The Benetton-Ford which Michael Schumacher won his first world championship with in 1994 is up for sale on eBay.
According to the seller it is the very car which Michael Schumacher used in the last race of the season, when he infamously crashed into title rival Damon Hill.
A bidding war has broken out for the Benetton B194 pushing the price up to ?é?ú2.34m (?óÔÇÜ?¼2.6m) with six days left before the auction closes.
The seller says the chassis is “the F1 race car with which Michael Schumacher won his first Formula One Driver’s Championship at the Adelaide GP of Australia.” That suggests it is chassis B194/8 which he started the race with. He damaged his original chassis in a crash in Friday practice and the team had to build a new car from another monocoque.
Interestingly, the car is described as being: “in condition as in the 1994 Formula One season with paddle shift and traction control.”
The B194 was at the centre of controversy in 1994 when it was alleged the team were using a traction control system, which had been banned at the end of 1993. The car was found to have a hidden traction control system under a blank menu option – but the team went unpunished.
Schumacher won eight races in 1994 in the B194 (not all of them in this car). He also finished first at Spa but was disqualified.
More information on the car from the seller:
The car is in racing condition, with the painting and sponsoring scheme as in 1994.
The engine was overhauled by Langford Performance Engineering / Wellingborough (UK) and was since then just running a few minutes for test and check reasons.
As you can see on the pictures, there are a lot of spare parts with the car. The pictured boxes are full with brake, suspension, gear and axle parts. Also the complete starter equipment is with the car, including the pre-heat unit and the hydraulic charging unit. (see last two pictures). Even with the car are two sets of wheels (the mounted for raining condition and a set of slicks), front and rear wing and a laptop with software for configuration of the race car. This is just a small and exemplary list of parts, it’s a further bigger amount of parts with it.
For some F1 Grand Prix of the 1994 season absolved with this car are the FIA scrutineer passes given with the car.
The car is located in Canada / Toronto, a visit is possible and welcome.
Import duty and VAT for Germany are paid by the seller, car shipment will be done after a 30% pay down on the price of sale.
If you’ve got two-and-a-half million pounds burning a hole in your pocket, and some room in your garage, you can make a bid here.
Here’s some more pictures of Schumacher’s championship-winning 1994 Benetton-Ford B194:
Read the 1994 F1 season review
steph90
10th November 2009, 20:02
I thought it would be more than that. How many readers of f1fanatic? Can we all chip in?
:PMike "the bike" Schumacher
10th November 2009, 22:03
Do you think he’ll accept a trdae in for an opel corsa?!!!
Sush Meerkat
11th November 2009, 15:43
I’ve asked my lovely friend Kirstie to set up a Meerkat foundation to appeal for money for me, last time we raised £50,000 towards the red bull on auction. Unfortunately that money didn’t materialise.
racerdude7730
10th November 2009, 20:10
i got $100 american dollars so like $10 dollars everywhere else in the world lol but i’m in :)
ballsack
10th November 2009, 20:24
What?!
The Sri Lankan
10th November 2009, 23:45
does McDonalds vouchers count?
Becken
10th November 2009, 20:11
…To investigate if TC is really there? That title won by Schumacher in 1994 isn’t worth a penny!
LewisC
10th November 2009, 20:35
I think it’s pretty certain the TC was there.
Remember that car had a bit of accident damage though… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfby7GaMXmo
steph90
10th November 2009, 20:56
I still want the car. It’s an f1 car even if it did bring some controversy…
mp4-19b
11th November 2009, 2:39
200% agreed! Looking at that car brings back unpleasant memories :(
mp4-23
11th November 2009, 2:49
Tbh, the claims that Schumacher’s titles aren’t worth anything are just ridiculous.
