Allegations of cheating in the 1994 Formula One season
Encyclopedia
The 1994 Formula One cheating controversy was a series of allegations of cheating in the 1994 Formula One season
. The cheating allegation went on several Formula One team on that time; one of the main allegations surrounded the Benetton
team. The team were alleged to have been using illegal software to their advantage in races; however, this could not be sufficiently proven by the FIA. There were also incidents involving other teams within the sport, most notably Ferrari
and McLaren.
Allegations of cheating were suspected throughout the early stages of the 1994 season, with Ayrton Senna
suspicious that the Benetton car was illegal. After the deaths of Senna and Roland Ratzenberger
at the San Marino Grand Prix
, several technical changes were made to the cars to make them safer to drive. Cheating allegations reignited in the summer of 1994, after a refuelling fire on Jos Verstappen
's Benetton car at the German Grand Prix
. After an investigation by Intertechnique at Benetton's team factory, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(FIA) revealed that the team had been using an illegal fuel valve
, without a fuel filter
, that pumped fuel into the car 12.5% faster than a normal, legal fuel valve that had a filter.
were announced at the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix
. One of the major announcements was that electronic aids were to be banned from Formula One, which included power brakes and the traction control system
. Also banned for the 1994 season was the use of ABS
and active suspension
. This was done as there were fears that electronic aid systems were levelling the field up, putting more emphasis on the car rather than the driver talent. Some spoke out against traction control, including Ayrton Senna
, who said he preferred to have more control of the car instead of having the computers drive it for him. Max Mosley
, the president of Formula One's governing body
, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(FIA) spoke out in favour of banning traction control, saying that the systems "could be extremely dangerous and unpredictable". Around the same time as the announcement regarding the technical regulations for the 1994 season, many in the sport were questioning the legality of active suspension, which was a key factor for it to be banned for 1994. Some in the paddock
regarded the decision as an attempt to restrict Williams
, as the team held a strong advantage with its active suspension system and other driver aids. The unraced concept of continuously variable transmission
(CVT) was also banned, but it was well known that Williams had spent several years developing and testing such a system, which threatened to further increase its cars' advantage if introduced. Behind the scenes at Williams they considered the timing of the announcement by Technical Delegate Charlie Whiting
as "regrettable", with some questioning if Nigel Mansell
's 1992 Drivers' Championship
victory would still be regarded as valid. Also introduced for the 1994 season was refuelling during races
, for the first time since . As a result, all team personnel working on the car during pit stop
s had to wear fire-protective clothing as a safety precaution. The FIA changed the rules to spice up the sport partially due to declining television ratings from the 1993 season
compared to the 1992 season
. It was also suggested that the rule changes could benefit the Ferrari
team, as the outfit had struggled with the introduction of its driver aids, and stood to gain from the re-introduction of refuelling due to its V12 engine
configuration, which was less fuel-efficient than the V10s
and V8s
built by its rivals.
. On lap 21 of the race, Senna in the Williams who was leading the race, made a pit stop, with Michael Schumacher
in the Benetton close behind. The Benetton pitcrew made a very quick stop for Schumacher, getting him out in front of Senna to lead the race. Schumacher went on to win the Grand Prix after Senna spun out of the race. This sparked speculation that Benetton were using a system to make quicker pit stops than their rivals.
During the weekend of the Pacific Grand Prix
in April, Ferrari test driver Nicola Larini
(who had replaced Jean Alesi
for the early part of the season), leaked to the Italian media that he had used traction control during the practice session for the race. Ferrari and Larini later denied the claims to the worldwide press. The "leak" by Larini further raised suspicions about teams using illegal aids to help them in races. Senna retired on the first lap of the race after a collision with McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen
. Instead of going back to the Williams pit area, Senna opted to stand and watch the cars complete the race to see if he could hear any noises that suggested traction control was being used illegally in the other cars. Senna returned to the Williams pit area after the race suspicious that the Benetton car was illegal.
