1993 Formula One World Championship


The 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 47th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1993 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1993 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 14 March and ended on 7 November. Alain Prost won his fourth and final Drivers' Championship. As of, this is the last championship for a French Formula One driver.
Furthermore, Prost achieved his 50th F1 victory at the British Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to reach this milestone. His fierce rival, Ayrton Senna, finished runner-up in the championship after winning five races for McLaren-Ford; these included his home race in Brazil, the European Grand Prix in wet conditions, and, for the fifth year in succession and sixth time in all, the Monaco Grand Prix. Prost's Williams teammate, Damon Hill, took his first F1 victory in Hungary; two further victories gave him third in the championship.
At the end of the season, Prost retired from Grand Prix racing, bringing an end to an era in which he and Senna had largely dominated the sport. Senna would take Prost's place at Williams, only to lose his life three races into the 1994 season.
1993 was notable for being the crux of a period in Formula One known for massive advances in technology in a very short time. The Williams FW15C of that year, for example, featured hydraulically and electronically controlled active suspension, power steering, anti-lock brakes, fly-by-wire controls, traction control, a semi-automatic gearbox that could be switched over to fully-automatic, highly sophisticated onboard telemetry, pneumatic valve springs in the engine, and even a push-to-pass system that, at least in theory, made overtaking easier. Williams also tested a continuously variable transmission, while Benetton-Ford tested a four-wheel steering system late in the season. Nearly all cars in 1993 had an active suspension system, which kept the car's ride height consistent throughout a lap, making the aerodynamics of the car more efficient and effective. Many of these systems would be banned for.
Williams-Renault won their second consecutive Constructor's Championship this year, the sixth in all for Williams. The season saw the first appearance of Sauber Motorsport in Formula One. As of 2025, the 1993 season marked the last season in which Formula One would hold a race on the African continent as the only African race on the 1993 schedule - the South African Grand Prix would not take place in 1994 or in susbsequent seasons.

Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Goodyear.

Team changes

The worldwide early 1990s recession had taken its toll: the Brabham, Andrea Moda and Fondmetal teams had failed to complete the season, while March formally withdrew at the beginning of 1993. Thus, there were only 13 teams on the grid at the opening race of 1993, in South Africa.
The Swiss Sauber team were the only new entry to the grid in 1993, with much-publicised backing from German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, who were funding the team's engine supplier, Ilmor. Under the instruction of Mercedes, the engines were badged as "Saubers" for their debut season and "Concept by Mercedes-Benz" decals were placed on the car's engine cover.
Jordan switched from using Yamaha V12 engines to the new Hart V10. Well known British Formula One engine maker and tuner Hart Racing Engines were making their full time Grand Prix return in 1993 after last being in Formula One in early with their 4 cylinder 415T turbo engine. Between 1990 and 1992, Brian Hart's company had been involved in doing freelance tuning work for some Formula One teams using the old Cosworth DFR V8 engine including Arrows, Tyrrell, Larrousse and AGS, but returned in 1993 with their own engine.
Numerous car number changes had taken place:
  • Williams used the numbers 0 and 2.
  • Benetton took the numbers 5 and 6, which Williams had used since.
  • McLaren took the numbers 7 and 8, vacated by Brabham, rather than trading with Williams as was customary until the previous season. The team had previously used the same numbers in 1978–1984.
  • Jordan took the numbers 14 and 15, vacated by Fondmetal.
  • Larrousse took the numbers 19 and 20, which Benetton and its predecessor Toleman had used since 1984.
  • New team Sauber took the numbers 29 and 30, which Larrousse had used since. These were now the highest numbers.
  • The numbers 16 and 17, vacated by March, remained vacant until 1995.

