1992 Formula One World Championship: Difference between revisions

The 1992 Formula One season was the 43rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 1, 1992, and ended on November 8 after sixteen races.

This season was dominated by the Williams Renault team. The Williams FW14B car blew away the opposition for the majority of the season. Nigel Mansell won nine Grands Prix during the season, setting a record that wouldn't be matched until 1995. Mansell won the Driver's Championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix. 1992 was to be Nigel's last full F1 season. He went to CART in 1993, joining the Newman Haas team. Riccardo Patrese didn't have a strong season, and he only won a single race, at Suzuka. Patrese was very much a number two driver in 1992, handing victory to Mansell at the French Grand Prix. The Williams Renault team had a significant car advantage and superior reliability.

Alain Prost had a sabbatical year, after being fired from Ferrari at the end of 1991. In 1992 he occupied his time by doing commentary for a French TV station. Alain tested for Ligier in 1992, and he secretly wanted to buy the French team. He would eventually buy the team in 1997.

It was a tough year for Ayrton Senna and the McLaren team. The Honda V12 was no longer the most powerful engine in F1, and to make matters worse they started the 1992 season with an updated version of the 1991 car - the MP4/6B. The car was not a match for the cutting-edge Williams FW14B, and the 1992 car didn't make its debut until the Brazilian Grand Prix. The new MP4/7 suffered from reliability issues. This was proven at the Brazilian Grand Prix, when both cars retired from the race within the first two laps! However, the MP4/7 McLaren improved during the season, but it was never a true match for the Williams. Senna was thinking about moving to Williams, and his old rival Prost had signed with the team for 1993. Prost allegedly blocked the team's efforts to sign the Brazilian. Senna was infuriated, and called Prost a coward in a press conference at Estoril. 1992 was Gerhard Berger's final season with McLaren. The Austrian wanted to move out of Senna's shadow. Berger won the Canadian and Australian Grands Prix, before moving to Ferrari for 1993. Honda bowed out of F1 at the end of the season, but returned a few years later.

Benetton's Michael Schumacher won his first ever Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. This was to be the beginning of record-breaking career for the German, who would go on to win the 1994 and 1995 F1 World Championships with Benetton, plus five championships with Ferrari (2000-2004). Schumacher's team mate Martin Brundle had the best season of his F1 career. He finished on the podium at the British Grand Prix, and put in some good performances. Schumacher had the edge on Brundle, and Brundle didn't get a Benetton drive for 1993.

Ferrari were in a mess in 1992. Jean Alesi and Ivan Capelli were given poor equipment, which was well off the pace. The car's reliability wasn't particularly good, either. Alesi put in some good performances, even though he retired ten times! Capelli looked poor, and was replaced for 1993.

Debutants in 1992 included Paul Belmondo, Damon Hill, Emanuele Naspetti, Andrea Chiesa, Ukyo Katayama, and Christian Fittipaldi. Giovanna Amati and Perry McCarthy tried their hand at F1 in 1992, but failed to qualify in mediocre equipment.

The Andrea Moda team were simply appalling. There were rumours that Perry McCarthy's car arrived at the Spanish Grand Prix without an engine. The team were so poor that they couldn't afford a powerplant! McCarthy's car "participated" in the Friday practice session. The car was seen creeping along the downward-sloping pitlane, before grinding to a halt on a level section of tarmac. Perry did no more "driving" in the race meeting!

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1992 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	No	Driver	Test Driver(s)
Honda Marlboro McLaren	McLaren	MP4/7A	Honda RA122E/B	G	1	Ayrton Senna	Mark Blundell
					2	Gerhard Berger
Tyrrell Racing Organisation	Tyrrell	020B	Ilmor 2175A	G	3	Olivier Grouillard	n/a
					4	Andrea de Cesaris
Canon Williams Team	Williams	FW14B	Renault RS3C Renault RS4	G	5	Nigel Mansell	Damon Hill
					6	Riccardo Patrese
Motor Racing Developments Ltd.	Brabham	BT60B	Judd GV	G	7	Eric van de Poele	n/a
					8	Giovanna Amati
						Damon Hill
Footwork Mugen Honda	Footwork	FA13	Mugen-Honda MF-351H	G	9	Michele Alboreto	n/a
					10	Aguri Suzuki
Team Lotus	Lotus	107	Ford HB	G	11	Mika Häkkinen	Olivia Beretta
					12	Johnny Herbert
Fondmetal	Fondmetal	GR02	Ford HB Series V	G	14	Andrea Chiesa	n/a
						Eric van de Poele
					15	Gabriele Tarquini
March F1	March	CG911	Ilmor 2175A	G	16	Karl Wendlinger	n/a
						Jan Lammers
					17	Paul Belmondo
						Emanuele Naspetti
Camel Benetton Ford	Benetton	B192	Ford HB Series VI & VII	G	19	Michael Schumacher	Alex Zanardi
					20	Martin Brundle
Scuderia Italia SpA	Dallara	192	Ferrari	G	21	Jyrki Järvilehto	n/a
					22	Pierluigi Martini
Minardi	Minardi	M192	Lamborghini 3512	G	23	Christian Fittipaldi	n/a
						Alessandro Zanardi
					24	Gianni Morbidelli
Ligier Gitantes Blondes	Ligier	JS37	Renault RS3B Renault RS3C	G	25	Thierry Boutsen	Alain Prost
					26	Érik Comas
Scuderia Ferrari SpA	Ferrari	FA92A	Ferrari	G	27	Jean Alesi	Nicola Larini, Gianni Morbidelli
					28	Ivan Capelli
						Nicola Larini
Central Park Venturi Larrousse	Larrousse	LC92	Lamborghini 3512	G	29	Bertrand Gachot	n/a
					30	Ukyo Katayama
Sasol Jordan Yamaha	Jordan	192	Yamaha OX99	G	32	Stefano Modena	n/a
					33	Mauricio Gugelmin
Andrea Moda Formula	Moda	S192	Judd GV	G	34	Roberto Moreno	n/a
					35	Perry McCarthy