, both Senna
and Roland Ratzenberger
suffered fatal accidents. After the race weekend, the FIA asked the teams that finished first, second and third in the race (Benetton, Ferrari and McLaren respectively) to provide copies of their engine management system
source code
to see if an undetected traction control system was stored in there to gain an illegal advantage. Ferrari supplied the code immediately, but McLaren and Benetton only handed over the code after the FIA's deadline, for which they were fined $100,000.,
Several technical rule changes were announced by the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix
to help improve the safety of the cars. Downforce
on the cars was reduced with the diffuser
restricted to help reduce the amount of grip available. In between the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix
, the teams tried out the revised cars in test sessions throughout the week. Several teams experienced problems with their revised cars; Ligier suffered two cracked wing mountings, while Williams noted a cracked mounting during testing at Jerez
. The biggest incident to note was that of Pedro Lamy
in a Lotus
car at the Silverstone Circuit
. While approaching the Bridge corner on the circuit, the rear wing
on the Lotus detached itself leading to a sudden loss of downforce
. The Lotus cartwheeled off the circuit at 170 mph (76 m/s), flying through a protective fence, landing in a spectator access tunnel
. Lamy was hospitalised as a result of the accident. In the week leading up to the Spanish race, Benetton team boss Flavio Briatore
criticised the FIA, accusing the president Max Mosley of making "ill-considered, snap decisions" and that some of the components on the Benetton car may not have been subjected to quality control
checks. In a letter sent to Mosley on May 25, Briatore also said:
The Benetton team, along with Williams, McLaren, Lotus, Pacific
, Simtek
, Jordan
, Footwork Arrows
and Ligier debated the issue in the Williams motorhome
to discuss the technical regulations. More changes came into force for the Canadian
and German
races, with the introductions of "pump fuel" (more closely related to commercially available fuel, slightly reducing horsepower and engine performance) and the "plank" (a piece of wood running along the underside of the chassis that is monitored for excessive wear, increasing ride height and thus decreasing grip).
, when, starting from third on the grid Schumacher overtook both of the Williams drivers, Damon Hill
and Nigel Mansell
, leading into the first corner of the race. This raised suspicions, once again, that Benetton were using traction control. While commentating on the race for Eurosport
with John Watson
and Allard Kalff, Williams driver David Coulthard
, who was replaced by Mansell for the race, stated that Schumacher's start reminded him of the type of starts from the 1993 season when traction control was legal. Hill was on pole position
for the British Grand Prix
after qualifying fastest. During the parade lap
on the way to the starting grid, Schumacher, starting second, illegally overtook Hill. As a result of his illegal maneuver, Schumacher was given a five-second penalty at 14:27 local time
, 27 minutes after the original incident. Schumacher never came into the pit lane
to serve the penalty when originally given the penalty, and on lap 21, Schumacher was given the black flag. Schumacher stayed out on the circuit while Benetton team boss Briatore, along with Benetton technical director
Tom Walkinshaw
went to discuss it with Race Director Roland Bruynseraede
, arguing that they had not been properly informed of the punishment given. Schumacher eventually served the time penalty on lap 27, finishing the race in second position behind Hill.
After the British Grand Prix, Schumacher and Benetton were fined $
25,000 for breaching the sporting regulations, with the FIA choosing to open an investigation surrounding the events at the race. Joan Villadelprat, Benetton's team manager, stated that although they made a mistake at the race, the race stewards also made a mistake as Benetton were not notified within 15 minutes of the offence as specified by the regulations. It took 27 minutes for the decision of the stewards to reach Benetton.
The German Grand Prix brought up more controversy leading to further allegations of cheating by Benetton. During a pit stop, the Benetton car of Jos Verstappen
was set on fire during refuelling as the fuel nozzle
would not enter the car properly. Verstappen suffered minor burns, with four of the Benetton mechanics also burned. Intertechnique, the company which manufactures the refuelling equipment for all the teams, were delegated by the governing body to examine the Benetton factory shortly after the German race. After Intertechnique examined the factory, a statement was released by the FIA. In the statement, the FIA said that "the[ fuel] valve was slow to close because of the presence of a foreign body" and that a filter designed to eliminate any possible risk of fire had been removed. An estimate by an outside party stated that the without the filter, fuel flowed into the car at 12.5% faster than usual, saving one second per pit stop. Benetton issued a press release shortly after, announcing that they had contacted an "independent company specialising in accident investigation" to give opinions on the refuelling method. They also announced that a copy of the FIA report had been sent to Mariott Harrison, their legal advisers. The FIA announced, as a result of their findings, that Benetton would be summoned to a World Motor Sport Council meeting on October 19. On August 11, three days before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Intertechnique representatives said that no request had been sent from Benetton to remove the filter from the nozzle and that they would never authorise Benetton to remove the nozzle. Benetton made a press release on August 13, stating that there was a fault in the equipment provided by Intertechnique.
