1992 Formula One Season

## 1992 FIA Formula One World Championship

1992 World Champion, Nigel Mansell

The **1992 Formula One Season** was the 43rd season of the FIA Formula One World Championship. The championship comprised of sixteen races, with the Drivers' Championship being won by British driver Nigel Mansell of Williams–Renault, and the Constructors' Championship being won by McLaren–Ilmor.

In a continuation of their rivalry from the 1991 championship, the season was dominated by the battle between the reigning world champion, Joey Davies, and Nigel Mansell. Although, like 1991, the championship went down to the final race in Australia, Mansell would prevail to win his first World Championship. Michael Schumacher took his first race win this season, helping McLaren–Ilmor to win the Constructors' Championship.

## Technical and rules changes

* Unleaded gasoline fuel became mandatory for all Formula One cars from the 1992 season onwards as leaded gasoline fuel was deemed too hazardous for health. Previously, unleaded gasoline fuel was optional for top teams only.
* Introduction of an official Safety Car in the sport.
* Pit lanes required to have a minimum width of 12 metres (39 ft). Chicanes at pit lane entry made mandatory.
* Stricter pre-season crash tests were introduced: water-filled fuel tank fitted to test strength of seat back bulkhead and 75 kilograms (165 lb) dummy fitted with maximum deceleration figure for the torso (also verifies harness anchorage strength).

## Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1992 FIA Formula One World Championship. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Goodyear. All engines' displacement is 3.5 litres (210 cubic inches).

### Team changes

* Alain Prost would purchase a controlling stake in Ligier and would act as Team Principal.
* Coloni withdrew from Formula 1 and Andrea Moda took up their entry for the 1992 season.
* Honda announced they would no longer supply works engines and Mugen-Honda would supply engines for 1992 to Tyrrell and Footwork.
* Renault would take on an additional team for 1992, supplying Ligier.
* Ferrari announced they would no longer supply Minardi, switching to Lamborghini for the 1992 season.
* Ilmor announced that they would no longer supply Footwork and Leyton House, and would instead switch to supplying McLaren and Jordan.
* Ford ceased supplying engines to Jordan, and would supply Lotus for the 1992 season.
* Following Ligier securing a deal with Renault, Porsche switched to supplying engines to Leyton House.
* Yamaha announced they would no longer supply works engines, and Brabham were left without a works engine supplier for 1992.
* Engine suppliers Judd would cease to supply engines for Dallara, and would supply Brabham and new entrants Fondmetal and Andrea Moda.
* Cosworth did not supply engines for the 1992 season.
* Peugeot entered the sport as a works engine supplier for Larrousse.

### Driver changes

* Alain Prost would be replaced at McLaren by Michael Schumacher from Jordan.
* Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert would be replaced at Footwork by JJ Lehto and Derek Warwick.
* Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert would move to the Benetton team, replacing Derek Warwick and the retiring Nelson Piquet.
* Thierry Boutsen would give up his first place seat in Ligier to new team owner Alain Prost. Boutsen and Érik Comas would then get 4 races each in the first 8 races to determine who would be retained in the second seat for the rest of the season.
* Damon Hill and Heinz-Harald Frentzen would take over for Michael Schumacher and Andrea De Cesaris at Jordan.
* Mark Blundell and Damon Hill would move on from Brabham, being replaced by Martin Donnelly and Roberto Moreno.
* Ivan Capelli would leave Leyton House and would be replaced by Roland Ratzenberger.
* Mark Blundell would take up the second seat at Lotus vacated by Martin Donnelly.
* Aguri Suzuki would retire from Formula 1 being replaced at Larrousse by Alessandro Zanardi.
* Ivan Capelli would take up JJ Lehto's seat at Dallara.
* Oscar Larrauri was replaced at Fondmetal by Andrea de Cesaris.
* Giovanna Amati would make way at Modena for Michele Alboreto.
* Michele Alboreto and Pedro Chaves would not be retained at the defunct Coloni team when it was rebranded Andrea Moda, and Alex Caffi and Perry McCarthy would replace the pair.

#### Mid-season changes

* Owing to financial difficulties, Leyton House were forced to drop rookie Roland Ratzenberger after round 4 in favour of fellow rookie and pay-driver Paul Belmondo, who would take the seat for the rest of the season. After Round 12, Leyton House would quit the sport and would not compete in the remaining 4 rounds of the championship.
* Following a horrific crash at the Canadian GP, Martin Donnelly and Emanuele Pirro would miss the rest of the season. Pirro would be replaced at Dallara by Christian Fittipaldi, and Donnelly would be replaced at Lotus by Jean-Marc Gounon.
* Érik Comas would finish his 4-race stint in round 4, and for rounds 5 to 8 Thierry Boutsen would take over the second seat in Ligier to decide who would get the race seat for the rest of the season.
* Boutsen would receive a 1 race ban for ignoring blue flags during the Canadian GP, and would miss round 8 in France, his seat going to Érik Comas.
* Following a disappointing spell at Williams, Jean Alesi was dropped for Round 9 in favour of Damon Hill for the remainder of the season. Hill's free seat at Jordan would be filled by Karl Wendlinger.
* Despite assurances of the second race seat, Prost took up the option on Alesi from round 9 instead of Comas or Boutsen.
* Nigel Mansell would receive a 1 race ban for dangerous driving during the German GP, and would be replaced for Round 11 in Hungary by Al Unser Jr.

