Photo: Bonhams
1991 was a Formula 1 season to remember. Ayrton Senna won his third title, Nigel Mansell put one hell of a fight throughout the season, and Alain Prost was fired by the Scuderia Ferrari team for badmouthing his car. Not only that, but 1991 is also the year that marked the debut of two greats: Schumacher and Hakkinen.
While Mika Hakkinen lives on in fans’ hearts and minds as the Finn who snatched two titles from the heavyweight of the king motorsport’s modern era, Schumacher is the most successful Formula 1 driver there’s ever been, statistically speaking. And were it not for Benetton, Michael wouldn’t have been the no-holds-barred legend he is today, four years after he retired.
Schu’s first outing in a top-tier single seater happened in ’91 thanks to Jordan, a move that caught the attention of Benetton. Following the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, which finished with a retirement for the German driver, Benetton signed Schumacher, and thus a legend was born. His most lucrative years with the British team were ’94 and ’95, seasons that ended with two Drivers’ Championship titles and a well-deserved Constructors’ title.
Handed over to Schumacher for the last two raced of ’91, the pictured Benetton B191-02 helped the German get a grasp of what it means to compete with the big boys. Before Michael jumped in the hot seat of this blast from the past, the car was driven by Robert Moreno and Nelson Piquet.
After the season had closed and with the advent of the B192, the B191-02 here became a museum exhibit. A comprehensive rebuilt was performed by an F1 specialist team last year, and now the single-seater is waiting to change hands. Bonhams is tasked with auctioning the car off, with estimates ranging from €750,000 to €950,000. And yes, every little mechanical bit works just fine, including the Ford-Cosworth naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V8 engine.
With 650 horsepower on tap at a screaming 13,000 rpm and tipping the scales at just 505 kilograms (1,113 pounds), this Benetton isn’t merely a trip down nostalgia lane. Even today, when Formula 1 is all about MGU-K this and MGU-H that, a dinosaur such as the B191 acts as a reminder that the sport has its ups and downs. Fans, however, prefer to remember the ups.
Schu’s first outing in a top-tier single seater happened in ’91 thanks to Jordan, a move that caught the attention of Benetton. Following the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, which finished with a retirement for the German driver, Benetton signed Schumacher, and thus a legend was born. His most lucrative years with the British team were ’94 and ’95, seasons that ended with two Drivers’ Championship titles and a well-deserved Constructors’ title.
Handed over to Schumacher for the last two raced of ’91, the pictured Benetton B191-02 helped the German get a grasp of what it means to compete with the big boys. Before Michael jumped in the hot seat of this blast from the past, the car was driven by Robert Moreno and Nelson Piquet.
After the season had closed and with the advent of the B192, the B191-02 here became a museum exhibit. A comprehensive rebuilt was performed by an F1 specialist team last year, and now the single-seater is waiting to change hands. Bonhams is tasked with auctioning the car off, with estimates ranging from €750,000 to €950,000. And yes, every little mechanical bit works just fine, including the Ford-Cosworth naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V8 engine.
With 650 horsepower on tap at a screaming 13,000 rpm and tipping the scales at just 505 kilograms (1,113 pounds), this Benetton isn’t merely a trip down nostalgia lane. Even today, when Formula 1 is all about MGU-K this and MGU-H that, a dinosaur such as the B191 acts as a reminder that the sport has its ups and downs. Fans, however, prefer to remember the ups.
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