Eamon
11th November 2009, 5:07
Only 200%, mate? What about Alonso’s 2 titles?
steph90
11th November 2009, 10:45
Maybe mp4-19b but don’t blame the car
:PIt’s still an f1 car which has raced which means it’s a precious item lolDon Speekingleesh
10th November 2009, 20:11
The chassis plate in the cockpit photo does look like it says B194-08.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
10th November 2009, 21:10
Ah, sharp-eyed stuff!
Tom Watson
10th November 2009, 21:34
its looks like B194-08 to me, the ones a little odd though.
Jonathan
11th November 2009, 9:13
But what happened to the damage sustained in the Adelaide accident?
Fred Schechter
10th November 2009, 20:23
Yes please.
James_mc
10th November 2009, 20:34
It looks briliant!
Note for future reference FIA/OWG:
Nicely proportioned rear wing
No spinners.
Note for livery designers:
Nice colour combinations
Wheels that integrate with the rest of the car
Relatively small levels of white
No ING corporate colours!
Ned Flanders
10th November 2009, 20:49
I disagree. I think it’s a rubbish, cheap looking livery, more reminiscent of an old Minardi livery than a world championship winner. And presumably the designer never heard the saying ‘blue and green should never be seen… unless on the Honda Earth car’.
Besides, £2.3 million seems a bit steep
James_mc
10th November 2009, 21:06
I present to you the utterly honking display that was Renault 2007/08/09…….
In all fairness it is a bit of a mish-mash of sponsors but it’s still better than the teams current reincarnation…
Ned Flanders
10th November 2009, 22:11
Actually James I’m in the small minority of people who actually like the ING Renault livery! Not so much the 07/ 08 cars, but I love the 09 livery, with its flame pattern-ish design. And yes I am sane
steph
10th November 2009, 22:44
Ned I’m with you on Renault 09 livery. One of my favourites this year
James_mc
10th November 2009, 23:10
Actually I’ll give you ’09 :-)
sato113
10th November 2009, 23:14
yeah I love McDonalds too.
IDR
10th November 2009, 21:31
Unless in F1 Fanatic logo? :-)
Mike "the bike" Schumacher
10th November 2009, 22:07
Have you never seen the Jordan 191.
Ned Flanders
10th November 2009, 22:13
ah, good point! For that car I can make an exception
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
10th November 2009, 23:46
That’s a relief :-)
mp4-19b
11th November 2009, 2:47
@ Ned Flanders
I remember you saying in one of the other threads that you are a fan of “COLOURS” :P I mean you were on of the very few people who seem to have a liking towards the new “Malaysian” Lotus. Setting aside the fact this Benetton was probably the most illegal car, driven by a scum*** ;) What makes you dislike this Benetton colours?
Ned Flanders
11th November 2009, 12:12
You are indeed right MP4, I do like colourful cars. But I don’t think the shades of blue and green on this car work together. Swap the green for yellow or red or something and I would like it!
But I like the 2008 Honda livery, which was also blue, white and green, so mabye I’m a hypocrite…
Gman
12th November 2009, 4:35
That ING-based Renault scheme this year was terrible…among the worst I have seen, even worse than the bad NASCAR schemes.
But this car has a nice look to it, hopefully we’ll see more green (in various shades) back soon.
Racin Rob
10th November 2009, 20:42
I live 20 mins from Toronto……..I’ll take it for a test drive for all of us to make sure everything is kosher…
But seriously….this thing is in my backyard and I’ve never seen it! Little disappointed I must say!
Rob
F1Yankee
10th November 2009, 21:26
*ahem* drive it like you stole it *ahem*
Bartholomew
10th November 2009, 21:42
This was all possible thanks to Flava. Give tha man credit for his tremendous achievements and everyone stop picking on him for the Singapore crash.
After all, Alonso won the race : a smart manager knows how to make things happen.
Cheers for Flavio — he will be missed, as well as Ron.
mp4-19b
11th November 2009, 2:49
Ron will be back, now that Mr Evil is gone.
Scribe
11th November 2009, 10:24
thank flava for what. For winning a championship in an illegal car?
for fixing a race an chasing sponers from the sport?
