so began another bitter fight to the title with Prost and Senna. It was Senna who started the season in style at the US Grand Prix in Phoenix, Prost earned victory, and his first for Ferrari at Brazil, on Senna's home soil. At the final race of the season in Japan, it was Senna with the lead in the championship to Prost, as they both lined up on the front row of the grid, Senna had a poor start from pole on the dirty-side of the grid, which for some reason or another was switched a few hours before the race began!. So Prost on the racing-line got the better start, but Senna refused to concede as they raced towards the first corner, they collided taking them both out of the race, granting the title to Senna, some would say, what goes around comes around, others may say, revenge is sweet..
In the 1991 season reigning champion Senna was concerned by the pace of his new McLaren, but a great opening run put him in the driving seat early on. Senna took pole and victories in the first four races, but Piquet and Benetton broke the stranglehold in Canada. The Belgium Grand Prix at Spa saw the debut of Michael Schumacher driving for the new Jordan team, Schumacher then moved to the Benetton team and scored his first points with a 5th place finish in Italy. Senna won the title quite comfortably in his under-powered McLaren, he even handed victory to his team-mate Burger in the Japanese Grand Prix, and then went on to win a shortened race in terrible conditions in Australia.
In 1992 there was no stopping the dominant Williams cars this time, with some of the most technologically advanced equipment seen to date in the sport helping Mansell and Patrese to win after win! And while Senna battled hard for McLaren it was Schumacher who came closest to the leading Williams duo. In between the dominance of the Williams, Schumacher scored his maiden victory in Belgium by picking the right strategy in variable wet-dry conditions. Senna also dragged his seriously under-powered McLaren to victory at Monza. But little could be done about the dominance of the Williams team, Mansell went on to break the record number of wins in a single season, on the way to the Drivers World Championship title.
In 1993 Williams went on to be dominate, with Prost and Damon Hill teaming up as their driver line-up. Senna took the fight to his old rival in the Ford-powered McLaren after deciding to drive on a race-by-race basis. Prost won in San Marino, and in Spain, before Senna took his sixth Monaco win. Schumacher won in Portugal, but Prost finished close behind in second and, on winning the title, announced his retirement.
The 1994 season, for many of Formula One fan, is remembered as one of the most tragic of all-time!. Senna joined Williams to create one of the most hotly anticipated car-driver combinations, but a change in regulations meant the car suffered from a ban on driver aids. The sport was shocked when Roland Ratzenburger died after crashing in Saturday practice at the San Marino GP, then a failure on Senna's car, caused him to lose control at high speed and crash during the race, Schumacher drove on to victory, but then news came through that Ayrton Senna had sadly passed away. The incedent itself was quite shocking!. His car still travelling at very high speeds when it flew straight across the narrow run-off area and collided head-on into the safety barriers!. No one realised at first how serious the incedent was, but on reflection, the speed of impact and then the lack of movement from Senna's car after impact is distinctly upsetting! I remember watching the race live as a young lad of 14, and being totally shocked and traumatised by the whole thing.. The race and the season went on, ultimately Schumacher went on to claim his first Drivers World Championship when he collided into Damon Hill at the last race of the season with just one point between them, leaving the coast clear for Mansell to go on and score his final Formula One race victory.
For the 1995 season the FIA introduced safety improvements to cars after the tragic events of the season before, including reducing engine capacity to 3-litres and raising ride height with a stepped bottom, but the Williams-Renault cars remained the class of the field. Hill started the season strongly, as did Schumacher, and soon enough it looked like another 2-way fight for the title.. But reliability became a huge issue for Hill and the Williams team, with both cars frequently suffering from various retirements. The season also saw Nigel Mansell retire from Formula One mid-season, after a disastrous start with McLaren. Schumacher went on to win his 2nd Drivers Championship at Japan, with Hill winning the final race of the season at Australia two laps ahead of the rest of the field, as a consolation prize.
The 1996 season saw Schumacher switch to Ferrari, as he and Eddie Irvine replaced Benetton-bound Berger and Alesi. It took time for the gifted German to move the struggling team to the front of the pack, which left Damon Hill to have season long battle with team mate Jacques Villeneuve for the title. It was in Japan where Hill took the chequered flag for victory and secure his one and only Formula One Drivers World Championship.
