Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 3-4, 2023
Photo – Artcurial
Benetton’s first year in Formula One was 1986, and their last was 2001 before they became the Renault factory team. The team’s first year using Renault power was 1995, in which they campaigned the Rory Byrne/Ross Brawn-designed B195.
The car featured a 3.0-liter Renault V10 capable of up to 700 horsepower. This one now has a 3.5-liter Judd V10 in it. Drivers Michael Schumacher (in his last season before departing for Ferrari) and Johnny Herbert ran for the team, which won its first and only constructors championship this season. Schumacher also won his second title this season, with some of it spent behind this chassis (#02).
The catalog states that Schumacher won races in this chassis but doesn’t specifically state which ones. Oh well!. The Judd engine was installed prior to the current owner’s purchase, and it’s been gone over apparently. Artcurial estimates this car to sell in the range of $2,165,000-$3,250,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Artcurial | Le Mans, France | July 2, 2022
1983 Renault RE40
Photo – Artcurial
First up is Renault’s 1983 entrant, the RE40. It led them to second place in the constructor’s championship that season, with drivers Eddie Cheever and Alain Prost, the latter of whom drove this car. And won a race in it.
The powerplant is a turbocharged 1.5-liter Renault-Gordini V6 that made about 640 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, #3, includes:
1983 San Marino Grand Prix – 2nd (with Alain Prost)
1983 Monaco Grand Prix – 3rd (with Prost)
1983 Belgian Grand Prix – 1st (with Prost)
1983 U.S. Grand Prix – 8th (with Prost)
1983 Italian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Prost)
It was also used as a test car for both drivers during the season. It was restored in 1995 and is now being offered directly from Renault’s collection. The estimate is $850,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Not sold/withdrawn
1986 Tyrrell-Renault 015
Photo – Artcurial
Tyrrell Racing was actually around for quite a while, debuting in 1971 and lasting through 1998. That puts this car sort of right in the middle of their existence. The 015 was designed by Maurice Philippe and featured power from Renault.
The Renault-Gordini engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter V6, which this chassis, #3, retains. Its competition history is not described, but the teams driver’s were Martin Brundle and Philippe Streiff, the latter of whom kept this car at the end of the season. He traded it to Renault in 1994 for a 1984 Renault F1 car.
Renault is now selling it, with an estimate $160,000-$260,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Not sold/withdrawn.
1993 Williams-Renault FW15
Photo – Artcurial
Williams‘ FW15 was the team’s car for 1993. It was designed by a who’s who of F1: Patrick Head, Adrian Newey, Paddy Lowe, and Eghbal Hamidy. A Renault 3.5-liter V10 was stuffed out back, and the combination proved super successful: Williams won the constructor’s championship, with driver Alain Prost taking the driver’s championship. The team’s other driver was Damon Hill.
Unfortunately, this is not a race chassis and has never had an engine in it. It’s purely a display car and has been retained by “the constructor” since new. Renault is selling other cars, so it’s unclear if this is coming from Renault or Williams, but I’d assume Renault. The estimate is $42,000-$84,000. Click here for more info.
Update: Sold $54,696.
1997 Benetton B197
Photo – Artcurial
Benetton’s 1997 car was the B197, designed under technical director Pat Symonds. It featured power from a 3.0-liter Renault V10 capable of up to 755 horsepower. Unfortunately, this is a pure display car as well, so it’s never even had an engine mounted in it. That said, the body is a real ex-F1 car body, complete with Mild Seven livery.
Benetton utilized Jean Alesi for the entire season along with Gerhard Berger, who was replaced by Alexander Wurz for three races mid-season due to health issues. Berger won a race upon his return, proof that someone else in your seat makes you step up your game. The estimate here is $42,000-$84,000. Click here for more info.
Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | June 20, 2021
Photo – Bonhams
Benetton Formula arrived on the grid in 1986, taking over the Toleman team. They later gave Michael Schumacher his first two titles before being purchased by Renault in 2000. The B193 was their car for the 1993 season, and it was updated to B193B spec beginning at the third race of the season at Donington Park.
