The delicate balancing act that Gérard Larrousse must perform to ensure the survival of his team in the difficult world of 1990s Formula 1 continues into the 1994 season. As early as the last months of 1993, Larrousse realized he would not be able to obtain Peugeot engines, as the manufacturer had meanwhile signed an exclusive deal with McLaren, shattering his long-standing dream of building an all-French car. Even in 1994, the small French team's budget remained very limited, despite a sponsorship deal with Belgian brewery Alkens-Maes. Under the Tourtel brand, the new car's livery turned entirely green, although a special red-and-white version was used in some Grands Prix.
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| LARRROUSSE LH94, Olivier Beretta Montréal, GP del Canadian GP 1994 |
The new LH94 was once again designed at Robin Herd's English workshop in Bicester, in southern England, now rebranded as Larrousse UK. The facility housed 15 engineers, including chief designers Michel Tétu and Tim Halloway, and Tino Belli, who was in charge of aerodynamics. Directed by Herd, the design team simply modified the previous LH93 to comply with new regulations, without drastically changing the original concept, which already lacked now-banned electronic aids. The chassis and the push-rod suspension layout, both front and rear, remained unchanged, although the shock absorbers switched from Bilstein to Penske. The engine was replaced as well: the expensive Lamborghini supply was abandoned in favor of the less powerful but cheaper Ford-Cosworth HB customer version, capable of around 680 hp at 13,000 rpm. The sidepods were slightly smaller due to the reduced size of the radiators needed for the Anglo-American V8 compared to the Italian V12, and the new, smaller fuel tank complied with the updated regulations allowing mid-race refueling. Additionally, Larrousse struck a deal with Briatore to use the 1993 Benetton gearbox, which had been paired with the same HB engine now used by the French team.
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| LARRROUSSE LH94, Olivier Beretta Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1994 |
Frenchman Érik Comas was confirmed as the lead driver, while the second seat went to rookie Olivier Beretta from Monaco, a Formula 3000 graduate and the first Monegasque driver in Formula 1 since André Testut raced in the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix. Despite budget constraints, the LH94 started the season reasonably well, particularly with Comas, who finished ninth in Brazil and sixth in Japan at the Aida circuit. However, the technical regulation changes following the tragic events at Imola forced the small Paris-based team to build new parts for the cars, diverting crucial funds from development.
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| LARRROUSSE LH94, Érik Comas Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 1994 |
Unfortunately, the financial situation worsened during the season. While rival teams improved, the LH94's performance stagnated or even declined, mainly due to the poor reliability of various mechanical components. The car's unreliability prevented both drivers from achieving significant results, except in Germany, where Comas again finished in the points with a sixth place, and Beretta crossed the line just behind him, scoring the best result of his short F1 career. From the next races onward, Larrousse was forced to "rent out" his cars to paying drivers just to stay on track until the end of the season. As a result, the LH94 was also driven by Frenchmen Philippe Alliot and Yannick Dalmas, as well as two debutants: Japanese driver Hideki Noda and Frenchman Jean-Denis Deletraz. Thanks to their personal sponsors, the small Larrousse team was at least able to finish the 1994 season, though financially stretched to the breaking point.
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| LARRROUSSE LH94, Érik Comas Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1994 |
Gérard Larrousse did not give up, and his team was still listed for the 1995 season. However, the lack of funds meant Herd could not build a new car. Seeking a partner team, Larrousse approached Formula 3000 outfit DAMS, which owned a Formula 1 chassis project developed by Reynard and slated for future debut. Nevertheless, Larrousse and DAMS owner Jean-Paul Driot failed to reach an agreement, and Driot announced his withdrawal from entering Formula 1 in 1995. Larrousse made a final attempt to secure financial backing from the French government as compensation for a national law that banned revenue from tobacco and alcohol sponsorships, contracts that the team had in place through the end of 1994. Meanwhile, Larrousse sold a majority stake in his team to fellow countrymen Laurent Barlesi and Jean Messaoudi, who founded their Junior F1 Team, but they too failed to secure the necessary funding to enter Formula 1. With government support lost, no available car, and no funds, Larrousse was forced to miss the first two Grands Prix of 1995, hoping to debut the new LH95 once the season returned to Europe. However, Cosworth’s decision to end the engine supply and the absence of a chassis ultimately led to the final closure of the small French team. Larrousse’s demise was a serious blow to French motorsport, which had already suffered from the government’s ban on tobacco and alcohol sponsorship, and had recently seen the collapse of the AGS team as well as the historic Ligier team, now owned by foreigners Flavio Briatore and Tom Walkinshaw.
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