    Driver changes

1993 saw a major shake-up of drivers, especially among the top teams. Across the grid, a number of experienced drivers retired or moved to other series, and new faces emerged.
  • Williams completed the signing of Alain Prost, who was returning to the sport after a year out in 1992. Although Nigel Mansell was the reigning World Champion, team owner Frank Williams would not guarantee him the number 1 driver status in the team next to the triple World Champion Prost, so he opted not to remain with the team to defend his title and moved to IndyCar racing in the US with Newman-Haas Racing to replace Michael Andretti who went to F1 with McLaren. Prost's teammate would be Damon Hill, son of Graham Hill and Williams's test driver in. The absence of the defending champion meant that Williams could not use the number 1 on their cars, so the number 0 was used instead, by Hill, while Prost used the number 2. Hill only had 2 Grand Prix starts for Brabham in 1992 when signed by Williams for 1993.
  • Uncertainty surrounded the McLaren team, whose driver Ayrton Senna was reluctant to re-sign for 1993, as Honda had withdrawn from the sport and the team were not expected to be competitive with customer Ford engines. McLaren signed Michael Andretti, a successful IndyCar driver and son of World Champion Mario Andretti, and Mika Häkkinen, who had impressed for Team Lotus in and 1992. Senna eventually signed on a race-by-race basis before signing for the full season, moving Häkkinen into a test driver role.
  • Benetton retained Michael Schumacher, but lost Martin Brundle, who was replaced after numerous run-ins and disagreements with team manager Flavio Briatore. Taking the second seat at Benetton was the most experienced driver in Formula One, Italian veteran Riccardo Patrese, who was released by Williams after just over five seasons with the team, despite having finished runner-up to Mansell in the championship of 1992.
  • Ferrari retained Jean Alesi, but Ivan Capelli and Nicola Larini had both disappointed in 1992 and so Gerhard Berger returned to the team after three years at McLaren. Larini returned to his previous role as test driver for the team.
  • Lotus retained Johnny Herbert and took on Alessandro Zanardi, who replaced Häkkinen.
  • Tyrrell retained Andrea de Cesaris and took on Japan's Ukyo Katayama, who moved from Larrousse.
  • Ligier reunited British drivers Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell: the two had previously driven for Brabham in. This was the first and only time in Ligier's history that they did not have a French driver in their line-up.
  • Footwork Arrows took on British veteran Derek Warwick, returning to the sport after two years away driving sports cars. Warwick had previously raced for Arrows in –. Japanese driver Aguri Suzuki was retained as number two driver.
  • The BMS Scuderia Italia team switched from Dallara to Lola chassis and took on Michele Alboreto, a five-time race winner, with his last win eight years ago, and newcomer, Italian Luca Badoer, the 1992 International Formula 3000 champion.
  • Jordan took on young debutant Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and ex-Ferrari driver Ivan Capelli.
  • Larrousse signed Philippe Alliot, returning to the team after driving for Larrousse in 1987–1989, and Érik Comas, who moved from Ligier.
  • Minardi retained Christian Fittipaldi and took on Fabrizio Barbazza.
  • As their first pair of drivers, Sauber attracted Finland's JJ Lehto, who moved from BMS Scuderia Italia, and Austria's Karl Wendlinger, who had impressed with March in 1992. Wendlinger was also part of Sauber-Mercedes sportscar programme, prior to joining Formula One.
In all, only seven drivers who lined up on the grid in South Africa were with the same team they had been with the previous year: Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Andrea de Cesaris, Aguri Suzuki and Christian Fittipaldi.

Mid-season changes

Calendar changes

  • The Mexican Grand Prix left the calendar after seven years, due to safety concerns surrounding the very bumpy surface of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez..
  • The Asian Grand Prix was scheduled to be raced on 4 April, at the Autopolis circuit in Japan. However, the plans failed to materialise and the race was cancelled.
  • The 1993 season saw the return of the European Grand Prix to the calendar eight years after it was last held at Brands Hatch in 1985. The 1993 race was held at Donington Park, hosting its first top level racing car Grand Prix of any type since the old Donington Grand Prix in 1938. The European Grand Prix was held in place of the cancelled Asian Grand Prix, meaning the European leg of the season started two weeks earlier than originally planned. The dropping of the Mexican Grand Prix allowed the continuation of the familiar 16 race calendar that had been in place since. As of, it is the only time Donington Park has held a World Championship Formula One Grand Prix.
  • The San Marino Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix swapped places on the calendar, so that the Spanish round was second in the usual European leg.