During the early part of the 1995 Formula 1 season the Benetton B195 had shown itself to be a difficult car to master, but in Michael Schumacher the team had a rare talent. At Monaco he would once again show his class, on a circuit where driver skill was rewarded.
Schumacher Wins Second Monaco Grand Prix
Damon Hill beat Schumacher to pole in Monaco, but could not contain the brilliant German in the Grand Prix itself. At the start David Coulthard, Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi tangled on the run down to Ste Devote corner, resulting in the race being red flagged.
The race was re-started and it proved to be one of attrition. Mika Hakkinen, who had qualified well in the McLaren, retired with an engine failure. Coulthard’s race ended with an electrical problem, while Alesi was taken out of the Grand Prix by Martin Brundle in a Ligier.
Schumacher completed the race with one less pit stop than Hill. The Englishman could not lap fast enough to compensate and Schumacher won comfortably. Berger was third and Johnny Herbert fourth. Mark Blundell finished fifth, having regained his McLaren’s seat after Nigel Mansell’s departure. Heinz-Harald Frentzen claimed the final World Championship point.
Alesi Finally Wins a Grand Prix
In a reverse of Monaco qualifying Schumacher beat Hill to pole at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Coulthard was third, Berger fourth and Alesi fifth. Schumacher led away at the start, while Hakkinen was busy driving into Herbert’s Benetton, ending the race for both drivers. Later in the race Berger also made a rash move, taking himself and Brundle out of the Grand Prix.
Up front it was business as usual for Schumacher and Benetton. Hill retired from the proceedings with a broken gearbox, while Alesi was a distant second. Then, Schumacher’s car suddenly developed a gearbox fault of its own. The German pitted and his mechanics changed the steering wheel. He emerged from the pits, but with no chance of taking victory. That went to Alesi, the first win of his career and on his 31st birthday. The fact that it was scored in a number 27 Ferrari on the circuit named after one of his heroes made the day extra special. Alesi would later describe how he struggled to see in the closing stages due to his tears hitting the visor of his helmet. No-one could begrudge the brilliant Frenchman his moment of glory. Rubens Barrichello was second, Eddie Irvine third and Olivier Panis fourth, just ahead of Schumacher. Gianni Morbidelli finished sixth in his Footwork.
F1 season review continues here.
