F1 1996 <Edge>

Despite the tension, Hill drove flawlessly to secure his first and only World Championship at the at Suzuka. By finishing third, he gained the point he needed, making him, at 36, one of the oldest first-time champions in F1 history. The Others: The Ferrari Rebuild and Schumacher’s Struggle Behind the white-and-blue Williams steamroller, the real drama was in red.

had left Benetton for a struggling Ferrari . The 1996 Ferrari F310 was a difficult, twitchy car, and the team was in disarray. Yet Schumacher did the impossible. In the torrential rain at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, he lapped up to three seconds quicker than anyone else and took a stunning victory. It is still hailed as one of the greatest wet-weather drives in history. He would win two more races (Spa and Monza) but could not challenge for the title, finishing 3rd overall. f1 1996

Hill dominated the early season, winning in Brazil, Argentina, and San Marino. By mid-season, he had a comfortable lead. However, Villeneuve began to close the gap, winning at the Nürburgring and then taking a famous victory at the at Silverstone—a race where Hill famously suffered a wheel failure while leading, a moment that summed up his tendency for bad luck. Despite the tension, Hill drove flawlessly to secure

The turning point came in . Hill and Villeneuve collided on the first lap, taking each other out. The team was furious. After that, internal politics began to swirl. It was becoming clear that Williams boss Frank Williams and technical chief Patrick Head were more impressed by Villeneuve’s raw speed and charisma than Hill’s consistency. had left Benetton for a struggling Ferrari

, the former champion, collapsed without Schumacher. Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger were fast but fragile, scoring only one win (Berger at Hockenheim).