1996 Formula One World Championship

50th season of FIA Formula One motor racing F1 1996 the 1996 F1 video game Formula 1 (video game) December 2023 March 2015 1996 Drivers' Champion: Damon HillConstructors' Champion: Williams-Renault Porsche Supercup 3 450 Damon Hill juillet 1995.jpg Damon Hill won his only Formula One World Championship in his last year with Williams. He became the first son of a Formula One Drivers' Champion to win the title. Jacques Villeneuve at Mont-Tremblant 2010 01.jpg Hill's teammate Jacques Villeneuve (pictured in 2010) finished as runner-up in his debut season with four wins. Michael Schumacher at Fiorano in 2003.jpg Then two-time and defending World Champion Michael Schumacher (pictured in 2003) finished third in his first year with Scuderia Ferrari, taking three wins for the team. Williams FW18 at Goodwood 2010.jpg Williams-Renault won the World Constructors' Championship with the Williams FW18. Ferrari F310 Michael Schumacher 1996 German Grand Prix.jpg Scuderia Ferrari finished second in the World Constructors' Championship with the Ferrari F310. Jean Alesi - Imola 1996 (5).jpg Benetton-Renault finished third in the World Constructors' Championship with the Benetton B196. The 1996 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 50th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. The championship commenced on 10 March and ended on 13 October after sixteen races.1996 RACE RESULTS https://www.formula1.com/en/results/1996/races live https://web.archive.org/web/20240917115429/https://www.formula1.com/en/results/1996/races 2024-09-17 2024-09-19 Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website en Two World Championship titles were awarded, one for Drivers and one for Constructors. Damon Hill won the Drivers' Championship two years after being beaten by a point by Michael Schumacher, making him the first son of a World Champion (his father Graham having won the title in 1962 and 1968) to have won the title himself as well as the only until Nico Rosberg, son of 1982 champion Keke Rosberg, won the title 34 years later in 2016.https://www.statsf1.com/en/1994.aspx 1994 • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 5 February 20192015-01-19 Like father, like son - the second-generation F1 racers https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2015/2/like-father--like-son---the-second-generation-f1-racers.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20240304113924/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2015/2/like-father--like-son---the-second-generation-f1-racers.html 2024-03-04 5 February 2019 Formula1.com Hill, who had finished runner-up for the past two seasons, was seriously threatened only by his teammate, newcomer Jacques Villeneuve, the 1995 IndyCar and Indianapolis 500 champion.https://www.statsf1.com/en/damon-hill.aspx Damon HILL • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 5 February 2019Widdows Rob May 2009 Damon Hill on Jacques Villeneuve: Williams team-mates https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-2009/52/hill-villeneuve live https://web.archive.org/web/20240415090341/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-2009/52/hill-villeneuve/ 2024-04-15 5 February 2019 Motor Sport Magazine en Williams-Renault easily won the Constructors' title, as there was no other competitor strong enough to post a consistent challenge throughout the championship. This was also the beginning of the end of Williams's 1990s dominance, as it was announced that Hill and designer Adrian Newey would depart at the conclusion of the season, with engine manufacturer Renault also leaving after 1997.GMM 2012-02-28 Williams admits mistake to let Newey go https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-admits-mistake-to-let-newey-go/417300/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20220325092805/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-admits-mistake-to-let-newey-go/417300/ 2022-03-25 5 February 2019 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network enKeith Collantine 28 April 2010 The rise and fall of Williams https://www.racefans.net/2010/04/28/the-rise-and-fall-of-williams/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20231130102512/https://www.racefans.net/2010/04/28/the-rise-and-fall-of-williams/ 2023-11-30 5 February 2019 www.racefans.net Two-time defending world champion Michael Schumacher had moved to Ferrari and despite numerous reliability problems, they had gradually developed into a front-running team by the end of the season.Weeks Jim 18 February 2016 Schumacher and Ferrari: The Launch of F1's Greatest Partnership https://www.vice.com/en/article/schumacher-and-ferrari-the-launch-of-f1s-greatest-partnership/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20240919230605/https://www.vice.com/en/article/schumacher-and-ferrari-the-launch-of-f1s-greatest-partnership/ 2024-09-19 6 February 2018 Vice Vice Media en-CA Defending Constructors' Champion Benetton began their decline towards the middle of the grid, having lost key personnel due to Schumacher's departure, and failed to win a race.Admin 31 July 2018 Working Within Benetton During the 1990s https://www.unracedf1.com/working-within-benetton-during-the-1990s/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20240524174035/https://www.unracedf1.com/working-within-benetton-during-the-1990s/ 2024-05-24 6 February 2019 UNRACEDF1.COMBenetton • STATS F1 https://www.statsf1.com/en/benetton.aspx live https://web.archive.org/web/20240910161200/https://www.statsf1.com/en/benetton.aspx 2024-09-10 6 February 2019 www.statsf1.com fr Olivier Panis took the only victory of his career at the Monaco Grand Prix.https://www.statsf1.com/en/olivier-panis/victoire.aspx Olivier PANIS - Wins • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 6 February 2019 For the first time since 1979, no Brazilian driver mounted the podium, and this also was the last championship for a British driver until Lewis Hamilton in 2008. This year also saw the introduction of new car numbering system predominately based on the finishing order of the constructors' championship from the previous year (an exception being made in cases where a reigning drivers' champion moving teams) replacing the previous system which had been in since 1974. The constructors' championship-based car numbering system would remain in place until the end of the 2013 season. This was also the last season in which Goodyear would act as the sole tyre supplier in the sport as Bridgestone would join F1 for 1997 - creating a tyre war. Teams and drivers The numbering system used since the 1974 season was dropped.Beer Matt 2013-11-28 Insight: Formula 1's iconic numbers https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/insight-formula-1s-iconic-numbers-4469945/4469945/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20230605101711/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/insight-formula-1s-iconic-numbers-4469945/4469945/ 2023-06-05 2024-09-19 www.autosport.com enJudkins Ollie 12 November 2010 Numbers Nostalgia http://www.f1colours.com/articles/numbers-nostalgia/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20210618080723/https://www.f1colours.com/articles/numbers-nostalgia/ 2021-06-18 7 January 2019 F1 Colours en-US Ferrari was given the numbers 1 and 2 after hiring the defending champion Michael Schumacher, despite finishing the previous year's Constructors' Championship in third, Benetton received numbers 3 and 4 for winning the Constructors' Championship, Williams got numbers 5 and 6 for finishing second, McLaren got 7 and 8 for finishing fourth, Ligier got 9 and 10 for finishing fifth, and so on, with the number 13 being skipped.http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/648804392__04_12_1995_F1_Enrty_96.pdf 1996 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List 4 December 1995 FIA.com Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile https://web.archive.org/web/20050302101622/http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/648804392__04_12_1995_F1_Enrty_96.pdf 2 March 2005 dead 28 July 2015https://www.statsf1.com/en/1995.aspx 1995 • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 7 February 2019 The following teams and drivers competed in the 1996 FIA Formula One World Championship. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Goodyear. Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine No. Car number Driver Rounds ITA Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari F310 Ferrari Tipo 046 3.0 V10 1 DEU Michael Schumacher All 2 GBR Eddie Irvine All ITA Mild Seven Benetton Renault Benetton-Renault B196 Renault RS8 3.0 V10 3 FRA 1974 Jean Alesi All 4 AUT Gerhard Berger All GBR Rothmans Williams Renault Williams-Renault FW18 Renault RS8 3.0 V10 5 GBR Damon Hill All 6 CAN Jacques Villeneuve All GBR Marlboro McLaren Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes MP4/11MP4/11B Mercedes FO 110D 3.0 V10 7 FIN Mika Häkkinen All 8 GBR David Coulthard All FRA 1974 Ligier Gauloises Blondes Ligier-Mugen-Honda JS43 Mugen-Honda MF-301HA 3.0 V10 9 FRA 1974 Olivier Panis All 10 BRA Pedro Diniz All IRL Benson & Hedges Total Jordan Peugeot Jordan-Peugeot 196 Peugeot A12 3.0 V10 11 BRA Rubens Barrichello All 12 GBR Martin Brundle All CHE Red Bull Sauber Ford Sauber-Ford C15 Ford JD Zetec-R 3.0 V10 14 GBR Johnny Herbert All 15 DEU Heinz-Harald Frentzen All GBR Footwork Hart Footwork-Hart FA17 Hart 830 3.0 V8 16 BRA Ricardo Rosset All 17 NLD Jos Verstappen All GBR Tyrrell Yamaha Tyrrell-Yamaha 024 Yamaha OX11A 3.0 V10 18 JPN 1947 Ukyo Katayama All 19 FIN Mika Salo All ITA Minardi Team Minardi-Ford M195B Ford-Cosworth EDM2 3.0 V8Ford-Cosworth EDM3 3.0 V8 20 PRT Pedro Lamy All 21 ITA Giancarlo Fisichella 1, 4–10 BRA Tarso Marques 2–3 ITA Giovanni Lavaggi 11–16 ITA Forti Grand PrixForti Grand Prix were declared bankrupt after the British Grand Prix and took no further part in the championship.https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gallery-f1-teams-that-became-defunct-in-the-last-25-years-889186/889186/ Gallery: F1 teams that became defunct in the last 25 years www.motorsport.com 4 April 2017 en 7 February 2019 Forti-Ford FG01BFG03 Ford ECA Zetec-R 3.0 V8 22 ITA Luca Badoer 1–10 23 ITA Andrea Montermini 1–10Source:https://www.statsf1.com/en/1996/modeles.aspx Models in 1996 • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 7 January 2019https://www.statsf1.com/en/1996/pilotes.aspx All the drivers 1996 • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 7 February 2019 Team changes By receiving an Italian licence the defending Constructors' Champion Benetton officially became an Italian constructor, though it continued to operate from the same base in Britain.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19951129&id=FWoWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3B4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3285,4122386 Benetton to race under Italian colours New Straits Times 29 November 1995 4 February 2014 Jordan gained a new title sponsor in British cigarette brand Benson & Hedges, who joined oil supplier Total and engine company Peugeot in the team's official name.1996-05-08 Jordan to be sponsored by Benson and Hedges https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/jordan-to-be-sponsored-by-benson-and-hedges/4521/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124147/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/jordan-to-be-sponsored-by-benson-and-hedges/4521/ 9 February 2019 7 February 2019 www.motorsport.com en Meanwhile, Tyrrell lost their title sponsor, Finnish communications company Nokia, becoming officially known simply as Tyrrell Yamaha.18 December 1995 Tyrrell loses Nokia http://grandprix.com/ns/ns00403.