Remember the F1 men who defied fire? Not just the legend Niki Lauda or Romain Grosjean, but also Jos Verstappen. These drivers looked terror in the eyes when the flames tried to engulf them. Some of the true warriors of the sport, these drivers, have etched their names in the journal of bravehearts. But surprisingly, Verstappen Sr.’s incident took quite a political turn, as it made Michael Schumacher’s Benetton stint difficult.

The year 1994 wasn’t particularly pleasant for Flavio Briatore‘s Benetton. The team had been under close observation and criticism throughout the year. Cheating allegations, Michael Schumacher’s not-so-happy entry, his two-race suspension, and Jos Verstappen’s fire incident kept the garage under pressure. Briatore clearly remembers the fire incident, as if it happened yesterday. At the same time, he hasn’t been able to forget the aftermath of the fiery drama.

The fire incident had an unfavorable impact on Benetton and Michael Schumacher

Benetton‘s former team boss, Flavio Briatore, has always been an influential figure in F1. However, his charisma did not work when Max Verstappen’s father and his car caught fire. Let’s understand what happened back then. During the 1994 Hockenheimring race, the team brought Jos Verstappen in for a pitstop. Two laps earlier, Michael Schumacher had left the pit lane. The team decided to change tires and refuel Jos Verstappen, as this was permitted at that time. But something went wrong when the crew pulled the fuel hose off the car. Fuel was all over Jos and the car, and the driver raised his hands to signal the mess.

The Dutchman didn’t have his visor turned off, and within seconds, fire sparked. Briatore was close by the moment it happened. “If you look back at that video, you’ll see that I was very close to helping Verstappen out of the car. It was incredible. I’ll never forget,” Briatore said. It was a very unfavorable event for the team, not because the sea of flames naturally caused injuries to the crew, but also because Briatore felt that the bond with the FIA was not so good.

“Max [Mosley] was against us from day one,” recalled the Italian mastermind. “And from that black flag in Silverstone,” reminded Briatore. At the 1994 British GP, race officials showed Michael Schumacher the black flag for failing to complete a stop-and-go penalty within the designated seven laps. Following this, they suspended the ‘Kaiser’ for two races. If Benetton had allowed Schumacher in, they could have avoided the suspension and the $25,000 fine.

Moreover, Schumacher’s 1994 season with Benetton was unique for various reasons. From his entry into the team to his title win, everything was under question at one point. Let’s see how the Benetton found themselves immersed in a sea of controversies.

Michael Schumacher’s second title and myriad of allegations on Benetton

Michael Schumacher’s arrival at Benetton in 1991 had some hiccups. Flavio Briatore wanted to keep Nelson Piquet. But Tom Walkinshaw wanted Martin Brundle. Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone was furious and told Walkinshaw: “I want you, with Flavio, to take Michael Schumacher.” Briatore remembered: “Michael was very young, I remember the philosophy of the engineers at that time. It was all about the racing experience. When you’re so young, how much experience do you have?”

During the 1994 season, controversies frequently surrounded Michael Schumacher and Benetton, who suddenly became a strong title contender against the dominant Williams team. Investigations revealed the team used unfair practices, including issues with the fueling system and avoiding traction control bans. Despite these controversies, including Verstappen’s crash and Schumacher’s suspension, the team clinched the championship. Schumacher won his second world title with Benetton and left the team the following year.

Flavio Briatore has seen many sides of F1. He has been at the heart of controversies. However, his prowess at converting setbacks to comebacks cannot be denied. It was under his leadership that Benetton reached great heights. And with Michael Schumacher as their lead driver, success was inevitable. Moreover, his partnership with Jos Verstappen played a major role in taking the team to the top on several occasions. Now we understand from where Max Verstappen learned to be so competitive!

Did you know about Jos Verstappen’s fire incident? Let us know in the comments.