It was the beginning of the end for the Toleman name in Formula 1, who were taken over by the Italian clothing company at the end of a disappointing final season.įounded in 1965 by four siblings from the Veneto region of northern Italy, Benetton was fast becoming one of the world’s top fashion labels when it entered Formula 1 as a sponsor in the early 1980s. After missing the first three rounds of the 1985 season due to a dispute with tyre supplier Pirelli, Toleman finally debuted their new car with a ‘United Colors of Benetton’ livery at the Monaco Grand Prix. Senna finished his debut season with three podium finishes, including a sensational second in the wet at the Monaco Grand Prix, and was soon snapped up by Lotus. Toleman’s fortunes began to improve during the latter stages of 1983, but it was the arrival of Ayrton Senna in 1984 that really put the team on the map.
Entering Formula 1 during a very competitive era, the small British outfit struggled to even make the starting grid during their first few seasons. The origins of today’s Alpine F1 Team can be traced back forty years to the debut of Toleman in 1981. From modest beginnings as Toleman in the early 1980s through championship winning successes as Benetton and Renault, we take a look at the history of Team Enstone.
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