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20230705103023/https://grandprix.com/ns/ns00403.html 2023-07-05 7 February 2019 grandprix.com Forti also lost the sponsorship of Italian dairy corporation Parmalat, as well as any official connection to Ford, although they continued to use Ford engines.February 2019 Scuderia Italia decided to end their two-year working relationship with Minardi, so the team once again became known simply as Minardi Team.February 2019 Two teams disappeared from the entry list entirely. Larrousse had missed the early races of 1995 before finally announcing their withdrawal before the San Marino Grand Prix. Gérard Larrousse claimed several times the team would reappear in 1996, but a combination of legal and financial difficulties meant this never materialised. Pacific withdrew from the sport at the end of 1995.https://www.unracedf1.com/larrousse-last-months-as-team/ Larrousse's last months as F1 Team 28 July 2018 UNRACEDF1.COM 7 February 2019https://www.unracedf1.com/the-untold-story-pacific-grand-prix/ The untold story of Pacific Grand Prix in the F1 19 November 2017 UNRACEDF1.COM 7 February 2019 Scuderia Ferrari decided to change from the V12 engine they competed with the previous season to the V-10 engine configuration which was used by most of the other teams. For the first time since 1988, no Formula One entrants utilized a V12 engine in their car. Driver changes thumb|200px|Michael Schumacher moved to Ferrari over the winter break. thumb|200px|Jacques Villeneuve replaced David Coulthard at Williams Defending double world champion Michael Schumacher left Benetton to join Ferrari, citing the need for a new challenge.https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/schumacher-signs-for-ferrari/3279/ Schumacher signs for Ferrari 8 May 1995 www.motorsport.com en 7 February 2019 9 February 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124233/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/schumacher-signs-for-ferrari/3279/ dead He displaced Jean Alesi, who moved in the opposite direction. Gerhard Berger was offered the chance to stay as Schumacher's teammate, but eventually opted to join Alesi at Benetton.http://grandprix.com/ns/ns00266.html Berger signs for Benetton 4 September 1995 grandprix.com 7 February 2019 Ferrari filled the seat with Jordan's Eddie Irvine.https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/irvine-to-partner-schumacher-at-ferrari-1603160.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/irvine-to-partner-schumacher-at-ferrari-1603160.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Irvine to partner Schumacher at Ferrari 27 September 1995 The Independent en 7 February 2019 Berger's decision to join Benetton ousted Johnny Herbert, who joined Sauber alongside Heinz-Harald Frentzen.https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/herbert-signs-for-sauber-1526567.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/herbert-signs-for-sauber-1526567.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Herbert signs for Sauber 19 December 1995 The Independent en 8 February 2019 Sauber's other seat had been filled in 1995 by both Karl Wendlinger, who left F1 still struggling to recover fully from injuries sustained at the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix, and Jean-Christophe Boullion, who returned to his testing role at Williams.https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/karl-wendlinger-signed-by-sauber/1442/ Karl Wendlinger signed by Sauber www.motorsport.com en 8 February 2019 31 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200831164940/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/karl-wendlinger-signed-by-sauber/1442/ dead Williams dropped David Coulthard, instead recruiting Canadian rookie Jacques Villeneuve, who had won the 1995 CART Championship and the 1995 Indianapolis 500, to partner Damon Hill. Coulthard joined McLaren alongside Mika Häkkinen, replacing Mark Blundell, who moved into CART with PacWest Racing.https://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0054/print.shtml BBC - A Sporting Nation - David Coulthard's best season 2001 www.bbc.co.uk 8 February 2019 Martin Brundle left Ligier in order to replace the Ferrari-bound Irvine at Jordan, where he would partner Rubens Barrichello.https://www.la-croix.com/Archives/1995-09-30/FORMULE-1-L-Irlandais-Martin-Brundle-qui-pilote-cette-saison-une-Ligier-rejoindra-en-1996-le-Bresilien-Rubens-Barrichello-au-volant-d-une-Jordan-Peugeot-_NP_-1995-09-30-397762 FORMULE 1 L'Irlandais Martin Brundle, qui pilote cette saison une Ligier, rejoindra en 1996 le Brésilien Rubens Barrichello au volant d'une Jordan-Peugeot La-Croix.com 30 September 1995 La Croix fr 9 February 2019 Ligier replaced him by bringing in Forti's Pedro Diniz alongside Olivier Panis.https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/pedro-diniz Pedro Diniz Motor Sport Magazine Database 12 June 2017 Motor Sport Magazine en 9 February 2019https://www.statsf1.com/en/ligier/saison.aspx Ligier - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019 Aguri Suzuki, who had shared Brundle's seat in 1995, left F1 altogether.https://www.statsf1.com/en/aguri-suzuki.aspx Aguri SUZUKI • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019 Footwork had an entirely new line-up in 1996, dispensing with all three of their 1995 drivers.https://www.statsf1.com/en/footwork/saison.aspx Footwork - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019 