1993 Formula One World Championship
The 1993 Formula One season was the 44th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 14, 1993, and ended on November 7 after sixteen races.
Season summary
After the 1992 season, Nigel Mansell had announced his retirement from Formula One and that was because Williams had signed Alain Prost and Mansell did not want Prost to be his teammate. With Riccardo Patrese leaving for Benetton, Damon Hill was also signed up. In McLaren, Ayrton Senna stayed on a race to race basis with both Michael Andretti and Mika Häkkinen signed up as Gerhard Berger was leaving for Ferrari. With Senna finally agreeing to be with the team throughout the season, Andretti was signed up to be the No. 2 with Häkkinen as the test driver. In Benetton, Michael Schumacher stayed but Martin Brundle who left for Ligier was replaced by Patrese. Ferrari also kept Jean Alesi and with Ivan Capelli being fired two races before the end of the 1992 season and Nicola Larini not impressing enough, Berger returned after three years away.
The season started off in Kyalami where Prost took pole ahead of Senna, Schumacher, Hill, Alesi and JJ Lehto. At the start, Prost was poor and Senna and Hill (who was already ahead of Schumacher) got ahead of him. Then, Hill spun in fornt of Prost and dopped well down the field, Prost being forced to back off and let Schumacher through to second. Senna led Schumacher, Prost, Alesi, Patrese and Lehto. On the second lap, Mark Blundell took sixth from Lehto. Prost attacked Schumacher, took second on lapn 13 and set off after Senna. Five laps later, he attacked into the first corner but Senna took the inside and defended. Howver, Senna could not do anything when Prost attacked on lap 25 with the inside line. He took the lead and motored off. Schumacher also passed Senna to take second soon after. Both of them pitted unlike Prost, but Senna was quicker and rejoined ahead. Schumacher was in no mood to stay third and attacked Senna on lap 40. There was minor contact and Schumacher spun off into retirement. Patrese was third but he too spun off on lap 47 just as Christian Fittipaldi passed Lehto. Prost won from Senna, Blundell, Fittipaldi, Lehto and Berger (he was out but was classified sixth).
Brazil was Senna's home race but he was able to do nothing to prevent the Williamses being 1-2 in qualifying with Prost on pole ahead of Hill. Senna was third ahead of Schumacher, Andretti and Patrese. At the start, Senna got ahead of Hill but Andretti was slow and got hit by Berger. Both of them along with Brundle and Fabrizio Barbazza were out. The order was: Prost, Senna, Hill, Schumacher, Patrese and Lehto. Patrese only lasted until the fourth lap when his suspension failed. While Prost motored away, Senna was under pressure from Hill who took second on lap 11. On lap 25, Senna was issued a stop-go penalty for lapping a backmarker under yellow flags and dropped behind Schumacher. There was a rainstorm, and many drivers spun, two retiring. Fittipaldi spun on lap 30 with his car on the track. He was trying to rejoin when Prost, about to lap him, rain straight into him. Both were out and the new Safety Car was sent out. Hill was leading Schumacher , Senna, Alesi, Lehto and Karl Wendlinger. It began to dry and everyone stopped for dries, with Schumacher's car falling off its jack. He rejoined behind Senna with Johnny Herbert and Blundell gaining. Then, Senna passed Hill for the lead and pulled away. Behind, Schumacher and Alesi had stop-go penalties for passing under yellow flags, Schumacher dropping to fifth and Alesi going down to ninth. Schumacher passed Blundell and then Herbert to take third. Senna won from Hill, Schumacher, Herbert, Blundell and Alex Zanardi.
The new European Grand Prix in Donington was next and the Williamses were 1-2 in qualifying with Prost on pole ahead of Hill, Schumacher, Senna, Wendlinger and Andretti. At the start, it was damp and Schumacher blocked Senna and both lost time and Wendlinger took third. Senna quickly passed Schumacher at the third corner. He then went after Wendlinger, passing him through the Craner Curves with Schumacher and Andretti trying to follow through. Schumacher went through but Andretti hit Wendlinger and both were out. Senna went after Hill now and took second at the Coppice Corner. Now Prost was the target and the lead was taken at the last corner - the Melbourne Hairpin. Senna led Prost, Hill, Schumacher, Lehto and Berger. The track began to dry and everyone pitted for dries. Lehto was fifth but he retired with handling problems on lap 14. Berger took the place but he too retires with suspension problems six laps later. It rained again and the leaders pitted for wets. Schumacher stayed out and was leading but spun off on lap 23 because he was on the wrong tyres. The trackbegan to dry and everyone pitted with Senna having a problem and lost 20 seconds. Prost now led Senna, Hill, Rubens Barrichello, Derek Warwick and Herbert. It began to rain and the two Williamses stopped for wets while Senna stayed out. It was the correct decision because it began to rain again. The Williamses stopped for dries again. Prost stalled in the pits in his stop and when he rejoined, he was a lap behind and down in fourth. Barrichello was now second but it rained and then stopped again. He went to the pits twice and by now Hill was in second, albeit a lap down. Barrichello, third, had trouble with his fuel pressure and retired, giving the place to Prost. Senna won from Hill, Prost, Herbert, Patrese and Barbazza.