Before Schumacher's appeal from his disqualification at the British Grand Prix, he was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix
as his Benetton had excessive wear of the plank. The FIA allowed the plank to be ten millimetres deep, with an allowance of one millimetre meaning that the plank must be a minimum of nine millimetres to be deemed legal. A majority of the plank on Schumacher's car measured 7.4 millimetres, 1.6 under the legal tolerance. Benetton, along with Schumacher, claimed that the plank had excessive wear due to a spin by Schumacher during the race. Benetton launched an immediate appeal, with a World Motor Sport Council meeting set for September 5. The allegations of Benetton cheating throughout the summer of 1994 led to rumours of Schumacher quitting the team. The team released a statement denying the rumours, stating that Schumacher would complete the season.
meeting on July 26 to discuss his black flag at the British Grand Prix. It was announced at the meeting that Schumacher was disqualified from the race, thus losing his six points he earned from finishing second in the race, and in addition he was handed a two race ban. This meant Schumacher would miss his home race, the German Grand Prix, along with the Hungarian Grand Prix
, unless Schumacher chose to appeal the decision. In addition to the punishment handed to Schumacher, Benetton were fined a total of $600,000—$500,000 for not listening to the Stewards' at the British race, and $100,000 for not sending copies of their engine management system when immediately requested. At the council meeting, the governing body also announced that no evidence had been found to suggest Benetton were using illegal electronic systems, but did say that an illegal system did exist, which could be activated at any time. Benetton and Schumacher appealed the decision made by the FIA, allowing the German to race at his home Grand Prix.
Schumacher's appeal regarding the two race ban was rejected at the FIA International Court of Appeal, with the FIA opting to keep his two race ban intact, meaning he would miss the Italian
and Portuguese
races. JJ Lehto replaced Schumacher for the two races.
The World Motor Sport Council hearing surrounding Benetton and the fuel fire at Hockenheim was brought forward to September 7, with the disqualification of Schumacher at the Belgian Grand Prix also moved to the same day. The night before the hearing, however, the FIA were informed by Larrousse
, one of the other teams competing in the championship, that they were informed by Intertechnique in May to remove the filter from the refuelling rig, a point Flavio Briatore made in prior meetings that all but four teams had removed the filter. The FIA in the hearing judged that Benetton had not tried to cheat by removing the filter from the refuelling rig, but the governing body did say that the team removed it without authorisation from Intertechnique to try to gain an advantage. Thus the team were found guilty of the offence, but escaped punishment due to this valid plea in mitigation. Schumacher's appeal against his disqualification at the Belgian Grand Prix, however, was rejected by the FIA. After the hearing, Benetton released a statement which said:
At the same hearing, the McLaren team was found to be in breach of the technical regulations, specifically over a fully automated gearbox upchange device in the transmission system that was confirmed to have been run in Mika Häkkinen
's car during the San Marino Grand Prix. The FIA's discovery of this device occurred when McLaren test driver Philippe Alliot
, who had taken a race seat at Larrousse mid-season, commented on the fact that the cars of his new team did not possess such a facility. The system was found to contravene the regulations and was duly banned—as was the potential of an automated downchange facility—but McLaren went unpunished, as the FIA was satisfied that the team believed it to be legal when fitting it to the car under its interpretation of the regulations.
1994 Formula One season
The 1994 Formula One season was the 45th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1994 FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on March 27, 1994, and ended on November 13 after sixteen races. The season is remembered as one of the most tragic and controversial seasons in...
. The cheating allegation went on several Formula One team on that time; one of the main allegations surrounded the Benetton
Benetton Formula
Benetton Formula Ltd., commonly referred to simply as Benetton, was a Formula One constructor that participated from to . The team was owned by the Benetton family who run a worldwide chain of clothing stores of the same name. In 2000 the team was purchased by Renault, but competed as Benetton for...
team. The team were alleged to have been using illegal software to their advantage in races; however, this could not be sufficiently proven by the FIA. There were also incidents involving other teams within the sport, most notably Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
and McLaren.
