Hello and welcome to F1 Livery Histories,
the channel where we take a look back at
the different paint jobs, racing trims
and sponsor decals adopted by respective
Formula One teams throughout the eras.
Today will be overviewing a team which
lasted only a season and a half in
motorsport's top-flight, yet still carved
out an identity for itself during a
troubled existence.
Simtek Grand Prix.
Simtek, short for Simulation Technology,
was founded in 1989 by Nick Wirth and
Max Mosley.
The team constructed its
first Formula one chassis in 1990,
the S921, having been contracted by German
automakers BMW to design and build a
chassis for its planned works Formula
One team.
However, the project was aborted
and the S921 was sold onto the
short-lived Andrea Moda Formula One
team which used it throughout season 1992.
Following this Simtek was
commissioned to design a chassis for the
debuting Bravo Formula One team in 1993,
however, the project never came into
fruition and so the team's owners
decided to enter Formula One on its own
merits in season 1994.
Three-time World
Champion, Jack Brabham, became a
shareholder in the new Simtek Grand Prix
outfit, with his son David securing a
drive for the team's maiden Grand Prix season.
So begins our retrospective on
the spirited and vibrant Simtek racing tea.
The S941, the first car to race under
the Simtek name,
hit the track powered by Ford engines
and supplied with Elf fuels and Goodyear rubber.
The car came dressed in a stylish,
chiefly purple livery which ran with a
variety of fresh new sponsors, previously
unseen in Formula One. Most notable of
which was the team's title sponsor,
television network MTV Europe, which took
on space upon the car's engine case and
nose cone, introducing a unique shade of
teal to the livery.
Additional sponsors
came in the form of sportswear brand,
Russell Athletic, seen on the rear wing
and sidepods, Barbara, Time-Sert, Cox
Sportshoes, TNT logistics, SMS and Wurth,
along with numerous other small signings
throughout the season.
Simtek's debut
year would prove to be a season of
difficulty, overshadowed by the events of
that year's San Marino Grand Prix, when
their driver Roland Ratzenberger was
killed in a crash during qualifying.
Following the tragic events of the 1994
San Marino Grand Prix Simtek would
continue on throughout the remainder of
the season with the dedication "For
Roland" painted on its car's airbox in
memory of Ratzenberger.
The following
season Simtek would return with the S195 chassis, which once again came painted
in Simtek's traditional shade of purple.
Heading into 1995 the team had signed a
new list of sponsors, such as XTC, Korean
Air and Men's Tenoras. The team also
entered a technical relationship with
Benetton a deal which saw Dutchman, Jos
Verstppen loaned to Simtek as a driver.
Despite a considerable upswing
in competitiveness throughout the early
stages of the season, Simtek was unable
to capitalize on its newfound good form,
as team boss Nick Wirth revealed during
the Monaco Grand Prix weekend that
negotiations between the team and a
potential new, unnamed financial backer
had broken down, leaving Simtek with
insufficient funds to compete throughout
the remainder of the season unless a new
major sponsor could be found.
Sadly, Simtek was unable to secure the
required sponsorship moving forward and
the team was declared bankrupt before
the closure of the season, putting an end
to yet another small budgeted team which
bore promise, yet ultimately lacked the
heavyweight finances required to excel
in the world of Formula One.
