Fantasy F1 team thirteen: Benetton F1

Hi again. Second post of the week. Last year I did a post about Fantasy F1 team thirteen about Chip Ganassi Racing. So I am doing post about Fantasy F1 team thirteen on Benetton F1. Some YouTube videos below on early days on Benetton with Martin Brundle and Michael Schumacher.





I writing this on a train from London a couple of weeks back, while in London I found a Benetton store, remembering the old Benetton F1 Team, when they was in Formula 1 buying out the old Toleman team. In Benetton time they won two drivers championship with Michael Schumacher in 1994 and 1995, a constructors championship in 1995. Then the team was bought by Renault in 2000, which is now Lotus Renault GP. And my theory will be what if? ... If Benetton was the thirteen team in Formula one?

So this is a fantasy, so Benetton wouldn't be in Formula one until 2014 when possibility of the engines reducing from the 2.4 litre V8s to 1.6 litre, V6 turbos and other brand new rules. My thoughts will be:

•Time to build a team?
•Budget?
•Are they going to build their own chassis or are manufacture going to build the chassis?
•Drivetrain (engine)?
•Sponsors?
•Drivers?
•End of first season?

First of all you need time, to build the right team. Such as chassis, drivetrain, people, base ( based either in Italy or England) contracts and so forth. You need time to build a Formula 1, need more time to preperate such as a new team like Team Lotus in 2010 (six months to get ready). So a new team to get ready for a first season you need more than 24 months. So the FIA needs to confirm this team in Feb 2012, to get ready for the 2014 season. You will also bring in Flavio Briatore to mange the team of his past experience with the team (bringing in Michael Schumacher into the Team, two drivers championship Schumacher in 1994 and 1995 while managing the team in that period, a constructors championship in 1995 too)

Second is budget, a team like Virgin Racing had the budget in the range of £40million. While a established team such as Williams has a budget around £65million. So for a team like Benetton need a budget of £55-60million will be good for a first season to compete with.

Next is chassis, for Formula one they could goto Dallara chassis or Lola to build the chassis. But, for Benetton I guess they will build their own chassis for this.

Engine deal could a mind-field in this part. With the 1.6 litre V6 turbo coming in for 2014, it could be any guess. Return of BMW (if they ever come back), Renault or Cosworth. So more than likely a Renault 1.6 litre V6 turbo in the back of the car.

Sponsors, in the past Benetton bought into Formula 1 sponsors such as: Camel, Mildseven, FedEx, Vodafone and so forth, even Benetton sponsoring themselves through the 1980's. So with Benetton who knows they will bring in.

Drivers, there is a lot of drivers for this bit. In the past Benetton usually have talented in that team such as Gerhard Berger, Thierry Boutsen, Alessandro Nannini, Johnny Herbert, Teo Fabi, Giancarlo Fisichella so forth. So which of today would have drive for Benetton, possibly Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi just for experience reasons.

So with a budget of £55-60million, own chassis based in England, Renault V6 turbo engines, big sponsors, Sutil and Luizzi as drivers. So the end of debut season my fantasy prediction: possibly a few points for Sutil and Luizzi. And a top 10 in the constructors championship for Benetton Formula 1, it wouldn't be like bringing in a F1 team in the early 90's like Jordan for example (5th in Constructors Championship in their first season of F1). Due to budget, knowledge and technology main reasons you won't see this again.

Now focusing onto their second season into Formula one for Benetton, focusing getting top 10 finishing more constantly. Maybe we will do this again so. Bye for now.