Benetton B197

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Benetton B197

Alexander Wurz driving the B197 at the 1997 British Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Benetton
Designer(s)	Pat Symonds (Technical Director) Nick Wirth (Chief Designer) Nikolas Tombazis (Head of Aerodynamics) Bernard Dudot (Chief Engine Designer) (Renault)
Predecessor	B196
Successor	B198
Technical specifications
Chassis	carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Suspension (front)	double wishbones, pushrod, triple damper
Suspension (rear)	double wishbones, pushrod, double damper
Engine	Renault RS9/RS9A/RS9B, 71° V10
Transmission	Benetton six-speed longitudinal sequential semi-automatic
Power	730-755 hp @ 17,000 rpm[1]
Fuel	Agip
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Mild Seven Benetton Renault
Notable drivers	7. Jean Alesi 8. Gerhard Berger 8. Alexander Wurz
Debut	1997 Australian Grand Prix
First win	1997 German Grand Prix
Last win	1997 German Grand Prix
Last event	1997 European Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 17 1 8 2 2
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

The Benetton B197 is a Formula One racing car with which the Benetton team competed in the 1997 Formula One World Championship. There it was driven by Frenchman Jean Alesi and Austrian Gerhard Berger, who were both in their second season with the team. However, Berger was forced to sit out three races in the middle of the season due to sinus problems, and compatriot Alexander Wurz made his F1 début by deputising for him, starting at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The car is a further development of the previous year's B196, from which both drivers had struggled to extract maximum performance. The B197 proved competitive at nearly every race, but only scored one win, courtesy of Berger on his return to the cockpit in Germany. The main problem with the car was its inability to bring its tyres up to temperature on low-grip circuits, particularly in qualifying. However, Berger and Alesi did secure one pole position each during the course of the season. By the end of the season, it was clear that Benetton would adopt a new driver line-up for 1998, with Berger retiring and Alesi moving to Sauber.

The team eventually finished third in the Constructors' Championship, with 67 points.

The Benetton B197 was the last Benetton Formula 1 car to utilize fully-fledged Renault engines until the B201 in 2001 season due to the company's repositioning to privatisation plan.

The B197 was still painted in white and blue with additional red accents from a new sponsor Akai. FedEx and Gillette also joined the team.

Benetton used the Mild Seven logos, except at the French, British and German Grands Prix.

The B197 was still currently active in the BOSS GP. The original Renault engine were swapped out with a Judd engine.

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

• AUTOCOURSE 1997–98, Henry, Alan (ed.), Hazleton Publishing Ltd. (1997) ISBN 978-1-874557-47-0

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