The cars were powered by a 3.5-liter Ford V8 that made about 700 horsepower. Unfortunately, this chassis (#02) has been converted to show car spec, so it is currently engineless. It started the season as a spare car before being used for testing. Its actual competition history consists of:
1993 German Grand Prix – 5th (with Riccardo Patrese)
1993 Hungarian Grand Prix – 2nd (with Patrese)
1993 Belgian Grand Prix – 6th (with Patrese)
1993 Italian Grand Prix – 5th (with Patrese)
1993 Portuguese Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Patrese)
Not too shabby. The car has been refinished in a later livery (it would’ve had a yellow and green Camel livery in ’93). At any rate, it’s a pure roller. Yet, it is still expected to bring between $89,000-$130,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Benetton became a Formula One constructor for the 1986 season and their first car, the B186, was driven by Gerhard Berger and Teo Fabi. In 1991, Michael Schumacher joined the team and we’ve featured the very Benetton car he scored his first F1 podium with.
In 1989 the team switched to a new Ford power plant (their HB engine). It’s a 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V-8. The B192 chassis (of which this is the first example) was introduced by the team for the fourth race of the season, the Spanish Grand Prix and it replaced the earlier B191B. The race history for this chassis includes:
1992 Spanish Grand Prix – 2nd (with Michael Schumacher)
And that’s it. After that, it was the team’s spare car for San Marino and Monaco. The car was never damaged and still retains a Ford HB race engine. It sports the correct as-raced Camel livery. This is a rare chance to acquire a Michael Schumacher-raced Formula One car (and the car he scored his first 2nd place finish in). Big money required (but I guess if you’re going race car shopping in Monaco you’re probably covered). Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.
Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | November 30, 2014
Photo – Bonhams
This car might be almost 25 years old, but make no mistake: it is a modern Formula One car. Modern Era, at the very least. This was a Benetton team car for both the 1991 and 1992 seasons, years where they had Michael Schumacher, Roberto Moreno, Nelson Piquet, and Martin Brundle as their star drivers.
It was originally built as a 1991 B191 but was re-fitted in 1992 to B191B specification – as you see it now. The engine is a Ford 3.5-liter V-8 making 730 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, B191B-06, includes:
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Nelson Piquet)
1991 Portuguese Grand Prix – 5th (with Piquet)
1991 Spanish Grand Prix – 11th (with Piquet)
1991 Japanese Grand Prix – 7th (with Piquet)
1991 Australian Grand Prix – 4th (with Piquet in his final F1 appearance)
1992 South African Grand Prix – 26th, DNF (with Martin Brundle)
1992 Mexican Grand Prix – 3rd (with Michael Schumacher – his first career podium)
1992 Brazilian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Schumacher)
After Brazil in 1992, Benetton had its B192 ready for action and the B191B was parked. This car is being offered in its 1992 Brazilian Grand Prix livery and it is fully functional. It is a historic racer – taking Schumacher to his first podium and delivering Piquet a stellar final race. It can now be yours for between $380,000-$470,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams’ Bond Street Sale lineup.
Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | December 1, 2013
The Benetton Formula One team began competing in the top tier of world motorsport in 1986. The team was founded by the Benetton family, owners of the Benetton fashion brand, when they purchased the Toleman team at the end of 1985. In 1991, they hired a young driver named Michael Schumacher who took the team to the pinnacle. Michael won his first two drivers championships with Benetton before departing for Ferrari.
Schumacher won his first title driving a B194 – winning eight races (half of them with this chassis), despite being disqualified from two races and banned from two more. It was a very controversial season to say the least. This car uses a Cosworth-built, Ford-badged 3.5-liter V-8. The race history of this car includes (but is not limited to):
1994 San Marino Grand Prix – 1st (with Michael Schumacher)
1994 Grand Prix of Monaco – 1st (with Schumacher)
1994 Canadian Grand Prix – 1st (with Schumacher)
1994 French Grand Prix – 1st (with Schumacher)
This car won four races with Michael en route to the season driver’s title. Benetton became Renault F1 for 2002 and Renault sold off many of the Benetton team cars that had been left behind. This one found its current home in 2008. A restoration was completed in 2010 and features the original 1994 Mild Seven livery. This is one important race car and it comes with a host of spares. No estimate is available, which is auction house code for “a lot.” You can read more here and check our more from Bonhams in London here.
