A Closer Look

A Closer Look

Bonhams is delighted to offer a 1993 Benetton-Ford Formula 1 Racing Single Seater driven in period by two Grand Prix-winning Formula 1 drivers at our Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on 24 June 2022. Raced in period by Riccardo Patrese who built the longest-ever career within that pinnacle racing category (1977-93, 16 years), and giant of motor sporting history, the great seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Driver, Michael Schumacher. Only two of these Benetton-Ford B193B Formula 1 cars currently running anywhere in the world.

While the car was extensively test-driven during 1993, by both Benetton Formula 1 team-mates Michael Schumacher and Riccardo Patrese, it was most notably used in qualifying for that year's British Grand Prix by the legendary German superstar, who promptly qualified it third fastest - bettered only by the then-dominant Williams-Renaults of Alain Prost and Damon Hill - before returning to his own originally-assigned sister chassis (serial '05) for the race itself.

This example was raced by its regular driver Riccardo Patrese in that British Grand Prix in which he took a podium place in it by finishing third behind race winner Alain Prost's victorious Williams-Renault FW15C and Michael Schumacher, second, in the sister Benetton-Ford B193B. It also contested five of that year's Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix races, with Patrese driving it home to finish fourth in Spain, and tenth after an interrupted race in France.

The car offers sufficient Formula 1 snap, crackle and performance to give a new owner full appreciation of just how capable those bygone Grand Prix greats like Schumacher and Patrese really had to be in period.

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