Allegations of cheating were suspected throughout the early stages of the 1994 season, with Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
suspicious that the Benetton car was illegal. After the deaths of Senna and Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who raced in Formula Nippon, Formula 3000 and Formula One...
at the San Marino Grand Prix
1994 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1, 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season...
, several technical changes were made to the cars to make them safer to drive. Cheating allegations reignited in the summer of 1994, after a refuelling fire on Jos Verstappen
Jos Verstappen
Johannes Franciscus "Jos" Verstappen nicknamed "Jos the Boss" is a Dutch racing driver. He is the most successful Dutch Formula One driver, and has also won races in A1 Grand Prix and Le Mans Series LMP2 races...
's Benetton car at the German Grand Prix
1994 German Grand Prix
The 1994 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 31, 1994 at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheim. It was the ninth race of the 1994 Formula One season....
. After an investigation by Intertechnique at Benetton's team factory, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(FIA) revealed that the team had been using an illegal fuel valve
Valve
A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...
, without a fuel filter
Fuel filter
A fuel filter is a filter in the fuel line that screens out dirt and rust particles from the fuel, normally made into cartridges containing a filter paper. They are found in most internal combustion engines....
, that pumped fuel into the car 12.5% faster than a normal, legal fuel valve that had a filter.
Background
The technical regulations for the 1994 Formula One season1994 Formula One season
The 1994 Formula One season was the 45th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1994 FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on March 27, 1994, and ended on November 13 after sixteen races. The season is remembered as one of the most tragic and controversial seasons in...
were announced at the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix
1993 Canadian Grand Prix
The 1993 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 13, 1993. It was the seventh round of the 1993 Formula One season.- Qualifying :...
. One of the major announcements was that electronic aids were to be banned from Formula One, which included power brakes and the traction control system
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
. Also banned for the 1994 season was the use of ABS
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
and active suspension
Active suspension
Active or adaptive suspension is an automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the wheels with an onboard system rather than the movement being determined entirely by the road surface...
. This was done as there were fears that electronic aid systems were levelling the field up, putting more emphasis on the car rather than the driver talent. Some spoke out against traction control, including Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
, who said he preferred to have more control of the car instead of having the computers drive it for him. Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
, the president of Formula One's governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(FIA) spoke out in favour of banning traction control, saying that the systems "could be extremely dangerous and unpredictable". Around the same time as the announcement regarding the technical regulations for the 1994 season, many in the sport were questioning the legality of active suspension, which was a key factor for it to be banned for 1994. Some in the paddock
Paddock
A Paddock is an enclosure for horses. It may also refer to: People*Algernon Paddock , American politician*Charlie Paddock , American athlete and actor*Del Paddock , American baseball player...
regarded the decision as an attempt to restrict Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
, as the team held a strong advantage with its active suspension system and other driver aids. The unraced concept of continuously variable transmission
Continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...
(CVT) was also banned, but it was well known that Williams had spent several years developing and testing such a system, which threatened to further increase its cars' advantage if introduced. Behind the scenes at Williams they considered the timing of the announcement by Technical Delegate Charlie Whiting
Charlie Whiting
Charlie Whiting is FIA Formula One Race Director, Safety Delegate, Permanent Starter and head of the F1 Technical Department, in which capacities he generally manages the logistics of each F1 Grand Prix, inspects cars in Parc fermé before a race, enforces FIA rules, and controls the lights which...
as "regrettable", with some questioning if Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
's 1992 Drivers' Championship
1992 Formula One season
The 1992 Formula One season was the 43rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 1, 1992, and ended on November 8 after sixteen races...
victory would still be regarded as valid. Also introduced for the 1994 season was refuelling during races
History of Formula One regulations
The regulations governing Formula One racing have changed many times throughout the history of the sport.Formula One's rules and regulations are set by the sport's governing body, the FIA. The primary reasons behind rule changes have traditionally been to do with safety...
