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F1 1993

Written by Sam Sturino

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F1 - 1993 LE Mod

By F1SR MODDING

F1 1993  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. Alain Prost won his fourth Drivers' world championship, and Williams-Renault retained their Constructors' world title.

1993 saw a major shake-up of drivers, especially among the top teams. Across the grid a number of experienced drivers retired or moved to other series and new faces emerged.

• Williams completed the signing of Alain Prost, returning to the sport after a "sabbatical" year. Nigel Mansell opted not to remain with the team to defend his title and moved to IndyCar racing in the US. Prost's team-mate would be Damon Hill, son of Graham Hilland Williams's test driver in 1992. The absence of the defending champion meant that Williams could not use the number 1 on their cars, so the number 0 was used instead, by Hill, while Prost used the number 2.
• Uncertainty surrounded the McLaren team, whose iconic driver Ayrton Senna was reluctant to re-sign for 1993 as Honda had withdrawn from the sport and the team were not expected to be competitive with customer Ford engines. McLaren signed Michael Andretti, a successful IndyCar driver and son of 1978 World Champion Mario, and Mika Häkkinen, who had impressed for Lotus in 1991 and 1992. Senna eventually signed on a race-by-race basis and was partnered by Andretti for most of the season, Häkkinen taking on a test driver role.
• Benetton retained Michael Schumacher, but Martin Brundle was replaced by Italian veteran Riccardo Patrese, released by Williams.
• Scuderia Ferrari retained Jean Alesi, but Ivan Capelli and Nicola Larini had both disappointed in 1992 and so Gerhard Bergerreturned to the team after three years at McLaren.
• Lotus retained Johnny Herbert and took on Alessandro Zanardi, who replaced Häkkinen. When Zanardi had a huge crash in the Belgian Grand Prix, he was replaced by Portuguese newcomer Pedro Lamy.
• Tyrrell retained Andrea de Cesaris and took on Japan's Ukyo Katayama, who moved from Larrousse.
• Ligier reunited British drivers Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell: the two had previously driven for Brabham in 1991 but to the relief of commentators everywhere had seldom troubled the TV coverage. This was the first, and only, time in Ligier's history that they did not have a French driver in their line-up (although they had Éric Bernardas a test driver).
• Footwork Arrows lost Michele Alboreto and replaced him with British veteran Derek Warwick, returning to the sport after two years away. Aguri Suzukiwas retained as number two driver.
• The BMS Scuderia Italia team switched from Dallara to Lola chassis and took on Michele Alboreto and newcomer Luca Badoer.
• Jordan had lost Stefano Modena and Mauricio Gugelmin to retirement after a frustrating 1992. Young Brazilian Rubens Barrichello made his debut with the team, while five drivers filled the second seat: Ivan Capelli, Thierry Boutsen, Marco Apicella, test driver Emanuele Naspetti and finally Eddie Irvine.
• Larrousse lost both Ukyo Katayama and Bertrand Gachot. Therefore, they signed the returning Philippe Alliot and Erik Comas, who moved from Ligier.
• Minardi retained Christian Fittipaldi and took on Fabrizio Barbazza, who was later replaced by Pierluigi Martini, returning after spending 1992 with BMS Scuderia Italia.
• The Swiss Sauber team were the only new team this year, with Ilmor engines and much-publicised backing by Mercedes-Benz, who were appearing in F1 for the first time since the Le Mans disaster of 1955. Their drivers were Finland's JJ Lehto, who signed from BMS Scuderia Italia, and Austria's Karl Wendlinger, who had impressed with March in 1992.

In all, only seven drivers who lined up on the grid in South Africa were with the same team they had been with the previous year: Senna, Schumacher, Alesi, Herbert, de Cesaris, Suzuki and Fittipaldi.

The worldwide recession of the early 1990s had taken its toll: the March and Fondmetal teams had folded in the off-season, while Brabham and Andrea Moda Formula had failed to complete the 1992 season. Thus, there were only 13 teams on the grid at the opening race of 1993, in South Africa. In addition, numerous car number changes had taken place:

• Williams used the numbers 0 and 2, as described above.
• Benetton took the numbers 5 and 6, which Williams had used since 1984.
• McLaren took the numbers 7 and 8, vacated by Brabham.
• Jordan took the numbers 14 and 15, vacated by Fondmetal.
• Larrousse took the numbers 19 and 20, which Benetton and its predecessor Tolemanhad used since 1984.
• New team Sauber took the numbers 29 and 30, which Larrousse had used since 1987. These were now the highest numbers.
• The numbers 16 and 17, vacated by March, remained vacant until 1995.

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