In 1997, champion Hill was let-go by Williams, as they welcomed Heinz-Harald Frentzen, so the Brit decided to take a gamble and join Arrows-Yamaha. Villeneuve took control early on in the season, but Ferrari were becoming a force and Schumacher took a 'do or die' approach as the title went down to the wire. Schumacher dominated the Monaco GP in the wet as the Williams and McLaren cars crashed out. He then went on to win Canada to edge closer to Villeneuve. Then wins in Austria and Luxembourg put Villeneuve closer to the title, but disqualification for passing under waved yellows in Japan saw Schumacher win and move ahead in this close enthralling title race. Then came the European Grand Prix, and utter-controversy as on lap 48, Schumacher, seemingly off the pace, turns into Villeneuve causing a collision, taking the two out. Ultimately Schumacher was disqualified from the 1997 World Championship and Villeneuve raced on to claim the title.
The 1998 season saw the cars narrowed and grooved tyres were introduced to reduce the ever increasing speeds of Formula One. It was Ferrari and McLaren that early on, stated their intentions on claiming the title, as these two giant teams locked horns once again. It eventually all came down to the last race of the season at Suzuka, Japan, were McLaren's Mika Hakkinen held a 4 point advantage over Ferrari rival Schumacher, Hakkinen went on to win the race and claim the title after Schumacher had a disastrous race, after stalling on the grid, dropping to the back of the field, only to fight his way back through the pack to suffer a race ending tyre blow-out!.
The 1999 season saw the famous Ferrari vs McLaren battles continue, but mid-season disaster for Schumacher left Irvine taking Ferrari's charge to the wire. It was at Silverstone were Schumacher lost control, and suffered a leg-breaking crash that put him out for six races. Frentzen won for the Jordan team at Monday in Italy, then Jonny Herbert took Stewart's first victory in a wet European Grand Prix. Schumacher returned for the new Malaysian GP, and fended off Hakkinen as Irvine led. Ferrari 1-2. So the title, yet again was to be decided at Suzuka in Japan, this time between McLarens Mika Hakkinen and unlikely Ferrari hero Eddie Irvine. It was Hakkinen who took the title with the win, as Irvine could only manage 3rd, nevertheless, Ferrari were the Constructors Champions as Formula One headed to a new era.
In 1997, champion Hill was let-go by Williams, as they welcomed Heinz-Harald Frentzen, so the Brit decided to take a gamble and join Arrows-Yamaha. Villeneuve took control early on in the season, but Ferrari were becoming a force and Schumacher took a 'do or die' approach as the title went down to the wire. Schumacher dominated the Monaco GP in the wet as the Williams and McLaren cars crashed out. He then went on to win Canada to edge closer to Villeneuve. Then wins in Austria and Luxembourg put Villeneuve closer to the title, but disqualification for passing under waved yellows in Japan saw Schumacher win and move ahead in this close enthralling title race. Then came the European Grand Prix, and utter-controversy as on lap 48, Schumacher, seemingly off the pace, turns into Villeneuve causing a collision, taking the two out. Ultimately Schumacher was disqualified from the 1997 World Championship and Villeneuve raced on to claim the title.
The 1998 season saw the cars narrowed and grooved tyres were introduced to reduce the ever increasing speeds of Formula One. It was Ferrari and McLaren that early on, stated their intentions on claiming the title, as these two giant teams locked horns once again. It eventually all came down to the last race of the season at Suzuka, Japan, were McLaren's Mika Hakkinen held a 4 point advantage over Ferrari rival Schumacher, Hakkinen went on to win the race and claim the title after Schumacher had a disastrous race, after stalling on the grid, dropping to the back of the field, only to fight his way back through the pack to suffer a race ending tyre blow-out!.
The 1999 season saw the famous Ferrari vs McLaren battles continue, but mid-season disaster for Schumacher left Irvine taking Ferrari's charge to the wire. It was at Silverstone were Schumacher lost control, and suffered a leg-breaking crash that put him out for six races. Frentzen won for the Jordan team at Monday in Italy, then Jonny Herbert took Stewart's first victory in a wet European Grand Prix. Schumacher returned for the new Malaysian GP, and fended off Hakkinen as Irvine led. Ferrari 1-2. So the title, yet again was to be decided at Suzuka in Japan, this time between McLarens Mika Hakkinen and unlikely Ferrari hero Eddie Irvine. It was Hakkinen who took the title with the win, as Irvine could only manage 3rd, nevertheless, Ferrari were the Constructors Champions as Formula One headed to a new era.
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