## Season calendar

Sixteen races were scheduled for the 1992 season.

### Calendar changes

* The United States Grand Prix was dropped from the calendar, after the race's promoters admitted they would be unable to afford the event. The 1991 event at Watkins Glen was poorly attended. It was replaced as the season opener by the South African Grand Prix. Despite calls for its reinstatement later in the season, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone confirmed it would not return.
* The Brazilian Grand Prix took place on a shortened version of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace for the first time.
* Work on the southern section of the track, including new pit buildings and moving the start/finish straight, to bring it up to modern F1 standards was finally completed, so the South African Grand Prix returned to Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.
* The Mexican Grand Prix was moved from its mid-June date to March.
* The Spanish Grand Prix was moved from September to May.

## Season summary

### Opening rounds

The opening Grand Prix in South Africa saw Williams deliver on pre-season promise, with a pole to chequered flag win for Nigel Mansell. Alain Prost showed the promise of the new Ligier-Renault package with second, and Joey Davies looked to have a lot of work to do to defend his title with third at the flag. Mansell again secured pole at Round 2 in Mexico, but he would retire, and a non-points finish for Davies left Michael Schumacher free to take the win, with Ayrton Senna taking second, and Martin Brundle an impressive third. Mansell would return to form in round 3 in Brazil with pole and win, while Davies was a distant second. Johnny Herbert secured third in the race, and Joest finally got off the board with a fourth and fifth place finish for the two drivers.

The next round in Spain proved a dramatic affair, with polesitter Mansell and Joey Davies finishing 14th and 15th respectively. Brundle would secure a win for Benetton, and Herbert the final podium spot, with Schumacher in McLaren finishing second between the Benetton pair. Érik Comas would secure his first career point and his only points finish of the season, coming home sixth for Ligier. For Round 5 at Imola, Comas would make way for Thierry Boutsen, while at Leyton House a lack of sponsorship would see the promising Roland Ratzenburger lose his seat to Paul Belmondo. In the race, normal order would be resumed with Mansell turning pole to victory, with Davies a close second. Jean Alesi saw some improvement to his woeful start to the season, taking third place on the podium. Boutsen would not repeat Comas' success from the previous round, only finishing 14th and Belmondo could do no better than Ratzenburger in the poorly performing Leyton House, failing to make it out of pre-qualifying.

The last race of the opening round was the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix and the early shock of the weekend would be the Andrea Moda team making it onto the grid for the first time. Ultimately, they would finish a distant 14th and 15th, but to qualify and finish the race was cause for celebration at the small Italian outfit. The race would be won by the hard charging Davies, winning from Schumacher to give McLaren a surprise 1-2 finish at the principality. Prost would also be celebrating with his second podium finish of the year in third. Mansell was frustrated at only being able to convert pole to fourth place. Damon Hill just missed out on securing Jordan their first point of the season, finishing 7th on the rear wing of Herbert in sixth, but it had been noticed by Frank Williams and soon speculation was rife that Hill may soon replace the underperforming Alesi.

### Mid-season rounds

The mid-season would open with the annual trip across the Atlantic to the Canadian Grand Prix. Leyton House would make it out of pre-qualifying for the first time, but would fail to qualify for the race. With both Leyton House drivers failing to qualify, the Modena drivers would make it through to the race. Meanwhile, Mansell would secure his 7th consecutive pole of the season. Mansell would go on to secure a crucial victory from his teammate Alesi in second, and Davies in third. Alesi missed out on a career first victory as Boutsen failed to make way for him as the Frenchman came around to lap the Belgian. Boutsen would receive a one-race ban and would be replaced for the French Grand Prix by Eric Comas. A horrific crash between Martin Donnelly and Emanuele Pirro would see both drivers sidelined for the remainder of the season. At France, Pirro would be replaced by Christian Fittipaldi and Donnelly would be replaced by Jean-Marc Gounon. Fittipaldi would show his quality by qualifying but pole would again go to Mansell.

## Season Results

### Points scoring system

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race as follows:

### World Drivers' Championship standings

† Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.

## References

1. ↑ Sultana, Jason (29 May 2019). Formula One Insights: Racing fuels and oils in Formula 1. Wordpress.
2. ↑ History of F1 Safety – 1990s. *formula1.com*.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.f1technical.net/articles/62