Round eleven of the 1994 World Championship was at Spa-Francorchamps, which as part of the Grand Prix Driver’s Association to improve track safety, saw a temporarily-revised Eau Rouge chicane which was tighter and reduced speeds dramatically. Michael Schumacher led the championship by 31 points over Damon Hill going into the race, the German seemingly on course to win his first title.
In Friday’s first qualifying session, Rubens Barrichello set the fastest time the Jordan-Hart after going out late in the session with the track drying after it began under wet conditions. In the second session the weather was wet throughout and no time could be improved thus giving Barrichello his first career pole position and the Jordan team’s first in their history. It was also the first pole position for a Hart-powered car for nine years. Schumacher was second, with Hill third, the second Jordan of Eddie Irvine fourth, Jean Alesi’s Ferrari fifth and Schumacher’s Benetton team-mate Jos Verstappen sixth.
1994 Belgian Grand Prix: Benetton Walk the Plank
On race-day, the unpredictable Ardennes weather changed to bright sunshine, which stayed throughout the race. At the getaway, Barrichello led into turn one, with a fast-starting Irvine pushed wide, costing him places when he could have easily been third towards Eau Rouge. Schumacher out-dragged Barrichello into Les Combes and took the lead. Alesi was up to second soon after but his engine gave out at the end of lap two. After the first round of pit-stops, David Coulthard was able to get ahead of team-mate Hill into third place, but soon gave back the position after he required an extra stop to check a problem with his rear wing. On lap 19, Schumacher spun 360 degrees towards the Fagnes corner, but was able to continue. Soon after, Barrichello slid off into the tyre wall when looking good for a podium place. Coulthard’s eventful afternoon continued as he suffered with a gearbox problem soon after his precautionary pit-stop, which sent him into the back of Mark Blundell’s Tyrrell, but both drivers were able to carry on.
Schumacher took a commanding win from Hill, with Hakkinen – returning after a one-race ban for causing an avoidable accident at Hockenheim – third. Sensationally, Schumacher was disqualified after the race after stewards discovered excessive wear on the wooden plank – a mandatory safety ruling from Hockenheim onwards – beneath his car. Hill was duly handed the win, elevating Jos Verstappen to the final podium place. Coulthard and Blundell were fourth and fifth respectively, with Gianni Morbidelli completing the top six in his Footwork.
This meant Hill had narrowed the gap on Schumacher to 21 points. Williams had also closed-up to Benetton in the constructor’s championship to 23 points. It was Schumacher’s last Grand Prix until round fourteen at Jerez, as he began his two-race suspension for his actions at the British Grand Prix.
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