1994 Australian Grand Prix
Championship Context
Before Race
Michael Schumacher (91 pts)
After Race
Michael Schumacher (92 pts)
Title Fight Impact
Schumacher's retirement alongside Hill meant he clinched his first world championship by a single point. Had Hill finished ahead of Schumacher, the Brit would have taken the title. The controversial nature of their collision overshadowed what should have been a celebration of Schumacher's maiden championship triumph.
Race Results
Podium Finishers
Nigel Mansell
Michael Schumacher
Full Race Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Renault | 1:47:51.480 | 10 | Finished |
| 2 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +23.930s | 6 | Finished |
| 3 | Martin Brundle | McLaren-Peugeot | +1:18.010s | 4 | Finished |
| 4 | Rubens Barrichello | Jordan-Hart | +1:20.450s | 3 | Finished |
| 5 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | +1 lap | 2 | Finished |
| 6 | Eddie Irvine | Jordan-Hart | +1 lap | 1 | Finished |
| 7 | Christian Fittipaldi | Footwork-Ford | +2 laps | 0 | Finished |
| 8 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi-Ford | +2 laps | 0 | Finished |
| 9 | Michele Alboreto | Minardi-Ford | +3 laps | 0 | Finished |
| 10 | Bertrand Gachot | Pacific-Ilmor | +4 laps | 0 | Finished |
| 11 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton-Ford | DNF | 0 | Retired |
| 12 | Damon Hill | Williams-Renault | DNF | 0 | Retired |
Race Incidents & Drama
Incident #1
Lap 35: Schumacher hits the wall at East Terrace corner, damaging his Benetton's right-side suspension and steering
Incident #2
Lap 36: Hill attempts to overtake the limping Schumacher on the inside at the chicane
Incident #3
Lap 36: Contact between Hill and Schumacher eliminates both cars - Hill's left-front wheel hits Schumacher's right-rear
Incident #4
Post-race: Massive controversy erupts over whether Schumacher deliberately caused the collision
Incident #5
Stewards' investigation: After lengthy deliberation, officials rule it a 'racing incident' with no penalties
Incident #6
Championship decided: Schumacher wins his first title by 1 point despite the retirement
Race Notes
- Championship decider between Schumacher (1 point ahead) and Hill
- Schumacher crashed on lap 35 after hitting the wall at East Terrace
- Hill attempted to overtake the damaged Benetton on lap 36
- Contact between the two cars eliminated both from the race
- Schumacher won the championship by 1 point (92 vs 91)
- Nigel Mansell won the race in his Williams comeback drive
- The incident sparked massive controversy and debate for years
- Stewards investigated but took no action against Schumacher
F1ABY's Take
Well, well, well. The 1994 Australian Grand Prix - where Michael Schumacher decided that if you can't beat them, drive into them! What should have been a proper championship decider turned into the most controversial finish since someone decided pineapple belonged on pizza. Schumacher, leading the championship by a single point, found himself in the wall after a coming-together with Damon Hill that was about as subtle as a brick through a window. The German's Benetton looked more like a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel, yet somehow he managed to hobble back onto the circuit just in time to turn Hill's Williams into expensive scrap metal. The stewards, bless their cotton socks, spent longer deliberating than it takes to assemble an IKEA wardrobe, ultimately deciding that Schumacher's 'racing incident' was just enthusiastic driving. Hill was left wondering if he'd accidentally signed up for demolition derby instead of Formula 1, whilst Schumacher celebrated his first world championship with all the grace of someone who'd just nicked the last biscuit from the tin.