Ferrari F310 '96
The 412 T2 had been a bit of a problem child for Ferrari. Despite the fact the car won the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix with Jean Alesi at the wheel and Gerhard Berger had put on an astonishing drive to claim Pole Position at Spa, it was fairly unreliable, with Jean retiring 9 times and Gerhard 5 times. As a result, a whole new car was needed for the new season. Step forward the F310.
This car was notable as being the first Ferrari F1 car to stray from the traditional V12 engine format into the then more conventional engine format. The name F310 refers to the engine type, a 3 litre, 10 cylinder (V10) - a similar nomenclature consistent with that used for Ferrari's F1 cars from 1966 to 1980 (the 312, 312B and 312T). The engine was also called the 310. Because this is the last Ferrari F1 car to be designed by John Barnard, it was the only car to still use the low nose configuration, with the high nose now very much in vogue and aerodynamically preferred.
With Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine at the wheel of the new F310, it was the best of the rest, as it often challenged the FW18's for the top spot. Despite this though, it did prove to be problematic, with the cars having to use the 1995 car's parts early in the season whilst structural problems were cured. In addition to that, reliability issues and the lack of outright pace mean that while it did become a front runner, with Schumacher winning three times, the car wasn't able to show its full strength. Nevertheless, the team finished 2nd in the constructors standings, and after a controversial season ender in 1997, it proved Ferrari could still go.
Williams FW18 '96
The last two years for the British outfit had been a pretty grim time. In 1994, they not only lost their star driver in the form of Ayrton Senna, but in a double whammy, Damon Hill lost the the Drivers Title in controversial circumstances to Michael Schumacher at Adelaide. Their last car, the FW17, also failed to capatalise on the fact it had the best chassis in the field combined with the best engine. This, we imagined, had annoyed Williams enough to get to work on the car that would skullcrush the opposition for their 1996 campaign. Enter the FW18.
It drew its inspiration heavily on the FW17, but used new protections for the driver as requested by the FIA. As a result, the drivers sat lower in the cockpit, in turn, lowering the cars center of gravity, and thus aiding the handling of the car. The nose cose is essentially the same as the '95 car (remember, Williams' aerodynamic mastermind Adrian Newey realised the high nose was the way to proceed, as the car in 94 still used the low nose), indicating the kind of craft that is usually an absolute requirement for pursuing F1 deivers and constructors titles.
Newey's aerodynamics placed the car well ahead of the Benetton B196s of Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi and the Ferrari F310s that Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine had at their disposal, and with the helping hand of Damon Hill and the lightning quick Jacques Villeneuve, this car proved to be the class of the 1996 field, winning 12 out of the 16 races (Hill with 8 wins and Jacques with 4) and winning Damon the driver's championship, thus became the first son of a World Champion to become a Champion himself.