It doesn’t matter what his acheivements are now they are so tainted.
theo
10th November 2009, 22:04
shouldn’t of won the championship that year, everyone knows that, should de-value it a little!
F1Yankee
10th November 2009, 22:21
was this the first car to have a raised nose?
ajokay
10th November 2009, 23:14
The Tyrrell 019 from the 1990 season was the first car to have a raised nose, but Benetton were certainly one of the early adoptors of the technology. I remember their yellow and green cars all has raised noses, and I’m sure that colour scheme was first around in 1991.
mp4-19b
11th November 2009, 3:38
Just wanted to know what happened to Senna’s FW16(Imola version) ? Was it also auctioned?
Lustigson
11th November 2009, 7:57
The car in which Senna died, was destroyed after it had been in a police compound for years.
James_mc
11th November 2009, 14:17
I think Frank Williams described it as being in a severely deteriorated state and then made the point that it would not be appropriate to keep it anyway
Alex Cooper
10th November 2009, 22:36
@F1Yankee – I think the previous Benetton from 1993 with the ford engine had a high nose as well.
This can’t be Schumacher’s 1994 title-winning car, I don’t see any Rothmans-blue paint on it from Damon Hill’s Williams after Michael drove into it.
Mark
10th November 2009, 22:40
Isn’t this just an identity theft scam ?
If you notice at the bottom the seller wants bidders to supply copies of passports, identity information, telephone number, signature,etc..
This is just a phishing expedition.
F1Yankee
11th November 2009, 0:05
that certainly does sound phishy
Wesley
11th November 2009, 0:13
“that certainly does sound phishy”
LOL!! :)
Scribe
11th November 2009, 10:26
its a 2millions pound bid.
ID all round is going to be required.
a lot of confirmation on both sides and a huge amount of checking that all is fine an dandy.
ashes1991
10th November 2009, 23:03
I’d love to buy it, invite Damon Hill round and help burn it with him :D
James
10th November 2009, 23:29
I wish I won that damn euromillions prize last friday…
Wesley
11th November 2009, 0:15
“The car was found to have a hidden traction control system under a blank menu option – but the team went unpunished.”
For Sale:One of the cars Michael Schumacher cheated in.
Sorry Schuey fans….I couldn’t resist :)
ashes1991
11th November 2009, 0:21
Exactley….one of the cars, am sure there are a fair few out there…
Patrickl
11th November 2009, 19:33
The ebay listing says:
“The car is in condition as in the 1994 Formula One season with paddle shift and traction control.”
So yeah, it comes with the traction control. Which of course was never used … that’s why it was under the blank menu item :)
wasiF1
11th November 2009, 1:08
I wonder who will buy this car.Why can’t F1 teams sell their car at the end of the season this will increase their bank balance & if they can sell at least two car per year they are getting around £5 m.Sounds bonkers but can work.
PeriSoft
11th November 2009, 1:41
@wasIF1
Somehow I doubt that the guy paying 2.5m for schumi’s first championship car will pay the same for a 2010 andrea mod–er, qadbak…
GeeMac
11th November 2009, 8:16
As I understand it teams wait for a few years before flogging their cars to stop other teams buying the car and copying all their secrets. I read somewhere that teams will usually wait 3-4 years and then make the cars available for sale to the general public as 3-4 years is a lifetime in F1 terms…
PJA
11th November 2009, 9:45
As well as not wanting to sell a car straight after the end of the season because it is the latest version, the teams will want to keep them for promotional reasons, such as at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed teams couldn’t use their current cars on demonstration runs due to the testing ban, and at car shows and the like teams sometimes display old cars in new liveries.
Some teams will keep their cars for their own collections such as McLaren and Williams and the engine partner may get a car as well to go on display. Then some drivers may also buy their old cars, doesn’t Coulthard have a collection of his old cars?
