The 1992 Formula One World Championship was the 46th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1992 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1992 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 1 March and ended on 8 November. Nigel Mansell, in what would prove to be his final full season in Formula One, won the Drivers' Championship and Williams-Renault won the Constructors' Championship.
Mansell won the first five races of the season and went on to become the first driver in Formula One history to win nine World Championship races in a single season. He sealed the championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-August, with five races still to run, becoming the first British driver to win the championship since James Hunt in . Reigning champion Ayrton Senna won three races for McLaren-Honda but could only manage fourth in the championship, with Mansell's Williams teammate Riccardo Patrese finishing second and young Michael Schumacher third for Benetton-Ford.
This was the first season in which all teams had two regular drivers, a trend that has remained the same ever since. Although champion Mansell would start a combined six more Formula One Grands Prix across 1994 (with Williams) and 1995 (with McLaren), he would never contest a full F1 season again.
Drivers and constructors The following teams and drivers competed in the 1992 FIA Formula One World Championship. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Goodyear. This was the first season in which all teams ran two cars.
Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine No Driver Rounds Honda Marlboro McLaren McLaren-Honda MP4/6BMP4/7A Honda RA122E 3.5 V12Honda RA122E/B 3.5 V12 1 Ayrton Senna All 2 Gerhard Berger All Tyrrell Tyrrell-Ilmor 020B Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10 3 Olivier Grouillard All 4 Andrea de Cesaris All Canon Williams Renault Williams-Renault FW14B Renault RS3C 3.5 V10Renault RS4 3.5 V10 5 Nigel Mansell All 6 Riccardo Patrese All Brabham Brabham-Judd BT60B Judd GV 3.5 V10 7 Eric van de Poele 1–10 8 Giovanna Amati 1–3 Damon Hill 4–11 Footwork Mugen-Honda Footwork-Mugen-Honda FA13 Mugen-Honda MF-351H 3.5 V10 9 Michele Alboreto All 10 Aguri Suzuki All Team Lotus Team Castrol Lotus Lotus-Ford 102D107 Ford HBA5 3.5 V8 11 Mika Häkkinen All 12 Johnny Herbert All Fondmetal Fondmetal-Ford GR01GR02 Ford HBA5 3.5 V8 14 Andrea Chiesa 1–10 Eric van de Poele 11–13 15 Gabriele Tarquini 1–13 March F1 March-Ilmor CG911B Ilmor 2175A 3.5 V10 16 Karl Wendlinger 1–14 Jan Lammers 15–16 17 Paul Belmondo 1–11 Emanuele Naspetti 12–16 Camel Benetton Ford Benetton-Ford B191BB192 Ford HBA5 3.5 V8Ford HBA7 3.5 V8 19 Michael Schumacher All 20 Martin Brundle All BMS Scuderia Italia BMS Dallara-Ferrari F192 Ferrari Tipo 037 3.5 V12 21 JJ Lehto All 22 Pierluigi Martini All Minardi Team Minardi-Lamborghini M191BM192 Lamborghini LE3512 3.5 V12 23 Christian Fittipaldi 1–8, 12–16 Alessandro Zanardi9–11 24 Gianni Morbidelli All Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier-Renault JS37 Renault RS3C 3.5 V10 25 Thierry Boutsen All 26 Érik Comas All Ferrari Ferrari F92AF92AT Ferrari Tipo 038 3.5 V12 27 Jean Alesi All 28 Ivan Capelli 1–14 Nicola Larini 15–16 Central Park Venturi Larrousse Venturi-LamborghiniOfficial Programme, Foster's Australian Grand Prix, 1992, Entry List, page 17 LC92 Lamborghini LE3512 3.5 V12 29 Bertrand Gachot All 30 Ukyo Katayama All Sasol Jordan Yamaha Jordan-Yamaha 192 Yamaha OX99 3.5 V12 32 Stefano Modena All 33 Maurício Gugelmin All Andrea Moda Formula Andrea Moda-Judd C4BS921 Judd GV 3.5 V10 34 Alex Caffi 1–2 Roberto Moreno 3–7, 9–12 35 Enrico Bertaggia 1–2 Perry McCarthy 3–7, 9–12Sources:
Team changes March completed a take-over of Leyton House Racing. Modena designed a car for 1992, but had to cease operations before the season started, due to insurmountable financial challenges. After a one-year spell with Lamborghini, Ligier signed a three-year full-works engine deal with Renault. They received the same treatment as Williams, by utilizing the same engine specifications. Lamborghini moved on to supply Minardi and Larrousse, who collaborated with Venturi Automobiles. Judd supplied Team Lotus and BMS Scuderia Italia in , but moved on to Brabham and Andrea Moda in 1992. Lotus was supplied by Ford, BMS received a 1991-spec Ferrari engine. Brabham's former supplier, Yamaha, moved to Jordan. After preparing the Honda engines for Tyrrell in 1991, Mugen Motorsports made their public debut as supplier to Footwork. Tyrrell moved on to engine supplier Ilmor.
Mid-season changes
After being in Formula 1 since , Brabham went into administration 11 races into the 1992 season. Andrea Moda was expelled from the championship after 12 races, on the regulatory grounds of "[failure to operate a] team in a manner compatible with the standards of the championship or in any way brings the championship into disrepute." The Fondmetal team ran out of money after 13 races.