, for the first time since . As a result, all team personnel working on the car during pit stop
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
s had to wear fire-protective clothing as a safety precaution. The FIA changed the rules to spice up the sport partially due to declining television ratings from the 1993 season
1993 Formula One season
The 1993 Formula One season was the 44th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 14, 1993 and ended on November 7 after sixteen races...
compared to the 1992 season
1992 Formula One season
The 1992 Formula One season was the 43rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 1, 1992, and ended on November 8 after sixteen races...
. It was also suggested that the rule changes could benefit the Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
team, as the outfit had struggled with the introduction of its driver aids, and stood to gain from the re-introduction of refuelling due to its V12 engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
configuration, which was less fuel-efficient than the V10s
V10 engine
A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion...
and V8s
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
built by its rivals.
Initial allegations
Cheating allegations were suspected almost immediately into the 1994 season at the Brazilian Grand Prix1994 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on March 27, 1994 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo. It was the first race of the 1994 Formula One season.- Pre-Race :...
. On lap 21 of the race, Senna in the Williams who was leading the race, made a pit stop, with Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
in the Benetton close behind. The Benetton pitcrew made a very quick stop for Schumacher, getting him out in front of Senna to lead the race. Schumacher went on to win the Grand Prix after Senna spun out of the race. This sparked speculation that Benetton were using a system to make quicker pit stops than their rivals.
During the weekend of the Pacific Grand Prix
1994 Pacific Grand Prix
The 1994 Pacific Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 17, 1994 at the TI Circuit, Aida. It was the second race of the 1994 Formula One season. Ayrton Senna started the race from his 64th pole position, but was overtaken by Schumacher before the first corner and was hit by Mika...
in April, Ferrari test driver Nicola Larini
Nicola Larini
Nicola Larini is a racing driver from Italy. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on September 6, 1987. He finished second in the tragic 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on a substitute outing for Ferrari, but only scored points once more in his career...
(who had replaced Jean Alesi
Jean Alesi
Jean Alesi is a French racing driver of Italian origin. His Formula One career included spells at Tyrrell, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan and most notably Ferrari where he proved very popular among the tifosi...
for the early part of the season), leaked to the Italian media that he had used traction control during the practice session for the race. Ferrari and Larini later denied the claims to the worldwide press. The "leak" by Larini further raised suspicions about teams using illegal aids to help them in races. Senna retired on the first lap of the race after a collision with McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen
Mika Häkkinen
Mika Pauli Häkkinen is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion...
. Instead of going back to the Williams pit area, Senna opted to stand and watch the cars complete the race to see if he could hear any noises that suggested traction control was being used illegally in the other cars. Senna returned to the Williams pit area after the race suspicious that the Benetton car was illegal.
Rule changes
At the San Marino Grand Prix1994 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1, 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season...
, both Senna
Death of Ayrton Senna
The death of three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna on May 1, 1994, occurred as a result of his car crashing into a concrete barrier while he was leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Italy. The previous day, Roland Ratzenberger had been killed...
and Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who raced in Formula Nippon, Formula 3000 and Formula One...
suffered fatal accidents. After the race weekend, the FIA asked the teams that finished first, second and third in the race (Benetton, Ferrari and McLaren respectively) to provide copies of their engine management system
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
to see if an undetected traction control system was stored in there to gain an illegal advantage. Ferrari supplied the code immediately, but McLaren and Benetton only handed over the code after the FIA's deadline, for which they were fined $100,000.,
Several technical rule changes were announced by the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix
1994 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1994 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 15, 1994 at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo. The race, which was the fourth race of the 1994 Formula One season, was won by Michael Schumacher and was the first race following the death of Ayrton Senna in San Marino.- Background...
to help improve the safety of the cars. Downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
on the cars was reduced with the diffuser
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
restricted to help reduce the amount of grip available. In between the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix
1994 Spanish Grand Prix
The 1994 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 29, 1994 at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. It was the 36th Spanish Grand Prix to be held since the first was held at Guadarrama in 1913. It was the fourth to be held at Circuit de Catalunya...
, the teams tried out the revised cars in test sessions throughout the week. Several teams experienced problems with their revised cars; Ligier suffered two cracked wing mountings, while Williams noted a cracked mounting during testing at Jerez
Circuito Permanente de Jerez
Circuito de Jerez , formerly known as Circuito Permanente de Jerez, is a 4,428 m racing circuit located close to the city of Jerez de la Frontera, deep within the sherry-producing south of Spain...
