At the end of 1995, after two ultra successful seasons for the Mild Seven Benetton Renault team, if the organisation wasn't on top of the world they never would be. Michael Schumacher had brought them two Drivers Championships, and a convincing Constructors crown. The downside to all of this glory was that the team was losing key personnel. Yes, the man that was mostly responsible for the success was signed by Ferrari for a record pay package earlier in that year and was to pursue a different career path with the famous Italian outfit. Although the team spirits were high, they never knew what a difference it would make to contest a championship without the genius that was, and still is, Michael Schumacher. As expected, nothing in the next two seasons could bring such success to the team as 1994-95 brought. Even though the technical side of the team was excellent and the same that brought the great success, the special touch that was needed and was all but gone.

At the start of the 96 season, the team didn't know what had hit them. Such a huge amount was promised with Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger who were fresh from stints at Scuderia Ferrari and employed to drive the B196 chassis -- which was an evolution of the B195 that only could suit one man (you know the rest). By the time the Melbourne Grand Prix had arrived, comparisons were already being made between the previous year and what was being achieved in timed practice on the Albert Park circuit. A vivid quote from Murray Walker and Jonathan Palmer was "Do you think, Jonathan, that if Michael Schumacher was piloting this Benetton chassis that he would be lapping quicker than Jean Alesi is now? "The answer is a very clear yes, Murray."

The rest of the 96 season was much the same. Expectations came from many people including the drivers themselves, but unlike 95, not one win was conceeded. Alesi finished second and Berger sixth in the drivers Championship. A lesser team would have been cracking out the champagne, but for the team that promised so much prior to the season, it was a disappointment.

After 96, the team was left to reflect and start work for the 97 campaign. The car was complete before Christmas and testing began well before the launch in a glitzy affair at Planet Hollywood in London's West End. Everyone was quietly confident in the team, after being the "winter pace-setters" and a B197 was being touted as the chassis to have. Although a Rory Byrne design, it was to be his last as he moved his talent to the Ferrari team with Technical Director Ross Brawn who were to take the same roles as they had at Benetton but amongst a highly strung environment at Ferrari.

However, this was clearly not to be true after the season begun and some frustrated hierachy of the Benetton organisation were starting to point the finger at the men who controlled the race team for lack of success. Namely, Flavio Briatore. The Italian who had overseen the team operation for over seven years was the target for questioning and had obviously had enough of what was to be his last year controlling the team. 1997 had its highs though, in Germany when Gerhard Berger had returned from sinus infection for three rounds of the Championship, he dominated the German GP to bring the team's first win since Japan in 1995. Also, we still haven't seen what will happen in Jerez. Who is to say that Alesi and Berger will not go out with a bang and win the race, handing the championship to Schumacher?

So we are left to contemplate 1998. The new appointment of David Richards as MD of the race team will, in my opinion, change things for the better. Richards, a man who runs the Prodrive outfit that is involved with the Subaru World Rally team and the Honda British Super Touring operation, was instrumental in bringing success to Colin McRae in 95 when he and Derek Ringer took their Subaru to world glory. So now, with David Richards running the Benetton team on the commerical side (Much the same role as Flavio Briatore), the team faces a more confident '98 winter as they take on young guns Alexander Wurz and Giancarlo Fisichella to drive the B198's designed by ex-Simtek boss, Nick Wirth. Richards has already said that he will only take on the role of controlling the commercial and business side of the team as he is adamant that the technical side of the team is already very strong.

This structure is probably just what the doctor ordered to bring Benetton back to the top: a new Managing Director, new drivers who have displayed flashes of brilliance throughout their short careers or stints and a new chassis designed by a man who will pen his first since Rory Byrne left for Maranello at the beginning of the year.

Can they do it? We will just have to wait and see. But, in my opinion, I think what has been done in terms of re-appointing staff within the team, the season 1998 for the Mild Seven Benetton Mecachrome team looks bright and hopeful. And, let's hope so as we don't want such a talented Grand Prix team to fall by the way side and slip out of contention in this "no prisoner's environment" that is Formula One.

Nick is from Australia and has been serious Formula One enthusiast as long as he can remember. He also collects F1 memorabilia and looks at Atlas F1 every day for the latest and greatest information.

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