At the end of 1993 Jos Verstappen, after impressing in Formula Opel Lotus and Formula Three, was one of the most wanted upcoming drivers. He was eventually signed as test driver for Benetton for , but made his debut in Brazil after regular driver JJ Lehto injured himself in pre-season testing. Verstappen became the default race driver in France, and would go on to score a podium in Hungary and Belgium. He was replaced for the last two races of 1994, and moved to Simtek in . This would mark the beginning of a career mostly spent in mid-field and back-field teams such as Arrows, Tyrrell and Minardi. After a career in which he drove 107 Grands Prix, spanning 9 years and scoring 17 points, Verstappen retired after the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.