Its 1994 when DAMS announced their plans for their own Formula One Project. In Collaboration with Reynard DAMS would start working on their car. The plan was to debut in the Formula One in 1996 with their own team. From the beginning on the French team struggled with the financial picture, as well the renewed regulations due to the deadly accident of Ratzenberger and Senna at Imola in 1994 didn’t
The good old 1990s, perhaps the period the sport we loved thrived on its maximum. A lot of companies and people with too much money were looking to invest in a team. There were also shady constructions like Shannon that derailed Forti towards their early retirement. However, there were also serious attempts from companies and teams active in lower series. One of these attempts came from the Japanese Tetsu Ikuzawa,
Originally, Pacific Racing, later known as Pacific Grand Prix, planned their debut in the Formula One in 1993. Michael Bartels was the driver for the team and they came this far as a seat fitting. Even sooner, the dream shattered and their debut would be put on-hold for another year. In 1994 the team made it’s debut in the Formula One. They did not have a main sponsor. However, it
Barbara Behlau made it happen that Roland Ratzenberger made his debut in the Formula One in 1994 with Simtek. After Ratzenberger’s horrific dead in Imola, Barbara was impressed how the team kept the spirit for Ratzenberger alive within the team. This was one of the reasons she purchased 30% of the stakes in the team. Only a year later during the Monaco Grand Prix she became the true saviour of
You can’t imagine it now though there was a time in the Formula One there weren’t any energy drinks in the Formula One. These started to appear in the Formula one in the early 1990s. I wouldn’t take long before the energy drink companies would appear in the Formula One. Ready to support the teams. The best example of course is Red bull with their own two teams in the
You can’t imagine it now though there was a time a lot of drivers tested in the Formula One. Or teams tested in between races to test new aerodynamics or new engines. Or just to cash extra money by letting unknown drivers, who will never arrive, experience the Formula 1.As many of these drivers are long forgotten, and there isn’t a real overview of the test drivers, its all bits
Nearly five years ago i published one of my first articles on unracedf1.com. The last twenty-Five years of Team Lotus Part 1. There are multiple reasons why it never came to a part two in those years. However, this article can be seen as Part 2. After the team went into bankruptcy the team was rumoured a couple of time to return to the paddock. Eventually the team made it’s
2005 was the last year that privateers, the small teams, appeared on the grid. Minardi was the last team of an era were many tried their luck in the Formula One. Due the coming ban on turbo engines in 1989 and the restrictions, it was financially attractive for teams to try their luck. Most of them failed to even complete two season, some only did a few races before they
In early 1997, Alain Prost purchased the Ligier team from Flavio Briatore and even before the start of the season changed the name to Prost Grand Prix. For 1998, the team announced their exclusive contract with Peugeot to deliver them engines. For 1997 Prost Grand Prix drove with the planned Mugen-Honda engine and uses the JS45 designed by Loïc Bigois. However, did you know already in 1989 Alain Prost was
In 1995, Jos Verstappen drove for Simtek, due financial problems the team folded after the Monaco Grand Prix. The situation was this critical that sponsor Barbara bought food for the employees of the team! Stories on the internet say that four weeks after the Grand Prix Jos Verstappen tested with a Simtek Mugen-Honda at Silverstone. To bring the team back on the grid for the rest of the season. It
