1994 Formula One World Championship

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The 1994 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 48th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1994 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1994 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 27 March and ended on 13 November.

Michael Schumacher won his first Drivers' Championship driving for Benetton. As of 2024^[update], this is the last Ford-powered Drivers' Champion.^[1] Williams-Renault won their third consecutive Constructors' Championship, the seventh in all for Williams.

1994 was one of the most tragic and controversial seasons in the sport's history. The San Marino Grand Prix saw the deaths of Austrian rookie Roland Ratzenberger and Brazilian three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, while a number of other incidents throughout the season resulted in injuries to drivers, mechanics, spectators and a track marshal.^[2] The FIA subsequently made sweeping changes to the rules and regulations of F1 in an effort to improve safety. The 1994 season would be the last Formula One season to see a fatality caused by an accident until the 2014 season when Jules Bianchi died as a result of his injuries following an accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

1994 was also marked by a fierce title battle between Schumacher and Damon Hill, who stepped into the lead Williams seat following Senna's death. While Schumacher initially dominated, his campaign was marred by a two-race suspension as a result of a disqualification from the British Grand Prix as well as losing a win at the Belgian Grand Prix. This allowed Hill to close the gap significantly in the latter part of the season. The championship concluded in a highly controversial collision between the two rivals at the season-ending Australian Grand Prix, resulting in both drivers retiring and the title being handed to Schumacher, his first of seven world championship titles.

The 1993 champion Alain Prost did not attempt to defend his title, having retired from the sport.^[3] 1994 was also the final season for the original Team Lotus, one of the most successful constructors in Formula One history. A total of 46 drivers took part in this season with 14 making their F1 debut including numerous pay drivers, with all except Andrea Montermini making at least one race start. Mercedes-Benz returned to the sport for the first time since 1955, as an engine supplier to Swiss team Sauber. The season also saw the first win for Ferrari since 1990, whilst McLaren, following the departure of Senna, endured their first winless season since 1980.