SCHUMACHER'S 1991 BENETTON B191 FORMULA 1 - THAT RACED KYALAMI - IS UP FOR GRABS.
Michael Schumacher made his Formula One debut near the close of the 1991 season, driving for the Benetton-Ford team alongside veteran Nelson Piquet. In that brief stint, Schumacher secured notable finishes: 5th place at the Italian Grand Prix and 6th at both the Portuguese and Spanish Grands Prix. In 1992, he embarked on his first full F1 season, wearing car number 19 and stepping into the role of Benetton’s primary driver. At the season's start, Benetton-Ford faced delays with their new car design, relying on the 1991 model for the first three races. The car featured a 3,498cc naturally aspirated Ford HBA5 V-8 engine producing 600 horsepower, paired with a Benetton transverse six-speed manual gearbox. Built around a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, it employed double wishbone pushrod suspension at both ends, with subtle updates to suspension and bodywork for the new campaign. The 1992 Formula 1 season began at the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami. Schumacher qualified 6th, clocking a Q2 best of 1:17.635, trailing Ferrari’s Jean Alesi. His teammate Martin Brundle placed 8th, nearly a second slower. The session's standout duel saw Nigel Mansell claim pole over Ayrton Senna by a dominant seven-tenths margin. In the race, Schumacher’s best lap, recorded on lap 66, averaged 193.623 km/h with a time of 1:19.224. Mansell and Riccardo Patrese delivered a Williams 1-2 finish, with Senna 3rd and Schumacher 4th. Schumacher ended the season with six podiums, two fastest laps, and 53 points, as Benetton retired the B191 car before the Spanish GP.
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, BEHIND THE WHEEL OF B191-08, LEADS MCLAREN’S GERHARD BERGER AND FERRARI’S IVAN CAPELLI AT THE 1992 FORMULA ONE SOUTH AFRICAN GRAND PRIX. COURTESY OF SUTTON IMAGES/MOTORSPORT IMAGES.
Chassis B191-08, used by Schumacher early in 1992, embarked on a fascinating post-racing life. Initially purchased directly from Benetton by a Mr Mortlock, it changed hands in December 2000, finding a home with a U.S. collector. In April 2001, under the watchful eye of F1 expert Fred Goddard, the car ran at Donington Park, England, before being transported to South Florida. Its final track outing came in July at Road America’s Brian Redman Vintage Racing Weekend in Wisconsin, where it participated in practice but was withdrawn from the race due to inclement weather. In June 2005, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum acquired chassis B191-08, showcasing it as part of its prestigious collection. The car has occasionally left its Indiana home for special events, including the 2017 Canadian International AutoShow and the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance. Most recently, it was displayed at Georgia's Savoy Auto Museum in summer 2024. Now, this awesome piece of F1 history is up for auction through RM Sotheby’s, with an expected price of somewhere between $600,000 and $800,000 (approximately R10,800,000 to R14,303,000). The sale includes a scanned Benetton certificate of authenticity confirming Schumacher’s use, a copy of the Autocourse 1992 F1 book detailing the car's early-season role, and a collection of spare parts. How cool would it be if a local bazillionaire snapped it up so we could get to see it lap Kyalami again?
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows highlights of the 1992 GP at Kyalami, for way back when I was in Standard 7 and couldn't afford my 13-year-old ass a ticket so also had to watch on TV 3: F1 1992 Grand Prix Kyalami - Highlights | F1 Classics
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The amazing images are by shooterz.biz.