Gianni Morbidelli became a test driver for Jordan, before returning to a race seat in 1997 with Sauber, while fellow Italian Max Papis moved to America to race in the CART Series.https://www.statsf1.com/en/gianni-morbidelli/engagement.aspx Gianni MORBIDELLI - Involvement • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019https://www.statsf1.com/en/max-papis.aspx Max PAPIS • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com fr 9 February 2019 Taki Inoue was rumoured to have secured a drive with both Tyrrell and Minardi, but ultimately lost out on both seats and moved to sports cars. Footwork replaced them with Jos Verstappen from the now-defunct Simtek team, and 1995 International Formula 3000 runner-up Ricardo Rosset.https://wtf1.com/post/6-races-show-jos-verstappen-pretty-awesome/ 6 Races Which Show Jos Verstappen Was Pretty Awesome Too Thorn Dan 7 February 2017 WTF1 en 9 February 2019 27 July 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200727233906/https://wtf1.com/post/6-races-show-jos-verstappen-pretty-awesome/ deadhttps://www.statsf1.com/en/ricardo-rosset/grand-prix.aspx Ricardo ROSSET - Grands Prix started • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019 Simtek's other driver, Domenico Schiattarella left F1 completely.https://www.statsf1.com/en/domenico-schiattarella.aspx Domenico SCHIATTARELLA • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com fr 9 February 2019 Luca Badoer moved from Minardi to Forti, replacing Pedro Diniz, who had gone to Ligier.https://www.statsf1.com/en/luca-badoer/saison.aspx Luca BADOER - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 11 February 2019https://www.statsf1.com/en/pedro-diniz/saison.aspx Pedro DINIZ - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 11 February 2019 As his replacement, Minardi brought in Giancarlo Fisichella, who had been racing with Alfa Romeo in the International Touring Car Championship, to partner Pedro Lamy.https://www.statsf1.com/en/minardi/saison.aspx Minardi - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 11 February 2019 Badoer's teammate at Forti would be Andrea Montermini, who had raced for the now-extinct Pacific team in 1995.https://www.statsf1.com/en/forti/saison.aspx Forti - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 11 February 2019https://www.statsf1.com/en/andrea-montermini/saison.aspx Andrea MONTERMINI - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 11 February 2019 He replaced Roberto Moreno, who moved into Champ Car.https://www.statsf1.com/en/roberto-moreno.aspx Roberto MORENO • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com fr 11 February 2019 Tyrrell was the only team on the grid to have an unchanged driver line-up from 1995 with Ukyo Katayama and Mika Salo.https://www.statsf1.com/en/tyrrell/saison.aspx Tyrrell - Seasons • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 9 February 2019 Mid-season changes thumb|200px|Andrea Montermini was left without a drive when the Forti team folded halfway through the season. Due to his commitments with Alfa Romeo in the International Touring Car Championship, Giancarlo Fisichella missed several races for Minardi. European Formula 3000 driver Tarso Marques raced at the Brazilian and Argentine Grands Prix, while Giovanni Lavaggi, who had raced for Pacific in 1995, replaced the pair of them from the German Grand Prix onwards due to his superior financial backing.http://www.forzaminardi.com/fisichella.php ForzaMinardi.com - Giancarlo Fisichella www.forzaminardi.com 11 February 2019 30 March 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220330070626/http://www.forzaminardi.com/fisichella.php deadhttps://www.motorsport.com/general/news/giancarlo-fisichella-dreams-do-come-true/343663/?nrt=111 Giancarlo Fisichella: Dreams do come true www.motorsport.com en 11 February 2019 12 February 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011416/https://www.motorsport.com/general/news/giancarlo-fisichella-dreams-do-come-true/343663/?nrt=111 dead Forti were declared bankrupt after the British Grand Prix, leaving both their drivers out of a drive.https://www.statsf1.com/en/forti.aspx Forti • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com fr 12 February 2019 Luca Badoer would eventually return to F1 in 1999 with Minardi, after a spell in the FIA GT Championship, while Andrea Montermini became a test driver for the short-lived Lola team in 1997.https://www.statsf1.com/en/luca-badoer/engagement.aspx Luca BADOER - Involvement • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 12 February 2019http://essaar.co.uk/f1-disastrous-story-mastercard-lola/ F1: The Disastrous Story of MasterCard Lola Collins Aaron 6 September 2018 essaar.co.uk en-GB 12 February 2019 Calendar The 1996 FIA Formula One World Championship comprised the following races: Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 Australian Grand Prix AUS Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne 10 March 2 Brazilian Grand Prix BRA Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 31 March 3 Argentine Grand Prix ARG Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires 7 April 4 European Grand Prix DEU Nürburgring, Nürburg 28 April 5 San Marino Grand Prix ITA Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 5 May 6 Monaco Grand Prix MCO Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 19 May 7 Spanish Grand Prix ESP Circuit de Catalunya, Montmeló 2 June 8 Canadian Grand Prix CAN Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 16 June 9 French Grand Prix FRA 1974 Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours 30 June 10 British Grand Prix GBR Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 14 July 11 German Grand Prix DEU Hockenheimring, Hockenheim 28 July 12 Hungarian Grand Prix HUN Hungaroring, Mogyoród 11 August 13 Belgian Grand Prix BEL Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 25 August 14 Italian Grand Prix ITA Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 8 September 15 Portuguese Grand Prix PRT Autodromo do Estoril, Estoril 22 September 16 Japanese Grand Prix JPN 1947 Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 13 OctoberSource: 1995-12-18 The 1996 F1 calendar http://www.grandprix.com//news/the-1996-f1-calendar-2.