Also with the testing ban and cost cutting teams won’t be making as many chassis’s as usual, for example because of their limited budget I believe Brawn only built three cars all year, they didn’t even build any cars to correct any of the compromises they faced fitting the Mercedes engine at short notice.
Scribe
11th November 2009, 10:28
McLaren built Seven i belive
James_mc
11th November 2009, 14:19
I’m pretty sure DC’s are on loan from Williams
Paige Michael-Shetley
11th November 2009, 2:44
There’s so much money in the world, and I don’t have enough of it.
GeeMac
11th November 2009, 6:26
Man that car brings back bad memories! I’ll never be able to forget Adelaide 94. I was only 10 but I had already been following F1 for three years and I woke up at 04h30 to watch the race live here in South Africa in the hope that Damon would be crowned WDC…the rest is history.
I’d still fork out that sort of cash for that car though, it was may favourite Benetton. If I had the cash I’d rather buy a nice V12, pre Mike Shoe Ferrari like this if I’m honest. http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/62630
James_mc
11th November 2009, 14:20
“Right-Hand Drive” Lol :-)
GeeMac
11th November 2009, 15:15
That made me giggle too!
pawelf1
11th November 2009, 7:55
and i am the one Fanatic Reader … who spoted this news
Chalky
11th November 2009, 9:08
Drop the ‘m’ off the price and I might have enough £2.3
One of the better looking F1 cars.
Icthyes
11th November 2009, 11:40
I never really liked the Benetton liveries but if I had £10m to spare I’d get it.
Maksutov
11th November 2009, 15:07
This looks all fake to me.
Joe
11th November 2009, 16:52
Does it come with the illegal traction control fitted as used by Benneton in 1994?
Patrickl
11th November 2009, 19:36
Yes:
“The car is in condition as in the 1994 Formula One season with paddle shift and traction control.”
bs
11th November 2009, 17:05
Funny the RCMP are at that farm right now,and CTV news are live to air ….looks like a Ebay scam
James_mc
11th November 2009, 17:34
I hope so, this will be an awesome hoax! :-D
Patrickl
11th November 2009, 19:46
Amazingly Schumacher won 6 of the first 7 races and then only won the championship by a single point (he actually would have lost it if he played fair) to Damon Hill.
Of course der schumi was banned for a few races after ignoring a blag flag, but still.
PJA
12th November 2009, 9:08
As well as Schumacher being banned for a few races, wasn’t another reason the he only ended up winning the Championship by a single point, was that Williams introduced a B-spec version of the FW16 because of problems with the original version.
Leaf
12th November 2009, 1:44
Illegal traction control and launch control too?
Ironic, isn’t it, that Flavio ran this team too? :-)
Gman
12th November 2009, 4:43
Obviously I would figure the Sultain of Brunei will be in on the bidding- I believe he owns one car from each WDC since 1980 or something like that. From reports I have read you can still see the red paint on JV’s Williams in his private museum at the palace over there.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
12th November 2009, 9:15
I don’t think that’s correct – I remember reading a Williams team member cleaned up Villeneuve’s car afterwards and Frank Williams (or maybe Patrick Head) was annoyed because it would have been worth more with the damage still visible.
racingtier
12th November 2009, 4:56
the red nose and red front wing is somehow missing
LazerFX
13th November 2009, 0:40
This has been removed from eBay – no explanations or details, just that the item has been removed.
I wonder what happened to it? If there’s any updates, you’ll keep us updated, won’t you?
king
15th November 2009, 17:02
Schumacher is a CHEAT. He CHEATED like mad this season!!
Lachlan
16th November 2009, 9:01
I’d love this car but the thing is once you get it where ar you going o race it Legally?
sal mak (@beilby1)
9th November 2011, 11:37
Hey can,t afford the whole car .
I have the front wing part that broke off when the car went into the tyre wall It is framed and has photo of the crash to prove authenticity what is that worth let me know