The Benetton Group first entered Formula One as a sponsor, backing Tyrrell in 1983, Alfa Romeo in 1984 and 1985, and finally Toleman in 1985. That year Toleman struggled badly, missing the first three races due to a tyre-supplier dispute. Benetton Formula Limited was formed when the Benetton family purchased the Toleman operation outright in 1985, assuming its Witney, Oxfordshire base and the partially-developed TG186 chassis, which was renamed the Benetton B186.
Benetton's first season with the powerful BMW M12 engine produced the team's inaugural victory: Gerhard Berger won the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix almost half a minute clear of the field. Despite that pace, nineteen retirements blunted the result. Berger left for Ferrari at the end of 1986, replaced by Thierry Boutsen.
The switch to Ford turbocharged engines in 1987 was followed by a further step to naturally-aspirated Ford power in 1988, when Alessandro Nannini replaced Teo Fabi. The B188 claimed seven podiums and the team finished third in the Constructors' Championship. Johnny Herbert joined for 1989 but was dropped mid-season after failing to recover fully from a Formula 3000 leg-breaking crash; Emanuele Pirro replaced him. Nannini scored Benetton's first win since 1986 at the Japanese Grand Prix when Ayrton Senna was disqualified.
For 1990, businessman Flavio Briatore was appointed team manager after the previous management was fired by the Benetton family. Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was signed alongside Nannini, and the team achieved six podiums plus Piquet's two race victories in the final rounds. Tragedy struck late in the year when Nannini lost his right forearm in a helicopter crash, ending his Formula One career.
After Michael Schumacher's impressive debut for Jordan at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, Benetton signed him for the following race in place of Roberto Moreno. Jordan's protest in the British courts was rejected. For 1992, Tom Walkinshaw Racing acquired a 35% stake, with Tom Walkinshaw and Ross Brawn brought in to run engineering operations. The team relocated from Witney to a new factory at Enstone. Schumacher won at Spa-Francorchamps — the first victory of his career. The team finished third in the Constructors' Championship with 91 points.
In 1993, with veteran Riccardo Patrese partnering Schumacher, the team again finished third but remained outclassed by the dominant Williams. Schumacher's single victory that year came at Portugal.
The B194, powered by Ford, was dominant in Schumacher's hands in 1994. He won six of the first seven races, including the tragedy-marred San Marino Grand Prix that claimed the life of Ayrton Senna. The season was marked by controversy: the FIA found "start sequence" (launch control) software within the Benetton cars after rival teams alleged rule violations, though no evidence of its actual use was found. Schumacher received a two-race ban after ignoring black flags at the British Grand Prix, and was subsequently disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix after illegal wear was measured on his car's skid block. Jos Verstappen suffered a dramatic pit-lane fire at Germany when fuel ignited during his stop; he escaped with minor burns. Despite losing the Constructors' Championship to Williams, Schumacher clinched his first Drivers' title in a collision with Damon Hill at the season finale in Australia.
For 1995, Benetton switched to full-works Renault V10 engines. Schumacher took nine wins from seventeen races and his second World Championship. Johnny Herbert, retained alongside him, won at Britain and Italy. The combined effort delivered Benetton its first Constructors' Championship, ending Williams' three-year reign.
Schumacher departed for Ferrari at the start of 1996, citing the team's actions in 1994. Ross Brawn and chief designer Rory Byrne followed him. Their replacements, Jean Alesi and the returning Gerhard Berger, produced podiums but no victories — both drivers retired from winning positions at Monaco and Germany. By 1997 Berger won at the German Grand Prix in dominant fashion from pole, which proved to be Benetton's last ever Formula One victory and the 10th and final win of Berger's career.
Renault's withdrawal from the sport after 1997 left Benetton and Williams sharing a supply of Mecachrome-assembled engines, which Benetton rebranded as Playlife. The team sank to fifth in 1998 and sixth — its worst ever result — in 1999. In 2000 the team was sold to Renault, retaining the Benetton name for two transitional seasons. Giancarlo Fisichella and a young Jenson Button (who had been dropped by Williams) closed the Benetton era with a podium for Fisichella in Belgium in 2001.
From 2002 the team raced as Renault, winning the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in both 2005 and 2006 with Fernando Alonso. The team subsequently became Lotus F1 Team in 2012, was repurchased and rebranded as Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2016, and became Alpine in 2021. Throughout all these iterations it has continued to operate from the Enstone site established by Benetton in 1992. Of the team's 27 Formula One race victories, 19 were scored by Schumacher.
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