Post-season March left the sport after more than twenty years in F1.
Driver changes
After Alain Prost was released from his contract with Ferrari before the season ended, the team attracted Ivan Capelli. Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet retired and Benetton attracted Martin Brundle, coming from Brabham. Brabham signed Eric van de Poele and Giovanna Amati, the first female F1 driver since Desiré Wilson in . Ex-driver Mark Blundell could not find a seat for 1992. Stefano Modena and Andrea de Cesaris switched employers, Modena going to Jordan and De Cesaris to Tyrrell. Jordan also signed Maurício Gugelmin from Leyton House, while Tyrrell replaced the retired Satoru Nakajima with Olivier Grouillard. Pierluigi Martini moved from Minardi to Scuderia Italia, replacing Emanuele Pirro making place at Minardi for debutant Christian Fittipaldi. Aguri Suzuki moved from Larrousse to Footwork, freeing a seat for newcomer and fellow Japanese Ukyo Katayama. Ex-Footwork driver Alex Caffi moved to Andrea Moda, besides Enrico Bertaggia. Andrea Chiesa debuted with Fondmetal, the team fielding a second car for the first time.
Mid-season changes After three races, Giovanna Amati was replaced by Williams test driver Damon Hill, while he was still competing in the F3000. Before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Andrea Chiesa was replaced at Fondmetal by Eric van de Poele, coming from the defunct Brabham team. Unfortunately, Fondmetal folded just three races later. At March, Emanuele Naspetti left the F3000 championship while he was leading, to replace Paul Belmondo, and Jan Lammers made a surprise comeback when he replaced Karl Wendlinger for the final two races of the season. Lammers set a record by returning a full ten years after his initial final race. Christian Fittipaldi was replaced at Minardi by Alessandro Zanardi when he crashed during qualifying of the French Grand Prix. After three races, the Brazilian returned. Ivan Capelli was dropped by Ferrari after the Portuguese Grand Prix, and the team promoted their test driver and ITCC champion Nicola Larini to a race seat. He had helped develop their active suspension system and when it was time to launch the car with that upgrade, Larini was awarded the drive. After just two races, Andrea Moda separated with both drivers and hired Roberto Moreno and Perry McCarthy.
Calendar
Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 South African Grand Prix Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Midrand 1 March 2 Mexican Grand Prix Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City 22 March 3 Brazilian Grand Prix Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 5 April 4 Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló 3 May 5 San Marino Grand Prix Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 17 May 6 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 31 May 7 Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal 14 June 8 French Grand Prix Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours 5 July 9 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 12 July 10 German Grand Prix Hockenheimring, Hockenheim 26 July 11 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring, Mogyoród 16 August 12 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 30 August 13 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 13 September 14 Portuguese Grand Prix Autódromo do Estoril, Estoril 27 September 15 Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka 25 October 16 Australian Grand Prix Adelaide Street Circuit, Adelaide 8 NovemberSources:
Calendar changes The United States Grand Prix was originally scheduled for 15 March at the Phoenix street circuit, which was to be the second round as a result of the return of South Africa but was cancelled due to the inability to install more seats in order to attract spectators. This made way for the return of the South African Grand Prix. After a seven-year absence, the FIA lifted its ban on events in South Africa due to the end of Apartheid. The race was held again at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, but there was a new layout compared to the last time they raced in 1985. The Mexican Grand Prix was moved from its mid-June date to March and the Spanish Grand Prix was moved from September to May. The Austrian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 16 August, was cancelled due to financial problems. The Hungarian Grand Prix moved up from 23 August to take its slot.David Hayhoe, Formula 1: The Knowledge – 2nd Edition, 2021, page 36. The European Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 4 October at the Jerez circuit, was cancelled.
Regulation changes
Technical regulations Unleaded gasoline fuel became mandatory for all Formula One cars from the 1992 season onwards, as leaded gasoline fuel was deemed too hazardous for health. Previously, unleaded gasoline fuel was optional for top teams only. From the Hungarian Grand Prix, FISA mandated pump fuel only with lower octane, further reducing engine power. Stricter crash tests were introduced.
Sporting and event regulations The use of the Safety Car was formalised. Circuits were demanded to lower the kerbs, to widen the pit lane to at least 12 meters and to add a chicane in the pit lane entry.
Race-by-race
Race 1: South Africa
The season started off in South Africa at the newly rebuilt Kyalami circuit near the high altitude city of Johannesburg where Mansell took pole ahead of Senna, Berger, Patrese, Alesi and Schumacher. At the start, Patrese overtook both McLarens and Berger lost out to both Alesi and Schumacher as well. The order was: Mansell, Patrese, Senna, Alesi, Schumacher and Berger.
Mansell quickly pulled away from Patrese who was under no pressure at all from Senna. Brundle spun off on the first lap in the Benetton and then retired with a broken clutch. Alesi was well behind Senna and had a comfortable gap to Schumacher, whom Berger could do nothing about. The pit stops left the order unchanged, and it held until Alesi's engine failed on lap 41. Andrea de Cesaris was sixth and in the points for one lap until his engine failed as well.
Mansell won the race easily with Patrese making it a Williams 1–2 ahead of Senna, Schumacher, Berger and Johnny Herbert. Mansell had also won the previous South African Grand Prix, held in 1985, in a Williams-Honda.
Race 2: Mexico