. The biggest incident to note was that of Pedro Lamy
Pedro Lamy
José Pedro Mourão Lamy Viçoso, OIH, better known as Pedro Lamy , is a professional racing driver from Portugal. He is notable for being the first Portuguese driver to score a point in a World Championship event, in the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, for Minardi...
in a Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
car at the Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
. While approaching the Bridge corner on the circuit, the rear wing
Spoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
on the Lotus detached itself leading to a sudden loss of downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
. The Lotus cartwheeled off the circuit at 170 mph (76 m/s), flying through a protective fence, landing in a spectator access tunnel
Subway (underpass)
In England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong and some Commonwealth countries , the term subway normally refers to a specially constructed underpass for pedestrians and/or cyclists beneath a road or railway, allowing them to reach the other side in safety.The term is also used in the...
. Lamy was hospitalised as a result of the accident. In the week leading up to the Spanish race, Benetton team boss Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore is an Italian businessman. During the 1980s, he was convicted for multiple counts of fraud, receiving two prison sentences, only one of which he served. As a fugitive from Italy, he set up restaurants and then a number of successful Benneton franchises in the Virgin Islands and the...
criticised the FIA, accusing the president Max Mosley of making "ill-considered, snap decisions" and that some of the components on the Benetton car may not have been subjected to quality control
Quality control
Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. This approach places an emphasis on three aspects:...
checks. In a letter sent to Mosley on May 25, Briatore also said:
The Benetton team, along with Williams, McLaren, Lotus, Pacific
Pacific Racing
Pacific Racing was a motor racing team from the United Kingdom...
, Simtek
Simtek
Simtek was an engineering consultancy firm and Formula One racing team. The F1 engineering consultancy arm, Simtek Research, was founded in 1989 by Max Mosley and Nick Wirth. It originally was involved in many areas of Formula One, including wind tunnel construction and chassis building for third...
, Jordan
Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
, Footwork Arrows
Footwork Arrows
Footwork Arrows was the name of a Formula One motor racing team, competing during the mid-1990s. Japanese businessman Wataru Ohashi, who was the president of Footwork Express Co., Ltd., a Japanese logistics company, began investing heavily in the Arrows team in 1990, the deal including requiring...
and Ligier debated the issue in the Williams motorhome
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
to discuss the technical regulations. More changes came into force for the Canadian
1994 Canadian Grand Prix
The 1994 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 12, 1994 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. It was the sixth round of the 1994 Formula One season.-Race:...
and German
1994 German Grand Prix
The 1994 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 31, 1994 at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheim. It was the ninth race of the 1994 Formula One season....
races, with the introductions of "pump fuel" (more closely related to commercially available fuel, slightly reducing horsepower and engine performance) and the "plank" (a piece of wood running along the underside of the chassis that is monitored for excessive wear, increasing ride height and thus decreasing grip).
Renewed allegations
Allegations of cheating reignited at the French Grand Prix1994 French Grand Prix
The 1994 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 3, 1994 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours. It was the seventh race of the 1994 Formula One season.-Race:...
, when, starting from third on the grid Schumacher overtook both of the Williams drivers, Damon Hill
Damon Hill
Damon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...
and Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
, leading into the first corner of the race. This raised suspicions, once again, that Benetton were using traction control. While commentating on the race for Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
with John Watson
John Watson (racing driver)
John Marshall "Wattie" Watson MBE is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He competed in Formula One, winning five Grands Prix and also in the World Sportscar Championship...
and Allard Kalff, Williams driver David Coulthard
David Coulthard
David Marshall Coulthard, MBE, , sometimes known as DC, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland.Coulthard, who was born in Dumfries and raised nearby in Twynholm, made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons...