Round	Race	Date	Location	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
1	Template:Country data South Africa 1927 South African Grand Prix	March 1	Kyalami	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
2	Mexican Grand Prix	March 22	Hermanos Rodriguez	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
3	Brazilian Grand Prix	April 5	Interlagos	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
4	Spanish Grand Prix	May 3	Catalunya	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
5	San Marino Grand Prix	May 17	Imola	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
6	Monaco Grand Prix	May 31	Monaco	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda	Report
7	Canadian Grand Prix	June 14	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve	Gerhard Berger	McLaren-Honda	Report
8	French Grand Prix	July 5	Magny-Cours	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
9	British Grand Prix	July 12	Silverstone	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
10	German Grand Prix	July 26	Hockenheimring	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
11	Hungarian Grand Prix	August 16	Hungaroring	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda	Report
12	Belgian Grand Prix	August 30	Spa-Francorchamps	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Ford	Report
13	Italian Grand Prix	September 13	Monza	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda	Report
14	Portuguese Grand Prix	September 27	Estoril	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Renault	Report
15	Japanese Grand Prix	October 25	Suzuka	Riccardo Patrese	Williams-Renault	Report
16	Australian Grand Prix	November 8	Adelaide	Gerhard Berger	McLaren-Honda	Report

Pos Driver RSA Template:Country data South Africa 1927 MEX BRA ESP SMR MON CAN FRA GBR DEU HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS Points 1 Mansell 1 1 1 1 1 2 Ret 1 1 1 2 2 Ret 1 Ret Ret 108 2 Patrese 2 2 2 Ret 2 3 Ret 2 2 8 Ret 3 5 Ret 1 Ret 56 3 Schumacher 4 3 3 2 Ret 4 2 Ret 4 3 Ret 1 3 7 Ret 2 53 4 Senna 3 Ret Ret 9 3 1 Ret Ret Ret 2 1 5 1 3 Ret Ret 50 5 Berger 5 4 Ret 4 Ret Ret 1 Ret 5 Ret 3 Ret 4 2 2 1 49 6 Brundle Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 5 Ret 3 3 4 5 4 2 4 3 3 38 7 Alesi Ret Ret 4 3 Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 4 18 8 Häkkinen 9 6 10 Ret DNQ Ret Ret 4 6 Ret 4 6 Ret 5 Ret 7 11 9 de Cesaris Ret 5 Ret Ret 14 Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 8 8 6 9 4 Ret 8 10 Alboreto 10 13 6 5 5 7 7 7 7 9 7 Ret 7 6 15 Ret 6 11 Comas 7 9 Ret Ret 9 10 6 5 8 6 Ret DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 12 Wendlinger Ret Ret Ret 8 12 Ret 4 Ret Ret 16 Ret 11 10 Ret 3 13 Capelli Ret Ret 5 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret 3 14 Boutsen Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 12 10 Ret 10 7 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 5 2 15 Herbert 6 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 13 2 16 Martini Ret Ret Ret 6 6 Ret 8 10 15 11 Ret Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 2 17 Modena DNQ Ret Ret DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret DNQ Ret 15 DNQ 13 7 6 1 18 Fittipaldi Ret Ret Ret 11 Ret 8 13 DNQ DNQ DNQ 12 6 9 1 19 Gachot Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret 6 DSQ Ret Ret 14 Ret 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 20 Suzuki 8 DNQ Ret 7 10 11 DNQ Ret 12 Ret Ret 9 Ret 10 8 8 0 21 Lehto Ret 8 8 Ret 11 9 9 9 13 10 DNQ 7 11 Ret 9 Ret 0 22 Morbidelli Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret 11 8 17 12 DNQ 16 Ret 14 14 10 0 23 Gugelmin 11 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 15 10 14 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 24 Grouillard| Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 12 11 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 25 Katayama 12 12 10 DNQ Ret DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 9 Ret 11 Ret 0 26 Belmondo DNQ DNQ DNQ 12 13 DNQ 14 DNQ DNQ 13 9 0 27 van de Poele 13 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ WD DNQ Ret 10 Ret 0 28 Naspetti 12 Ret 11 13 Ret 0 29 Larini 12 11 0 30 Hill DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 16 DNQ 11 0 31 Lammers Ret 12 0 32 Tarquini Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 — Chiesa DNQ Ret DNQ Ret DNQ DNQ DNQ Ret DNQ DNQ 0 — Moreno DNQ DNQ Ret DNPQ DNPQ DNPQ DNQ 0 — Zanardi DNQ Ret DNQ 0 — McCarthy DNQ 0 — Amati DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 Pos Driver RSA Template:Country data South Africa 1927 MEX BRA ESP SMR MON CAN FRA GBR DEU HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS Points

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX)