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1995 Benetton-Renault B195
Pictured is a 1995 Benetton-Renault B195 Grand Prix Car.
It was driven in 1995 by seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher and Johnny Herbert.
Having won the Drivers Championship with Michael Schumacher in 1994 much was expected of Benetton the following season.
After eight years as the 'works' Ford team Benetton went into 1995 with Renault power. The team was given equal 'works' status with Renault stalwarts Williams and would enjoy identical V10 power to that of the reigning Constructors Champions.
The season started well in Brazil with both cars qualifying in the top four (Schumacher second, Herbert fourth) and ultimately saw Schumacher win the opening round from the Williams of David Coulthard and take fastest lap. Herbert retired from the race after being taken taken out by Ligier's Aguri Suzuki.
However, the top two cars were disqualified from the results after the Elf fuel used by both Benetton and Williams was found to be different from the control sample supplied at the beginning of the year. Both teams appealed the decision and had their results re-instated, although the teams lost their Constructors points from the race.
The second round in Argentina was more problematic for Benetton with the B195 not being suited to the circuit. Schumacher qualified third with Herbert back in eleventh. The team had a quiet race with Schumacher finishing third (with fastest lap), over thirty seconds behind the race winning Williams of Damon Hill. Herbert made progress in the race and finished a lapped fourth.
The third round at Imola saw Schumacher take Pole Position for the San Marino Grand Prix. In damp conditions, Schumacher led the early stages of the race but decided to take a gamble and change to slick tyres. It was a gamble that didn't pay off. Shortly after his pit stop the German lost control of the car and slammed into a tyre wall to end his day early. Herbert finished seventh and out of the points, two laps down of race winner Damon Hill.
The Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona was where the team's season took off in style. Schumacher again took Pole Position and went on to dominate the race, taking a comfortable victory. Damon Hill had been running second but suffered a gearbox failure on the final lap that allowed Johnny Herbert to finish second and score the first podium finish of his Formula 1 career and gave Benetton their first 1-2 finish since the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix.
The following race in Monaco again saw Schumacher romp home to victory in the principality for the second year in succession with Herbert coming home a lapped fourth.
Round 6 in Canada turned into a nightmare for the team. Schumacher qualified on Pole Position and dominated the race until twelve laps from the finish when a gearbox glictch forced him into the pits. After a steering wheel change Schumacher rejoined the race and finished fifth. Herbert had been eliminated on the first lap after being harpooned by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen at the circuit's hairpin.
The French Grand Prix at Magny Cours saw another dominant victory for Schumacher with fastest lap to extend his championship lead. Herbert was once again eliminated early on, this time being hit by Ferrari's Jean Alesi on the third lap of the race. Things would get much better for the Englishman in the next race at Silverstone.
The British Grand Prix saw Schumacher and Hill swap the lead during their respective pit stops. Late in the race Schumacher was heading for another victory when Hill made a clumsy attempt at an overtake and took both cars out of the race. This left Johnny Herbert, who had been running third, to inherit the lead and he went on to claim his maiden victory on home ground.
Next time out in Germany Hill spun out of the lead at the start of the second lap which left Schumacher to romp home to an undisputed victory in front of the home crowd. Herbert finished a distant fourth.
The Hungarian Grand Prix was another circuit that just didn't suit the B195. Schumacher ran in second position for most of the race but retired late on with a fuel pump failure and was classified eleventh. Herbert did salvage some points for the team by coming home a lapped fourth.
The next round in Belgium saw mixed conditions for qualifying. Herbert managed to qualify fourth but the rain had started by the time Schumacher went for a flying lap and he could qualify only sixteenth.
Herbert took the lead of the race mid-way round the first lap but was passed on the second, although he did lead for two more laps shortly after. He eventually dropped down the order and finished out of the points in seventh.
Schumacher, meanwhile, had been carving his way through the field with a typical wet weather masterclass. Despite driving on slicks on a wet track for a number of laps he made his way to the front and took a brilliant victory from the eighth row of the grid.
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza was a carbon copy of the Silverstone race. Schumacher and Hill were running second and third when they came up to lap the Footwork of Taki Inoue. Schumacher passed the Japanese driver cleanly but Hill mis-judged his braking and slammed into the back of the Benetton taking both cars out of the race.
Once again at the end it was Herbert who stayed out of trouble to claim his second win of the season.
The next round in Portugal was dominated by David Coulthard who went on to take his maiden victory with Schumacher managing to split the two Williams cars to finish second. Herbert ended the race a lapped seventh.
The European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring was held in tricky conditions but saw Schumacher pull off a brilliant overtake around the outside of Jean Alesi late in the race to claim his second home victory of the year. It was a result that also saw him get within touching distance of winning the championship, arch rival Hill having crashed out earlier in the race. Herbert finished fifth, one lap down on his team-mate.
The Pacific Grand Prix at Aida in Japan saw another dominant drive from Schumacher and the victory handed the German his second world title with two races to spare. Herbert scored a solitary point for sixth position.
The next round at Suzuka saw Schumacher take another win with Herbert finishing third to give the team another double podium. That result was enought to clinch the Constructors Championship for Benetton, the team's first (and what would prove to be only) constructors crown.
The final race of the season in Australia ended on a sad note with Schumacher being eliminated from his last race for Benetton in a mid-race collision with Jean Alesi's Ferrari Ironically, Schumacher would be in the Ferrari and Alesi in the Benetton the following year. Herbert had been running second late in the race but retired with driveshaft failure in his final race for the team.
At the end of the season, the Benetton drivers would finish first (Schumacher) and fourth (Herbert) in the championship. With eleven wins from seventeen races Benetton comfortably took the Constructor's Championship.
Pictured in January 2008 at the Autosport International show at the NEC in Birmingham.
1995 Benetton-Renault B195
Pictured is a 1995 Benetton-Renault B195 Grand Prix Car.
It was driven in 1995 by seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher and Johnny Herbert.
Having won the Drivers Championship with Michael Schumacher in 1994 much was expected of Benetton the following season.
After eight years as the 'works' Ford team Benetton went into 1995 with Renault power. The team was given equal 'works' status with Renault stalwarts Williams and would enjoy identical V10 power to that of the reigning Constructors Champions.
The season started well in Brazil with both cars qualifying in the top four (Schumacher second, Herbert fourth) and ultimately saw Schumacher win the opening round from the Williams of David Coulthard and take fastest lap. Herbert retired from the race after being taken taken out by Ligier's Aguri Suzuki.
However, the top two cars were disqualified from the results after the Elf fuel used by both Benetton and Williams was found to be different from the control sample supplied at the beginning of the year. Both teams appealed the decision and had their results re-instated, although the teams lost their Constructors points from the race.
The second round in Argentina was more problematic for Benetton with the B195 not being suited to the circuit. Schumacher qualified third with Herbert back in eleventh. The team had a quiet race with Schumacher finishing third (with fastest lap), over thirty seconds behind the race winning Williams of Damon Hill. Herbert made progress in the race and finished a lapped fourth.
The third round at Imola saw Schumacher take Pole Position for the San Marino Grand Prix. In damp conditions, Schumacher led the early stages of the race but decided to take a gamble and change to slick tyres. It was a gamble that didn't pay off. Shortly after his pit stop the German lost control of the car and slammed into a tyre wall to end his day early. Herbert finished seventh and out of the points, two laps down of race winner Damon Hill.
The Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona was where the team's season took off in style. Schumacher again took Pole Position and went on to dominate the race, taking a comfortable victory. Damon Hill had been running second but suffered a gearbox failure on the final lap that allowed Johnny Herbert to finish second and score the first podium finish of his Formula 1 career and gave Benetton their first 1-2 finish since the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix.
The following race in Monaco again saw Schumacher romp home to victory in the principality for the second year in succession with Herbert coming home a lapped fourth.
Round 6 in Canada turned into a nightmare for the team. Schumacher qualified on Pole Position and dominated the race until twelve laps from the finish when a gearbox glictch forced him into the pits. After a steering wheel change Schumacher rejoined the race and finished fifth. Herbert had been eliminated on the first lap after being harpooned by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen at the circuit's hairpin.
The French Grand Prix at Magny Cours saw another dominant victory for Schumacher with fastest lap to extend his championship lead. Herbert was once again eliminated early on, this time being hit by Ferrari's Jean Alesi on the third lap of the race. Things would get much better for the Englishman in the next race at Silverstone.
The British Grand Prix saw Schumacher and Hill swap the lead during their respective pit stops. Late in the race Schumacher was heading for another victory when Hill made a clumsy attempt at an overtake and took both cars out of the race. This left Johnny Herbert, who had been running third, to inherit the lead and he went on to claim his maiden victory on home ground.
Next time out in Germany Hill spun out of the lead at the start of the second lap which left Schumacher to romp home to an undisputed victory in front of the home crowd. Herbert finished a distant fourth.
The Hungarian Grand Prix was another circuit that just didn't suit the B195. Schumacher ran in second position for most of the race but retired late on with a fuel pump failure and was classified eleventh. Herbert did salvage some points for the team by coming home a lapped fourth.
The next round in Belgium saw mixed conditions for qualifying. Herbert managed to qualify fourth but the rain had started by the time Schumacher went for a flying lap and he could qualify only sixteenth.
Herbert took the lead of the race mid-way round the first lap but was passed on the second, although he did lead for two more laps shortly after. He eventually dropped down the order and finished out of the points in seventh.
Schumacher, meanwhile, had been carving his way through the field with a typical wet weather masterclass. Despite driving on slicks on a wet track for a number of laps he made his way to the front and took a brilliant victory from the eighth row of the grid.
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza was a carbon copy of the Silverstone race. Schumacher and Hill were running second and third when they came up to lap the Footwork of Taki Inoue. Schumacher passed the Japanese driver cleanly but Hill mis-judged his braking and slammed into the back of the Benetton taking both cars out of the race.
Once again at the end it was Herbert who stayed out of trouble to claim his second win of the season.
The next round in Portugal was dominated by David Coulthard who went on to take his maiden victory with Schumacher managing to split the two Williams cars to finish second. Herbert ended the race a lapped seventh.
The European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring was held in tricky conditions but saw Schumacher pull off a brilliant overtake around the outside of Jean Alesi late in the race to claim his second home victory of the year. It was a result that also saw him get within touching distance of winning the championship, arch rival Hill having crashed out earlier in the race. Herbert finished fifth, one lap down on his team-mate.
The Pacific Grand Prix at Aida in Japan saw another dominant drive from Schumacher and the victory handed the German his second world title with two races to spare. Herbert scored a solitary point for sixth position.
The next round at Suzuka saw Schumacher take another win with Herbert finishing third to give the team another double podium. That result was enought to clinch the Constructors Championship for Benetton, the team's first (and what would prove to be only) constructors crown.
The final race of the season in Australia ended on a sad note with Schumacher being eliminated from his last race for Benetton in a mid-race collision with Jean Alesi's Ferrari Ironically, Schumacher would be in the Ferrari and Alesi in the Benetton the following year. Herbert had been running second late in the race but retired with driveshaft failure in his final race for the team.
At the end of the season, the Benetton drivers would finish first (Schumacher) and fourth (Herbert) in the championship. With eleven wins from seventeen races Benetton comfortably took the Constructor's Championship.
Pictured in January 2008 at the Autosport International show at the NEC in Birmingham.