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Benetton B194 - 1994
Schumacher’s first title-winning car remains a controversial one. Electronic driver aids were banned ahead of the 1994 season but the German’s near-perfect start - six wins out of seven races - raised suspicion about the Ford-powered B194's legality from other teams.
Upon investigation from the FIA, a launch control system was discovered but F1’s governing body could not bring evidence that it had been used, which means charges could not be pressed against Benetton.
In a season marred by the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola, Schumacher won eight races with the B194. However, the then 25-year-old was disqualified in Britain for overtaking on the formation lap, as well as in Belgium where his car was found to have illegal wear on the skid block after he won the event.
This all paved the way for a controversial showdown against Williams’ Damon Hill in Adelaide. Leading the Adelaide race ahead of his title rival, Schumacher hit the wall but managed to come back on track before the pair collided at the following corner when the Benetton man closed the door on the Briton. Both drivers eventually retired, with Schumacher taking the title by a single point.
