Formula One: The 1990s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alain Prost

Alain Prost had won the 1989 Formula One crown under acrimonious circumstances at Suzuka when he and former teammate Ayrton Senna infamously crashed at the chicane. Senna was later disqualified after winning the race, handing the title to Prost. Prost had already decided on moving to Ferrari prior to that incident.

Answer: 27 & 28

With Alain Prost taking the number one to Ferrari, McLaren-Honda carried the number 27 and 28 on their cars, an unusual occurrence as the 27 being synonymous with Ferrari.

Answer: 7

Riccardo Patrese won two races in Mexico and Portugal, while Nigel Mansell won 5 races in France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. Mansell would finish behind Senna in the WDC while Williams-Renault finished 2nd in the Constructors title.

Answer: 7th

That qualifying performance immediately made many in the pitlane sit up and take notice, and by the next race he was driving for the Benetton team.

Answer: Peugeot

The new Peugeot engine proved to be quick in a nimble McLaren chassis, but could be horribly unreliable at times. At the British Grand Prix, for example, Martin Brundle's engine erupted into flames as the lights turned green!

Answer: 5th

Ferrari at that time were still generally unreliable, with numerous mechanical failures, but every time Alesi did finish a race it was in the points, helping him to 5th place overall. This included one victory, 4 second places and 4 fifth places for 42 points.

Answer: 7

Although 7 cars were classified at race end, only four were still circulating. Salo, Hakkinen, and Irvine were all numerous laps behind having been caught up in a multi-car accident.

Answer: Riccardo Rosset & Vincenzo Sospiri

Unfortunately for Sospiri, he would never get another opportunity in Formula One after his Lola debacle, but Rosset did return for Tyrrell in the 1998 season.

Answer: Rubens Barrichello

Barrichello enhanced his reputation as a rain ace with a steady driver into second place, as most of the field left their cars in the barriers. It would be his only points finish of the season as the car did prove to be very quick but fragile.

Answer: Mika Hakkinen

It was all change for the 1998 with new regulations including grooved tyres, skinnier designs and other rules to limit the speed of the cars. Hakkinen won the first race in Australia after team-mate Coulthard handed him victory after a pre-race agreement.

Answer: Williams

Having lost their Renault contract at the end of the 1997 season as the French manufacturer pulled out, Williams and Benetton were left with customer Mecachrome engines. The new rules and the new engines left Williams trailing behind the McLaren and Ferrari cars.

Answer: 3rd

At one stage, Frentzen was in contention for the Drivers Championship after his victory in Italy, but after retiring while leading at the Nurburgring, it was left to Hakkinen and Irvine to battle it out, and Frentzen finishing third overall.

Answer: Luca Badoer

Badoer was still to score a point in his Formula One career, but was traveling as high as third place, and odds on to score points, when his Minardi suffered engine failure. The young Italian was inconsolable after the race.

Answer: Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher won 33 Grand Prix from 1991-1999, including a record equalling 9 in 1995, as did Nigel Mansell in 1992. Ayrton Senna won 21 races from 1990-1994 until his tragic death at Imola. Nigel Mansell won 15 races from 1990-1995, while Hakkinen won 14 races from 1991-1999.

Answer: Williams

Williams were the dominant force in Formula One up from 1992-1997, with 61 victories, four World Drivers Championships and five Constructors titles but didn't win in 1998-1999. McLaren had 43 victories, two Drivers titles and one Constructors title but were winless from 1994-96. Ferrari had 30 victories, but were winless from 1991-1993 but did win a Constructors title. Benetton had 25 victories from 1990-1997, with two Drivers titles, one constructor but did not win another race after 1997.