
[Saba Sports News] As F1 is about to usher in the biggest rule change in its history in 2026, former F1 Technical Director Ross Brawn reflects on the race car designs he is most proud of throughout his career. Among them, aside from the infamous Brawn GP001 known for its double deck diffuser, a controversial car also makes it to his favorites: the Benetton B194 from 1994. In the 2026 season, F1 will introduce a brand-new technical regulation, but Brawn also admits that each major rule change can lead to someone finding a gray area first. He has experienced this firsthand. Back then, thanks to the design of the double deck diffuser, the Brawn GP was nearly unstoppable in the early part of the season, allowing Jenson Button to quickly establish a champion advantage. Records show that the Brawn GP001 was initially developed with substantial resources from Honda, even operating three wind tunnels simultaneously. A Japanese engineer proposed the concept of a double deck floor, but with Honda’s sudden exit, the team had to switch to a Mercedes engine in a very short time, affecting both layout and balance. Brawn even believes that if the design had initially centered around the Mercedes engine, the results might have been even better. The car that truly sparked debate was the Benetton B194. This car helped Michael Schumacher win his first world championship, but the entire 1994 season was fraught with turmoil, including rule controversies, penalty incidents, and the ultimate collision with Damon Hill. Nevertheless, Brawn still highly praises the design philosophy of this car. Through meticulous control of the center of gravity and weight distribution, the B194 was crafted to be exceptionally lightweight, allowing engineers to place significant ballast at the bottom, thus achieving excellent stability. These physical principles still hold true today.