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20230926231731/https://www.grandprix.com/news/the-1996-f1-calendar-2.html 2023-09-26 5 February 2019 www.grandprix.com en-GB1996 • STATS F1 https://www.statsf1.com/en/1996.aspx live https://web.archive.org/web/20240905180218/https://www.statsf1.com/en/1996.aspx 2024-09-05 5 February 2019 www.statsf1.com Calendar changes The Australian Grand Prix was moved from the Adelaide Street Circuit to the Albert Park Circuit in Port Phillip near Melbourne. The change of venue also resulted in the grand prix becoming the season opener instead of its finale. The Indonesian Grand Prix (renamed from the Pacific Grand Prix) was due to be held in Indonesia at the Sentul International Circuit as the final round but the race did not make the calendar as the corners were unsuitable for Formula One cars. The European Grand Prix at Nürburgring was moved to an earlier April date for 1996 having been held in October near the end of the season in 1995. Regulation changes Technical regulations In 1995, the sides of the cockpit were raised in order to provide better head protection for the driver. These sides were raised even higher (to mid-helmet height) for 1996, along with a wraparound head restraint made of foam to prevent head injuries such as those suffered by Mika Häkkinen during qualifying for the 1995 Australian Grand Prix.https://www.grandprix.com/news/the-new-rules-for-1996.html The new rules for 1996 GrandPrix.com 4 March 1996 4 February 2024 Also, the cockpit opening was made larger, with the front tip now extending to 625 mm on from the front wheel centre line instead of 750 mm on.https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/1996-1998-technical-regulations-changes/1664864/ 1996-1998 technical regulations changes Motorsport.com 8 May 1996 4 February 2024https://www.f1technical.net/articles/62 F1 rules and stats 1990-1999 F1Technical Steven de Groote 1 January 2009 4 February 2024 Needle-like nosecone designs with a sharp point, such as the McLaren MP4/10, Forti FG01 and Tyrrell 023, were also banned in favour of more blunt nose sections. The minimum weight (with driver) was raised from 595 kg lb on to 600 kg lb 0 on.Tanaka, Hiromasa. Transition of Regulation and Technology in Formula One. Honda R&D Technical Review 2009 - F1 Special (The Third Era Activities), 2009, p. 8. To prevent damage to other cars' tyres, front wing endplates had to be at least 10 mm on thick. Sporting and event regulations The race weekend schedule was changed for the 1996 season compared to 1995. The number of free practice sessions was increased from the two to three with the number of laps allocated for each day increased from 23 to 30. Also, to increase the spectacle, the Friday qualifying session was dropped, with the FIA World Motor Sport Council opting to have only one qualifying session, held on Saturday afternoon and limited to 12 laps for drivers. Henry Alan Alan Henry Autocourse 1995–96 1995 Hazelton Publishing 978-1-874557-36-4 211 This year saw the introduction of the "107% rule", which meant all cars had to be within 107% of the pole position time in order to qualify for the race. The previous system of having a red and green light to start the race was replaced by the current system of five red lights turning on sequentially with a period of usually five seconds, then all going out simultaneously before starting the race."New Regulations for 1996". F1 Formula 1 96: A Champion and a Gentleman!. Duke Video. 1996. Event occurs at time 5:47–6:49. A new numbering system for cars was adopted for 1996 and remained in place until the end of 2013, when a new system was introduced. Previously, the reigning Drivers' Champion's team had simply swapped car numbers with the previous Drivers' Champion's team to carry numbers 1 and 2, with all other teams retaining their existing numbers. For 1996 the reigning Drivers' Champion was given number 1 and his teammate number 2 with the rest of the teams numbered in the order of their finishing position in the previous year's Constructors' Championship. Any new teams were allocated the following numbers in order of entry to the championship. Continued safety improvements and modifications on circuits brought the number of "high risk" corners on the calendar down to two.https://www.atlasf1.com/news/safety.html Safety Improvements in F1 since 1963 AtlasF1 4 February 2024 Mercedes-Benz began supplying safety and medical cars for Grand Prix racing during this season.2013-02-26 Mercedes-Benz Tells The History Of The F1 Safety Car: Video https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1082569_mercedes-benz-tells-the-history-of-the-f1-safety-car-video 2026-07-20 Motor Authority en Prior to this, each track had had its own safety car, some of which had proven unsuitable for F1 races (such as at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix). Season report Damon Hill won the season opener in Australia from his Williams teammate Jacques Villeneuve, with Ferrari's Eddie Irvine finishing third.https://www.statsf1.com/en/1996/australie/classement.aspx Australia 1996 - Result • STATS F1 www.statsf1.com 14 February 2019 Villeneuve was leading but late on in the race the team found out that Villeneuve had an oil leak and ordered