, who was replaced by Mansell for the race, stated that Schumacher's start reminded him of the type of starts from the 1993 season when traction control was legal. Hill was on pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
for the British Grand Prix
1994 British Grand Prix
The 1994 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 July, 1994 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone. It was the eighth race of the 1994 Formula One season. It marked the halfway stage of the season...
after qualifying fastest. During the parade lap
Parade lap
A parade lap, also known as a formation lap or warm-up lap, is a lap before a motorsport race begins, in which the drivers go around the track at a slow speed , and, in some cases, behind the safety car...
on the way to the starting grid, Schumacher, starting second, illegally overtook Hill. As a result of his illegal maneuver, Schumacher was given a five-second penalty at 14:27 local time
Time zone
A time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
, 27 minutes after the original incident. Schumacher never came into the pit lane
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
to serve the penalty when originally given the penalty, and on lap 21, Schumacher was given the black flag. Schumacher stayed out on the circuit while Benetton team boss Briatore, along with Benetton technical director
Technical director
The Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
went to discuss it with Race Director Roland Bruynseraede
Roland Bruynseraede
Roland Bruynseraede is a motorsport official currently occupying the role of race director for the DTM series. He has previously worked as the FIA circuit inspector and Formula One safety delegate...
, arguing that they had not been properly informed of the punishment given. Schumacher eventually served the time penalty on lap 27, finishing the race in second position behind Hill.
After the British Grand Prix, Schumacher and Benetton were fined $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
25,000 for breaching the sporting regulations, with the FIA choosing to open an investigation surrounding the events at the race. Joan Villadelprat, Benetton's team manager, stated that although they made a mistake at the race, the race stewards also made a mistake as Benetton were not notified within 15 minutes of the offence as specified by the regulations. It took 27 minutes for the decision of the stewards to reach Benetton.
Jos Verstappen
Johannes Franciscus "Jos" Verstappen nicknamed "Jos the Boss" is a Dutch racing driver. He is the most successful Dutch Formula One driver, and has also won races in A1 Grand Prix and Le Mans Series LMP2 races...
was set on fire during refuelling as the fuel nozzle
Nozzle
A nozzle is a device designed to control the direction or characteristics of a fluid flow as it exits an enclosed chamber or pipe via an orifice....
would not enter the car properly. Verstappen suffered minor burns, with four of the Benetton mechanics also burned. Intertechnique, the company which manufactures the refuelling equipment for all the teams, were delegated by the governing body to examine the Benetton factory shortly after the German race. After Intertechnique examined the factory, a statement was released by the FIA. In the statement, the FIA said that "the
Before Schumacher's appeal from his disqualification at the British Grand Prix, he was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix
1994 Belgian Grand Prix
The 1994 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on August 28, 1994 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa. It was the eleventh race of the 1994 Formula One season.-Background:...
as his Benetton had excessive wear of the plank. The FIA allowed the plank to be ten millimetres deep, with an allowance of one millimetre meaning that the plank must be a minimum of nine millimetres to be deemed legal. A majority of the plank on Schumacher's car measured 7.4 millimetres, 1.6 under the legal tolerance. Benetton, along with Schumacher, claimed that the plank had excessive wear due to a spin by Schumacher during the race. Benetton launched an immediate appeal, with a World Motor Sport Council meeting set for September 5. The allegations of Benetton cheating throughout the summer of 1994 led to rumours of Schumacher quitting the team. The team released a statement denying the rumours, stating that Schumacher would complete the season.
FIA action
Schumacher and Benetton, along with three other drivers, were summoned to a FIA World Motor Sport CouncilFIA World Motor Sport Council
The World Motor Sport Council is the most powerful body of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It decides on rules and regulations for the FIA's various racing series, from karting to Formula One. Its membership is chosen by the FIA General Assembly, which contains representatives from...
meeting on July 26 to discuss his black flag at the British Grand Prix. It was announced at the meeting that Schumacher was disqualified from the race, thus losing his six points he earned from finishing second in the race, and in addition he was handed a two race ban. This meant Schumacher would miss his home race, the German Grand Prix, along with the Hungarian Grand Prix
1994 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 1994 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on August 14, 1994 at the Hungaroring, Budapest. It was the tenth race of the 1994 Formula One season....
, unless Schumacher chose to appeal the decision. In addition to the punishment handed to Schumacher, Benetton were fined a total of $600,000—$500,000 for not listening to the Stewards' at the British race, and $100,000 for not sending copies of their engine management system when immediately requested. At the council meeting, the governing body also announced that no evidence had been found to suggest Benetton were using illegal electronic systems, but did say that an illegal system did exist, which could be activated at any time. Benetton and Schumacher appealed the decision made by the FIA, allowing the German to race at his home Grand Prix.
