1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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matherto
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Joined: 11 Feb 2017, 05:52

1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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I'm a product of 1990's F1 fandom.

Born in 1990, I remember getting a model of Mansell's FW14B that I treasured more than anything as a very, very young child.

I have vague memories of watching the later rounds of 1993 but my first full season was 1994. Morbid curiosity and the fact it was my first season means that remains my favourite one.

The cars of the 1990's are to me, the definition of F1. If you were to ask me to draw a stereotypical car, it'd be 1990's shaped with some form of cigarette or alcohol livery. They always looked amazing, even the 1995 McLaren...honest...

Anyway, I know McLaren keep a huge selection of their old cars in storage. I know Williams have their museum and also a heritage department dedicated to getting their older cars running and maintaining them. Ferrari have the F1 Clienti program too. Honda have their collection hall with several McLaren and Williams cars.

I know there are museums like the Donington collection and the one at Mondello Park too that have a wide range of cars from that era.

BOSS series has a couple of cars too, usually Benettons like the B197 or a Jordan or two.

I was just wondering if people knew where each chassis' was for each year during the decade?

For instance, I know one of Schumacher's 1994 B194 was for sale (famously the ad included traction control) and that it was one of 8 chassis that year.

Surely they all still exist? Even the smaller teams created a few chassis a year?

I don't know of all the ones stored in museums though I have seen photos of a few Larrousse and other French cars in a museum in France and I think the Barber Motorsports Park in America has a museum with a couple of Lotus (including a 109) but where are the rest?

I'd love to get a list of each car for each year sorted. Is there anyone on here with knowledge of where a specific car might be?

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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I think you're better off asking on the Nostalgia Forum on the autosport.com forum.
They can definitely out-anorak this forum!

Here's a good start:
http://forums.autosport.com/topic/20518 ... hese-days/

timbo
111
Joined: 22 Oct 2007, 10:14

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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Here are some great photos from the old cars, incl. cars from '90s: http://www.gurneyflap.com/
Maybe this'll help to track some of them down.
As for 1994 cars it's a shame that all that I've seen were modified after mid-season rule changes. Cars that started 1994 were very different from the ones at the end of the season. The early version of 412T1 had absolutely humongous diffuser and very different sidepods.

Manoah2u
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Joined: 24 Feb 2013, 14:07

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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i know some of the 90's cars were used for historic racing categories, with several people repainting them to their own likes. Several have been used for 'rent' also, in 'drive an f1 car' events, where you could drive a former f1 car for a day. I know in Magny-Cours there were events like this, where you started in some karts, then went up in lower-and faster formula spec open-wheelers, and finally drive a former f1 car for a lap or 2.

some got shredded through all of the above events, some survived but are only museum material. some have ended up in private collections too.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"

Wass85
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Joined: 01 Mar 2017, 22:11

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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I would love to see current F1 drivers in a test with these machines to see how they compare with the drivers of the past.

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Ana
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Joined: 30 Jun 2017, 14:37

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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Wass85 wrote:
03 Mar 2017, 12:22
I would love to see current F1 drivers in a test with these machines to see how they compare with the drivers of the past.
There are numerous videos on Youtube showing races between the F1, Superbike and supercars. Similar event can be done for this matter.

Wass85
3
Joined: 01 Mar 2017, 22:11

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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Imagine the uproar if Hamilton lapped much quicker than Senna using one of his cars.

zac510
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Joined: 24 Jan 2006, 12:58

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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Why even bother to make that comparison? Mechanically there are probably dozens of different things, the tracks are different, it wouldn't even be a race scenario.

Skippon
8
Joined: 19 Nov 2010, 00:49
Location: England

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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And none of these cars will have an original engine in full state of tune - nor any of the original electronics gizmos!!!

Manoah2u
61
Joined: 24 Feb 2013, 14:07

Re: 1990s F1 cars - where are they?

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Exactly.

If you want that comparison, you'll need to have

A) the car in the exact same state as it was in that race in that season.
* including the engine, fully tuned, not detuned or uptuned, not with modernized materials, exactly the same
* including the tires, same spec, same rubber compound everything [ also brakes ]
* including the helmet, clothing, radio, all
* including using that-era reading equipment for making a setup, not that of today.

B) a track in the exact same configuration, a to z, curbs, and asphalt.

this offcourse will cost so much money to realize, that it's not gonna happen ever.
but it would be interesting to see Hamilton for example to do some good testing (which was allowed back then) first, and then see what times he can set with that legendary Mclaren.
how close would he get? that's a good question. offcourse the pressure is off, so it's never ever the same, but it could give an interesting indication.
what was Senna's time on that track, what was Prost' time on that track, and other drivers, and how does Lewis end up and how many laps did it take.

It could actually show that Lewis' can't come close to his time, which would not be a good thing for Hamilton or the sport in general.
It could actually also be that Lewis' beats Senna's time (and by what margin), which wouldn't have the biggest implication though. Senna is Senna.

In the end, do we really need that?

It's clear enough that Hamilton is up there with the greats. Senna imho will always be the ultimate F1 driver, and Schumacher close after, even if i never really liked the guy.

SOME of the greats of the past;

Lauda, Piquet, Mansell, Prost, Senna, Schumacher.

greats of now;

Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel.

Verstappen still has to prove himself though.

As for Hill, Hakkinnen, Jacques Villeneuve, Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen.
Those all have achieved WDC but dont imho make them absolute greats. Hakkinen might, but he's always been Mclaren-only, so its hard to decide.
Hill beat Schumacher, but that's about it. Jacques well......JB is a very very good driver with lots of capacity but a 'real great'.....nah. Raikkonen, very good but.

so, anyway, we had our greats in the past, we have our greats now. They would fare well against eachother if they were together in this era.
its the big boys from the 'regular' boys.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"

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