him to swap places with teammate Hill.http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/f1-1996-australian-gp-recap-031015 Race of firsts: Remembering the 1996 Australian GP Reiman Samuel 10 March 2015 FOX Sports en-US 14 February 2019 The Brazilian Grand Prix took place in heavy rain, and was won from pole position by Damon Hill, with Jean Alesi second in a Benetton and Michael Schumacher third in a Ferrari. Despite suffering a bout of food poisoning, Damon Hill made it three wins out of three at the Argentine Grand Prix, with Jacques Villeneuve helping Williams to their second one-two of the season. Jos Verstappen scored his only point of the season, while Andrea Montermini registered his only finish of the season. Pedro Diniz was involved in two major incidents during the race. First he collided with Luca Badoer, whose Forti was flipped and landed upside down in the gravel, forcing the marshals to bring out the safety car. Diniz managed to continue and made a pit stop as the safety car was preparing to pull in, only to retire when he came back onto the circuit and his Ligier burst into flames because a safety-valve in the fuel tank had jammed open. The European Grand Prix at the NürburgringAll Formula One Grands Prix held at the Nürburgring since 1984 have used the 5 km on long GP-Strecke and not the 21 km on long Nordschleife, which was last used by Formula One in 1976. in Germany was won by Jacques Villeneuve for his first F1 victory in only his fourth race. Michael Schumacher finished second, with David Coulthard third in a McLaren, just ahead of Hill. The San Marino Grand Prix was won by Damon Hill after starting from second position. Michael Schumacher again finished second, despite his front-right brake seizing halfway around the final lap, while Gerhard Berger was third, driving for the Benetton team. Jacques Villeneuve retired near the end of the race after being hit by Jean Alesi. Round six at Monaco was run in wet weather, causing significant attrition and setting a record for the fewest cars (three) to be running at the end of a Grand Prix. Olivier Panis scored what would be his sole career Formula One victory, earning the last Formula One victory for the Ligier team, and the first ever for engine manufacturer Mugen Motorsports, after he made the switch onto slick tyres in a well-timed pitstop. It also marked the only win by a team outside the "Big Four" teams (McLaren, Williams, Benetton, and Ferrari) between the 1988 season and the 1997 season as well as the last Grand Prix win by a car built in France.The French-licensed teams Renault (in the period of 2002-2010) and Alpine built their winning cars in England. David Coulthard was second, nearly five seconds behind Panis. Johnny Herbert scored his only points of the season, finishing third in a Sauber, more than half a minute behind Coulthard. The Spanish Grand Prix saw Michael Schumacher's first Ferrari victory, and is generally regarded as one of the German's finest races. In torrential rain, he produced a stunning drive, helping him to earn the nickname "the Rainmaster". Schumacher recovered from a poor start to take the lead from Villeneuve on lap 13, and from then on he dominated the race, frequently lapping over three seconds faster than the remainder of the field. Jean Alesi finished second, more than 45 seconds behind the winner, with Jacques Villeneuve third. Rubens Barrichello, who was running in second place after Jacques Villeneuve and Alesi made their pit stops, put in a strong performance in this race, but was forced to retire due to a clutch problem with 20 laps remaining. After an uneventful race on his part, Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished in fourth, while Mika Häkkinen took fifth after surviving a spin off the track in the closing stages of the race. Jos Verstappen, running fifth after the retirements of Barrichello and Berger, crashed into the tyre barrier with 12 laps left, guaranteeing Diniz his first Formula One point as by this time only six drivers were left in the race. Damon Hill had started the race from pole position, but dropped to 8th after spinning twice in the opening laps, before another spin into the pit wall on lap 12 ended his race. The Canadian Grand Prix was won from pole position by Damon Hill, with home driver Jacques Villeneuve second, and Frenchman Jean Alesi third. The second half of the season began with the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours. Michael Schumacher qualified in pole position but his engine blew on the warm-up lap and he did not start. The race was won by Damon Hill, with Jacques Villeneuve finishing second in the other Williams, and Jean Alesi again third for the Benetton team. This was the last Grand Prix where a Forti car started the race (two weeks later the team would fail to qualify for the British Grand Prix, the final Formula One event they would enter), however both cars were forced to retire. Jacques Villeneuve took his second win of the season at the British Grand Prix, with Benetton's Gerhard Berger second and McLaren's Mika Häkkinen coming home third for his first podium since his near-fatal crash at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix. Jordan's Rubens Barrichello took fourth, equalling his best finish of the season. The final points went to David Coulthard in the second McLaren and Martin Brundle in the second Jordan. Hill took pole position for his home race, but made a slow start and retired shortly before half distance, after a wheel nut problem caused him to spin off at Copse Corner while he was trying to pass Häkkinen. For the third consecutive race, Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine were both forced to retire with technical