BENETTON B186 BMW Turbo

   The wonderful all-Italian entrepreneurial story of siblings Luciano, Gilberto, Carlo, and Giuliana Benetton began in Ponzano Veneto, in the province of Treviso, when in 1965 they founded the clothing company bearing their name. From the 1970s onward, the "Benetton" brand became one of the world's most renowned manufacturers in its sector, as well as a sprawling economic empire, thanks in part to the company’s marketing style, primarily driven by the exceptional and innovative business vision of Luciano Benetton, without a doubt a key figure in the company’s success. Bold and aggressive advertising, supported by commercials that became iconic in the '70s and '80s, along with a strong presence in sports, were the cornerstones of Benetton’s marketing strategy. In Italy, Benetton has always played a prominent role in basketball, volleyball, and rugby, and from 1983 also in Formula 1, when the Treviso-based brand appeared as the main sponsor on Michele Alboreto’s Tyrrell.

BENETTON B186, Gerhard Berger
Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexican GP 1986

   After two years of partnership with Alfa Romeo, Luciano Benetton’s entrepreneurial vision launched an ambitious and unprecedented project: to become the first company not producing mechanical components to transform into a Formula 1 constructor (a path successfully followed years later by Red Bull). It all began with the acquisition of the small Toleman team in 1985, leveraging the creativity and technical know-how of the Toleman staff, bolstered by fresh capital from the Benetton Group. The strategy immediately proved successful, unlocking the potential that the small Toleman team had shown with its innovative and original TG183 and TG184. The new Benetton Formula team retained its British license, continued using Toleman’s facilities in Witney, Oxfordshire, and most importantly, maintained the same management structure, with Peter Collins as sporting director and Rory Byrne heading the technical department.

 BENETTON B186, Gerhard Berger
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1986

   The Toleman TG186 project was simply renamed the Benetton B186, but Benetton’s financial resources enabled the new team to secure, in its very first year, the most powerful engine available on the market: the BMW M12/13 L4 Turbo. The Bavarian engine had the same configuration (inline 4-cylinder) as the previous Hart 415T L4, as well as a similar turbo placement and exhaust layout, allowing Byrne to make minimal changes to the chassis. However, it was structurally reinforced to handle the BMW turbo’s immense power (1420 hp in qualifying trim—about 500 more than the Hart). The new Benetton B186 also used the “naked” chassis concept, where the painted chassis doubled as the bodywork, a solution introduced by Gustav Brunner on the 1983 ATS and already adopted by Byrne on the Toleman TG185. This approach saved weight and allowed for a stiffer chassis than traditional models and became standard practice for Benetton models in the years that followed.

 BENETTON B186, Teo Fabi
Hockenheimring, German GP 1986

   Even though the agreement with BMW was finalized only in the last week of October and Byrne began working on the B186 in November, for the season start on March 23 in Brazil, Benetton had already prepared three complete cars, assigned to the two official drivers: Italian Teo Fabi and Austrian Gerhard Berger. In addition to the limited development time, the height difference between the drivers, Fabi at 1.68 m and the stockier Berger at 1.83 m, posed an added challenge for Byrne, who had to adapt the same chassis to two different body types, customizing the seating and pedal positions accordingly. Despite these difficulties, the B186, with a wheelbase of 2743 mm and a weight of 548 kg, proved to be a well-balanced and competitive car, allowing Fabi and Berger to achieve good, if somewhat inconsistent, results due to unresolved reliability issues with the BMW turbo. The B186 excelled on fast circuits, where its excellent aerodynamics made it highly competitive. In fact, thanks to the BMW engine, Fabi recorded the highest top speed of 1986: 351.22 km/h at Monza. On slower circuits, however, where aerodynamics mattered less and the Bavarian 4-cylinder was at a disadvantage against smoother V6s from Ferrari, Honda, Renault, and TAG-Porsche, the B186 faced more difficulties, though constant development led to clear performance improvements in the second half of the season.

BENETTON B186, Teo Fabi
Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1986

   Indeed, Fabi managed to clinch two consecutive pole positions, though he was unlucky in both races: in Austria, he retired while leading due to engine failure, and in Italy, he was hampered by a problem during the formation lap. Berger, on the other hand, scored points in the first three races of the season, including a podium in Imola, and after a middle part of the season marked by mechanical failures, he achieved a sensational first victory for the Anglo-Italian team in the penultimate round of the 1986 season at the Mexican Grand Prix. In its debut year in the World Championship, Benetton earned 1 win, 1 third place, and four other points finishes, collecting 19 points and securing sixth place in the Constructors’ standings.