1994 Italian Grand Prix
The 1994 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 11, 1994 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza. It was the twelfth race of the 1994 Formula One season....
and Portuguese
1994 Portuguese Grand Prix
The 1994 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 25, 1994 at the Autódromo do Estoril, Estoril. It was the thirteenth race of the 1994 Formula One season.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :...
races. JJ Lehto replaced Schumacher for the two races.
The World Motor Sport Council hearing surrounding Benetton and the fuel fire at Hockenheim was brought forward to September 7, with the disqualification of Schumacher at the Belgian Grand Prix also moved to the same day. The night before the hearing, however, the FIA were informed by Larrousse
Larrousse
Larrousse Formula One was a motorsports racing team founded in 1987 by Didier Calmels and former racer Gérard Larrousse, originally under the name Larrousse & Calmels. It was based in Antony, in the southern suburbs of Paris. It was renamed Larrousse after the departure of Calmels for legal reasons...
, one of the other teams competing in the championship, that they were informed by Intertechnique in May to remove the filter from the refuelling rig, a point Flavio Briatore made in prior meetings that all but four teams had removed the filter. The FIA in the hearing judged that Benetton had not tried to cheat by removing the filter from the refuelling rig, but the governing body did say that the team removed it without authorisation from Intertechnique to try to gain an advantage. Thus the team were found guilty of the offence, but escaped punishment due to this valid plea in mitigation. Schumacher's appeal against his disqualification at the Belgian Grand Prix, however, was rejected by the FIA. After the hearing, Benetton released a statement which said:
At the same hearing, the McLaren team was found to be in breach of the technical regulations, specifically over a fully automated gearbox upchange device in the transmission system that was confirmed to have been run in Mika Häkkinen
Mika Häkkinen
Mika Pauli Häkkinen is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion...
's car during the San Marino Grand Prix. The FIA's discovery of this device occurred when McLaren test driver Philippe Alliot
Philippe Alliot
Philippe Alliot is a former racing driver who participated in Formula One from to and from to . He raced for RAM, Ligier, Larrousse and McLaren....
, who had taken a race seat at Larrousse mid-season, commented on the fact that the cars of his new team did not possess such a facility. The system was found to contravene the regulations and was duly banned—as was the potential of an automated downchange facility—but McLaren went unpunished, as the FIA was satisfied that the team believed it to be legal when fitting it to the car under its interpretation of the regulations.
Timeline
- Weekend of the 1993 Canadian Grand Prix - Technical regulations for the 1994 Formula One season announced by the FIA.
- March 27, 1994 - Michael Schumacher won the opening round of the 1994 season. A quick pit stop carried out by his Benetton team during the race sparked rumours of cheating.
- April 30, 1994 - Roland Ratzenberger dies after an accident during the qualifying session for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
- May 1, 1994 - Ayrton Senna dies following an accident at the Tamburello corner during the San Marino Grand Prix. Benetton, Ferrari and McLaren asked to provide copies of their engine management system. Benetton failed to send a copy until three weeks after the original notification from the FIA.
- May/June 1994 - A raft of technical changes made to improve the safety of the cars.
- July 10, 1994 - Michael Schumacher overtakes Damon Hill illegally on the parade lap on the British Grand Prix, and as a result was given a five-second penalty. After initially ignoring the penalty, race control gave him the black flag, before eventually coming in on lap 27. Benetton and Schumacher fined $25,000 for breach of sporting regulations at the British race.
- July 26, 1994 - At a FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting, Schumacher has the six points he earned at the British Grand Prix taken away from him, and is given a two race ban to be served immediately. Benetton were fined $500,000 for ignoring the Stewards at the British race and $100,000 for not sending copies of their engine management system when requested. Benetton and Schumacher immediately appealed the fines and race ban imposed on them.
- July 31, 1994 - During a refuelling pit stop at the German Grand Prix, Jos Verstappen's Benetton was set on fire as the fuel nozzle would not enter the car properly. Verstappen, along with four Benetton mechanics were burned.