issues. The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim was won by Damon Hill, taking his seventh victory of the season after he started from pole position. Austrian driver Gerhard Berger started alongside Hill on the front row in his Benetton and led for much of the race, until his engine failed with three laps remaining. Berger's teammate Jean Alesi was second and Jacques Villeneuve was third. The win meant Hill extended his lead over Villeneuve in the Drivers' Championship to 21 points with five races remaining. The Hungarian Grand Prix was won by Jacques Villeneuve after starting from third position. Villeneuve's teammate Damon Hill finished second, with Jean Alesi third. This was Williams's fifth 1–2 finish of the season, and it secured their fourth Constructors' Championship in five years. The Belgian Grand Prix saw Michael Schumacher take victory, driving a Ferrari. Schumacher had crashed heavily in Friday practice, but recovered to qualify third before taking his second win of the season. Jacques Villeneuve, who had started from pole position, finished second in his Williams, with Mika Häkkinen third in a McLaren. Drivers' Championship leader, Damon Hill, finished fifth. The Italian Grand Prix was won by Michael Schumacher, giving Ferrari their first victory at Monza since 1988. Jean Alesi finished second in a Benetton, with Mika Häkkinen third. Damon Hill took pole position and led until he made an error and spun off on lap 6, while his teammate and main championship rival, Jacques Villeneuve, could only manage seventh. The penultimate race of the season was the Portuguese Grand Prix. Williams's Jacques Villeneuve won from teammate Damon Hill in second and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in third. This victory, Villeneuve's fourth of the season, ensured that the Drivers' Championship battle between him and Hill would go to the final round. Benetton's Jean Alesi finished fourth, just behind Schumacher, while Eddie Irvine in the second Ferrari and Gerhard Berger in the second Benetton survived a last-lap collision to take fifth and sixth respectively. The 1996 season concluded with the title-deciding Japanese Grand Prix on 13 October. Before the event, Hill was leading the Drivers' Championship standings, with teammate Villeneuve needing to win the race without Hill scoring in order to win the championship himself. In qualifying, Villeneuve took pole position, but made a poor start to the race and later retired when a wheel fell off his car. The race was won by Damon Hill for his eighth victory of the season, securing the Drivers' Championship in the process. Michael Schumacher finished second in a Ferrari, enabling the Italian team to steal second place in the Constructors' Championship from Benetton, with Mika Häkkinen finishing third in a McLaren. Hill became the first son of a World Champion to win the championship himself, his father Graham having twice been champion, in 1962 and 1968. Results and standings Grands Prix Round Grand Prix Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning constructor Report 1 AUS Australian Grand Prix CAN Jacques VilleneuveCAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Damon HillGBR Williams-Renault Report 2 BRA Brazilian Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 3 ARG Argentine Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill FRA 1974 Jean Alesi GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 4 DEU European Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Williams-Renault Report 5 ITA San Marino Grand PrixDEU Michael Schumacher GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 6 MCO Monaco Grand Prix DEU Michael Schumacher FRA 1974 Jean Alesi FRA 1974 Olivier PanisFRA 1974 Ligier-Mugen-Honda Report 7 ESP Spanish Grand Prix GBR Damon HillDEU Michael SchumacherDEU Michael Schumacher ITA Ferrari Report 8 CAN Canadian Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 9 FRA 1974 French Grand Prix DEU Michael SchumacherMichael Schumacher set the fastest time in qualifying, but did not start the race due to an engine failure on the formation lap. Pole position was left vacant on the grid. Damon Hill, in the second slot, was the first driver on the grid. Schumacher is still considered to have held pole position. CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 10 GBR British Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill CAN Jacques Villeneuve CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Williams-Renault Report 11 DEU German Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault Report 12 HUN Hungarian Grand Prix DEU Michael Schumacher GBR Damon Hill CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Williams-Renault Report 13 BEL Belgian Grand Prix CAN Jacques Villeneuve AUT Gerhard Berger DEU Michael Schumacher ITA Ferrari Report 14 ITA Italian Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill DEU Michael SchumacherDEU Michael Schumacher ITA Ferrari Report 15PRT Portuguese Grand Prix GBR Damon Hill CAN Jacques Villeneuve CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Williams-Renault Report 16 JPN 1947 Japanese Grand Prix CAN Jacques Villeneuve CAN Jacques Villeneuve GBR Damon Hill GBR Williams-Renault ReportSource:Formula One Results 1996 https://motorsportstats.com/series/formula-one/results/1996 Motorsport Stats 13 June 2023 Points scoring system List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems Points are awarded to the top six classified finishers in each race for the drivers' and constructors' championships.Jones Bruce Review of the 1996 Season – Final Tables The Official ITV Formula One 1997 Grand Prix Guide https://archive.org/details/officialitvformu0000jone/ 1997 Carlton Books London, England 30–31 1-85868-319-X Internet