The F1 debut of the energy drink
Who remembers that the sponsors who shared the F1 world titles from 2010 to now were both on the bodywork and wings of the 1995 Sauber? In that season, in fact, Peter’s team sported both Petronas – Mercedes’ main partner – and Red Bulla brand that made its debut in the Circus in 1995. At the wheel of the C14 Heinz Harald Frentzen took part in all 16 GPs, while Karl Wendlinger was ousted by the frightening accident in Monaco in free practice after which he remained in a coma for several weeks and was no longer able to perform at the excellent levels he had shown up until then (in his place Sauber fielded the Frenchman Jean Christophe Bouillon).
Frentzen himself on Twitter underlined how stupid Dietrich Mateschitz’s ‘bet’ was at the beginning of the season. “Mercedes’ abandonment at the end of 1994 seemed dramatic for the team but that wasn’t the case – Frentzen’s words – because we inherited the Ford engines that had equipped Schumacher’s Benetton in 1994 and what’s more, great help came from a then unknown company, Red Bull. The owner of this brand, Dietrich Mateschitz, had invested all his money in the company and in sponsorships and believed that Formula 1 was the only way to become famous. I was impressed by a person like him who placed all his hopes in us“.
Flavio Briatore and Benetton in 1995 in fact managed to equip Michael Schumacher with the same Renault engines that had already been in the Williams bonnets for some time and 1995 was a season practically dominated by the German driver capable of winning nine of the 16 races on the calendar. The Ford engines, however, did not disfigure at all and contributed to Sauber’s excellent season thanks to the skill of the ‘garage engineer’ Peter and the talent of Frentzen, even third in the Italian GP in Monza. Frentzen finished ninth in the Drivers’ standings with 15 points and Sauber was seventh in the Constructors’ standings with 21 points. A more than convincing start for the Red Bull brand which today dominates F1 with Max Verstappen.
