Larrousse LH94

Larrousse LH94

Larrousse LH94
Constructor:	Larrousse
Designer:	Robin stove
Predecessor:	Larrousse LH93
Technical specifications
Engine:	Ford HBF7 V8
Wheelbase:	2940 mm
Weight:	520 kg
Tires:	Goodyear
Petrol:	Eleven
statistics
Driver:	Olivier Beretta Yannick Dalmas Philippe Alliot Hideki Noda Érik Comas Switzerland
First start:	1994 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last start:	1994 Australian Grand Prix
Starts Victories Poles SR 32 - - -
World Cup points:	2
Podiums:	-
Leadership laps:	-
Status: end of season 1994

The Larrousse LH94 was a racing car from the French Formula 1 team Larrousse , which was used in the 1994 Formula 1 World Championship . It was the last model that the financially troubled racing team constructed and launched.

technology

The LARROUSSE LH94 was in the UK by the Larrousse UK Ltd . , a subsidiary of the French racing team, which was run by the British engineer Robin Herd . Larrousse UK was founded in 1990 under the name Fomet as a branch of the Italian racing team Fondmetal Corse and designed the Fondmetal Fomet 1 for the 1991 season before it ran into economic difficulties and was taken over by Larrousse at the end of 1991.

The LH94 was a further development of the Larrousse LH93 used in 1993 , which in turn was based on the Larrousse LC92 from 1992 . It differed from its predecessors primarily in the engine: while the LH92 and LH93 were powered by a Lamborghini engine with twelve cylinders, the LH94 used a weaker eight-cylinder engine from Cosworth .

engine

Larrousse used Type HB Cosworth customer motors in 1994 . The main features of the engines were based on a design from 1989 . Until 1991 they were used exclusively by Benetton and, despite a performance deficit compared to the ten- and twelve-cylinder engines from Ferrari , Honda and Renault, enabled individual victories. In 1993 the engine was further developed for Benetton and McLaren . Older, less powerful versions of the HB motor went to various smaller teams from 1992, which they used as inexpensive customer motors. In 1994, in addition to Larrousse, Arrows , Minardi and Simtek also drove with HB engines. Larrousse initially received the HB VII version and from summer the last expansion stage HB VIII, developed in 1993. The output of the HB engine in the version used by Larrousse is given in the literature as around 705 hp. Apart from the Ilmor engine of the Pacific team, it was the weakest engine in the starting field in 1994; the power deficit compared to the engines from Ferrari was over 100 hp and compared to the ten-cylinder from Renault 75 hp.

Chassis and body

The chassis and body of the LH94 largely corresponded to the previous models from 1992 and 1993. The changes were limited to adjustments in the engine environment, which had become necessary due to the change from Lamborghini to Ford engines. The transmission was also new. Instead of the transverse Lamborghini six-speed gearbox from previous years, Larrousse now used a semi-automatic six-speed gearbox that was matched to the HB engine and was bought in by Benetton.

During the 1994 season, the LH94 was not further developed with a view to increasing its competitiveness; the tight budget of the team did not allow such work.

However, some modifications were necessary in the middle of the season, as the design specifications in the regulations had been changed at short notice in spring 1994. These rule changes were a reaction to the fatal accidents of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Sennas at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 and were aimed at reducing the speed of the racing cars quickly and without constructive effort. One of them was the installation of an opening in the rear area of ​​the engine cover, which should reduce the jam effect in the air scoop and thus reduce the engine performance. Further rule changes aimed at simplifying the aerodynamics in the area of ​​the front and rear wings; so the diffusers at the rear of the car had to be reduced in length. Finally, the minimum weight of the cars was increased by 10 kg to 515 kg. Larrousse implemented these changes in accordance with the regulations.

Livery and sponsors

The main sponsor of Larrousse in 1994 was the French brewery Kronenbourg , which advertised its products on the vehicles. The paintwork was based on any advertising bans for alcohol: In countries with an advertising ban, the non-alcoholic Tourtel beer was advertised, at these races the LH94 appeared in green paintwork with yellow ribbons and blue accents. In countries without such a ban, on the other hand, the main brand of the group was advertised and the vehicles appeared in large red and white checkered paintwork, although the Tourtel lettering was still visible on the spoilers. The Italian manufacturer of household appliances Zanussi also advertised on the vehicles, as did the outfitters Ford, Elf and Goodyear.

Races

The Larrousse box at the 1994 British Grand Prix

In 1994 Larrousse used two LH94 vehicles throughout. Regular drivers were Érik Comas and the Monegasque debutant Olivier Beretta , but in the course of the year they were replaced by the paydrivers Philippe Alliot , Yannick Dalmas , Hideki Noda and Jean-Denis Delétraz . Only Comas scored world championship points with the LH94. The team suffered from a lack of technical reliability throughout the year. A total of 20 failures were recorded, most of which were due to problems in the engine environment.

1995

Gérard Larrousse planned to adapt the LH94 to the modified rules for the coming season and to launch it in 1995 as the LH95. A report was received by the FIA ; Because of financial difficulties, which ultimately resulted in the bankruptcy of the team, Larrousse did not actually appear in 1995.

Results

driver	No.	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	Points	rank
Formula 1 season 1994																		2	11.
O.Beretta	19th	DNF	DNF	DNF	8th	DNF	DNF	DNF	14th	7th	9
P. Alliot												DNF
Y. Dalmas													DNF	14th
H. Noda															DNF	DNF	DNF
E. Comas	20th	9	6th	DNF	10	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	6th	8th	DNF	8th	DNF	DNF	9
J.-D. Delétraz																	DNF

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	P / bold	Pole position
	SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

literature

• Adriano Cimarosti: The Century of Racing . Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 .
• David Hodges: AZ of Grand Prix Cars 1906-2001 . 2001 (Crowood Press), ISBN 1-86126-339-2 (English).
• Pierre Ménard: La Grande Encyclopédie de la Formule 1 . 2nd edition, St. Sulpice, 2000, ISBN 2-940125-45-7 (French).
• Alan Henry: Auto course 1992/93 . London 1992 (Hazleton Securities Ltd.), ISBN 0-905138-96-1 .

Web links

Commons : Larrousse LH94  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Image of a Larrousse LH94 in the livery of the sponsor Kronenbourg

Individual evidence

1. ^ Alan Henry: Auto Course 1992/93, p. 83.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Hodges: AZ of Grand Prix Cars 1906-2001, p. 121.
3. ↑ Overview of the engines used in Formula 1 and the tuning companies on the website forix.autosport.com (accessed on August 22, 2012).
4. ↑ Cimarosti: The Century of Racing, p. 468 f.
5. ↑ Overview of the rule changes at Cimarosti: Das Jahrhundert des Rennsports, p. 460.
6. ↑ Grand Prix 1995 witnessed live. P. 60.