Archive registration Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th  Points 10 6 4 3 2 1 World Drivers' Championship standings Pos. Position Driver AUSAUS BRABRA ARGARG EURDEU SMRITA MONMCO ESPESP CANCAN FRAFRA 1974 GBRGBR GERDEU HUNHUN BELBEL ITAITA PORPRT JPNJPN 1947 Points 1 GBR Damon Hill 1 1 p f 1 p 4 p f 1 f Ret Ret p 1 p 1 Ret p 1 p f 2 f 5 Ret p 2 p 197 2 CAN Jacques Villeneuve 2 p f Ret 2 1 11† Ret 3 2 f 2 f 1 f 3 1 2 p 7 1 f Ret p f78 3 DEU Michael Schumacher Ret 3 Ret 2 2 p Ret p 1 f Ret DNS p Ret 4 9 p† 1 1 f 3 259 4 FRA 1974 Jean Alesi Ret 2 3 f Ret 6 Ret f 2 3 3 Ret 2 3 4 2 4 Ret47 5 FIN Mika Häkkinen 5 4 Ret 8 8† 6† 5 5 5 3 Ret 4 3 3 Ret 331 6 AUT Gerhard Berger 4 Ret Ret 9 3 Ret Ret Ret 4 2 13† Ret 6 f Ret 6 421 7 GBR David Coulthard Ret Ret 7 3 Ret 2 Ret 4 6 5 5 Ret Ret Ret 13 818 8 BRA Rubens Barrichello Ret Ret 4 5 5 Ret Ret Ret 9 4 6 6 Ret 5 Ret 914 9 FRA 1974 Olivier Panis 7 6 8 Ret Ret 1 Ret Ret 7 Ret 7 5 Ret Ret 10 713 10 GBR Eddie Irvine 3 7 5 Ret 4 7† Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret11 11 GBR Martin Brundle Ret 12† Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret 6 8 6 10 Ret Ret 4 9 58 12 DEU Heinz-Harald Frentzen 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4† 4 Ret Ret 8 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 67 13 FIN Mika Salo 6 5 Ret DSQ Ret 5† DSQ Ret 10 7 9 Ret 7 Ret 11 Ret5 14 GBR Johnny Herbert DNS Ret 9 7 Ret 3 Ret 7 DSQ 9 Ret Ret Ret 9† 8 104 15 BRA Pedro Diniz 10 8 Ret 10 7 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret2 16 NLD Jos Verstappen Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 111 17 JPN 1947 Ukyo Katayama 11 9 Ret DSQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 8 10 12 Ret0 18 BRA Ricardo Rosset 9 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 Ret 11 8 9 Ret 14 130 19 ITA Giancarlo Fisichella Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 110 20 PRT Pedro Lamy Ret 10 Ret 12 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 12 Ret 10 Ret 16 120 21 ITA Luca Badoer DNQ 11 Ret DNQ 10 Ret DNQ Ret Ret DNQDNP0 22 ITA Giovanni Lavaggi DNQ 10† DNQ Ret 15 DNQ0 23 ITA Andrea Montermini DNQ Ret 10 DNQ DNQ DNS DNQ Ret Ret DNQDNP0 — BRA Tarso Marques Ret Ret0 Pos. Position Driver AUSAUS BRABRA ARGARG EURDEU SMRITA MONMCO ESPESP CANCAN FRAFRA 1974 GBRGBR GERDEU HUNHUN BELBEL ITAITA PORPRT JPNJPN 1947 Points Sources:Hallberry Andy Autosport 1996 Grand Prix Review https://archive.org/details/autosport1996gra0000unse 1997 Haymarket Specialist Publications Ltd Teddington, Middlesex 118 978-0-86024-936-8 Internet Archive registrationFIA Formula One World Championship – Drivers points, www.fia.com, as archived at web.archive.org Notes: – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance. World Constructors' Championship standings Pos. PositionConstructorNo. Car number AUSAUS BRABRA ARGARG EURDEU SMRITA MONMCO ESPESP CANCAN FRAFRA 1974 GBRGBR GERDEU HUNHUN BELBEL ITAITA PORPRT JPNJPN 1947 Points 1 GBR Williams-Renault 5 1 1 p f 1 p 4 p f 1 f Ret Ret p 1 p 1 Ret p 1 p f 2 f 5 Ret p 2 p 1 175 6 2 p f Ret 2 1 11† Ret 3 2 f 2 f 1 f 3 1 2 p 7 1 f Ret p f 2 ITA Ferrari 1 Ret 3 Ret 2 2 p Ret p 1 f Ret DNS p Ret 4 9 p† 1 1 f 3 2 70 2 3 7 5 Ret 4 7† Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret 3 ITA Benetton-Renault 3 Ret 2 3 f Ret 6 Ret f 2 3 3 Ret 2 3 4 2 4 Ret 68 4 4 Ret Ret 9 3 Ret Ret Ret 4 2 13† Ret 6 f Ret 6 4 4 GBR McLaren-Mercedes 7 5 4 Ret 8 8† 6† 5 5 5 3 Ret 4 3 3 Ret 3 49 8 Ret Ret 7 3 Ret 2 Ret 4 6 5 5 Ret Ret Ret 13 8 5 IRL Jordan-Peugeot 11 Ret Ret 4 5 5 Ret Ret Ret 9 4 6 6 Ret 5 Ret 9 22 12 Ret 12 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret 6 8 6 10 Ret Ret 4 9 5 6 FRA 1974 Ligier-Mugen-Honda 9 7 6 8 Ret Ret 1 Ret Ret 7 Ret 7 5 Ret Ret 10 7 15 10 10 8 Ret 10 7 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 7 CHE Sauber-Ford 14 DNS Ret 9 7 Ret 3 Ret 7 DSQ 9 Ret Ret Ret 9† 8 10 11 15 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4† 4 Ret Ret 8 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 6 8 GBR Tyrrell-Yamaha 18 11 9 Ret DSQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 8 10 12 Ret 5 19 6 5 Ret DSQ Ret 5† DSQ Ret 10 7 9 Ret 7 Ret 11 Ret 9 GBR Footwork-Hart 16 9 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 Ret 11 8 9 Ret 14 13 1 17 Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 11 — ITA Minardi-Ford 20 Ret 10 Ret 12 9 Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 12 Ret 10 Ret 16 12 0 21 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 11 DNQ 10† DNQ Ret 15 DNQ — ITA Forti-Ford 22 DNQ 11 Ret DNQ 10 Ret DNQ Ret Ret DNQDNP 0 23 DNQ Ret 10 DNQ DNQ DNS DNQ Ret Ret DNQDNPPos. PositionConstructorNo. Car number AUSAUS BRABRA ARGARG EURDEU SMRITA MONMCO ESPESP CANCAN FRAFRA 1974 GBRGBR GERDEU HUNHUN BELBEL ITAITA PORPRT JPNJPN 1947 Points Source:FIA Formula One World Championship – Constructors points, www.fia.com, as archived at web.archive.orgthumb|Williams-Renault won the Constructors' Championship with the FW18 Notes: – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance. Non-championship event results The 1996 season also included a single event which did not count towards the World Championship, the Formula One Indoor Trophy at the Bologna Motor Show. This is to date the final competitive non-championship event in Formula One history, as the event would cater to Formula 3000 machinery from 1997 onwards. Race name Venue Date Winning driver Constructor Report ITA Formula One Indoor Trophy Bologna Motor Show 7–8 December ITA Giancarlo Fisichella ITA Benetton Report Notes References 30em External links Formula One formula1.com – 1996 official driver standings (archived) formula1.com – 1996 official team standings (archived) Category:Formula One seasons Formula 1