Now to San Marino and the Williamses were 1-2 in qualifying with Prost on pole ahead of Hill, Schumacher, Senna, Wendlinger and Andretti. At the start, Prost was passed by Hill and Senna (who had already got ahead of Schumacher). Hill led Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Wendlinger and Andretti. Hill pulled away quickly while Senna held up Prost. Prost quickly passed Senna on lap 8 and set off after Hill. It was time for the stops and Senna got ahead of Prost in these stops. On lap 17, Prost audaciously attacked both at Tosa and took both Hill and Senna in the presence of backmarkers. At the same time, Senna got ahead of Hill. Hill didn't last long, retiring with brake failure on lap 21. Both McLarens soon went out, Andretti from fifth on lap 33 by spinning off and Senna from second on lap 43 with a hydraulic failure. In between, Alesi, who took fifth after Andretti's spin retired with clutch failure. Schumacher was now second and Wendlinger was third but Wendlinger retired with engline failure on lap 49, giving third to Brundle. Prost won from Schumacher, Brundle, Lehto, Philippe Alliot and Barbazza.
As usual, the Williamses took 1-2 in qualifying in Spain, with Prost ahead of Hill, Senna, Schumacher, Patrese and Wendlinger. At the start, Hill got ahead of Prost with no changes behind. Hill was leading Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Patrese and Wendlinger. Hill and Prost pulled away from the rest with Prost taking the lead on lap 11. It was soon time for the stops but the stops changed nothing except that the gap between Prost and Hill had increased and that the one between Senna and Schumacher had decreased. Schumacher attacked Senna but bounced over a sandtrap and lost 15 seconds but not a place. Meanwhile, Prost's car began to handle oddly and Hill closed up on him. The gap was down to 2 seconds but Hill's engine failed on lap 41. Wendlinger only lasted a lap longer before troubles with his fuel system forced him to retire. Prost won from Senna, Schumacher, Patrese, Andretti and Berger.
Monaco was next and Prost took pole ahead of Schumacher, Senna, Hill, Alesi and Patrese. Prost jumped the start with Berger getting ahead of Patrese. The order was: Prost, Schumacher, Senna, Hill, Alesi and Berger. Then Prost was penalised for the jump start with a stop-go penalty. He went on lap 12 but he stalled the car as he was trying to exit. Finally the problem was fixed but he was a lap down and in 17th. Schumacher, now leading pulled away as Alesi waved through teammate Berger. Schumacher, now comfortably ahead suddenly slowed down with a hydraulic problem on lap 33 and retired. The main entertainment was provided by provided by Prost as he tried to pass others when it was nearly impossible. It was time for the stops with no changes in the top 6 but Prost being the big gainer as he climbed from 10th to 7th. This became 6th and into the points when Patrese's engine failed on lap 4. Prost passed Fittipaldi for fifth soon after. On lap 71, Berger attacked Hill and there was contack. Hill rejoined but Berger was out immediately. Senna won from Hill, Alesi, Prost, Fittipaldi and Brundle.
There was a Noah's Ark formation in qualifying in Canada as the Williamses were ahead of the Benettons and the Ferraris.
Drivers and constructors
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Season review
Grands Prix
1993 Constructors Championship final standings
| Pos | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Points | Wins | Podiums | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Williams-Renault
|
FW15C | 3.5 V10 | G | 168 | 10 | 22 | 15 |
| 2 | McLaren-Ford
|
MP4/8 | 3.5 V8 | G | 84 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
| 3 | Benetton-Ford
|
B193 B193B |
3.5 V8 | G | 72 | 1 | 11 | |
| 4 |  Ferrari
|
F93A | 3.5 V12 | G | 28 | 3 | ||
| 5 |  Ligier-Renault
|
JS39 | 3.5 V10 | G | 23 | 3 | ||
| 6 | Lotus-Ford
|
107B | 3.5 V8 | G | 12 | |||
| 7 |  Sauber[2]
|
C12 | 3.5 V10 | G | 12 | |||
| 8 | Minardi-Ford
|
M193 | 3.5 V8 | G | 7 | |||
| 9 | Footwork-Mugen-Honda
|
FA13B FA14 |
3.5 V10 | G | 4 | |||
| 10 | Larrousse-Lamborghini
|
LH93 | 3.5 V12 | G | 3 | |||
| 11 |  Jordan-Hart
|
193 | 3.5 V10 | G | 3 | |||
| 12 | Tyrrell-Yamaha
|
020C | 3.5 V10 | G | ||||
| 13 | Lola-Ferrari
|
T93/30 | 3.5 V12 | G |
1993 Drivers Championship final standings
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