Complete calendar with 16 races
The 1996 Formula 1 season delivered Damon Hill his long-awaited World Championship triumph with Williams-Renault, finally vindicating the Englishman after years of heartbreak and establishing him as a worthy champion. Hill won eight races and clinched the title in Japan with one round remaining, securing the championship that had eluded him in his intense battles with Michael Schumacher. The season also marked the arrival of Jacques Villeneuve, who made an immediate impact by challenging his more experienced teammate throughout the year.
Hill dominated the early season with victories in Australia, Brazil, Argentina, and San Marino, establishing a commanding championship lead. His performances showcased the maturity and consistency he had developed over his years as Schumacher's primary rival, and the Williams FW18 proved to be the class of the field. However, Hill's season was far from smooth, as rookie teammate Villeneuve - the 1995 IndyCar champion and son of the late Gilles Villeneuve - immediately proved himself a formidable challenger.
Villeneuve's debut season was sensational. The Canadian claimed pole position in his very first Grand Prix in Australia and went on to win four races - in Europe, Britain, Hungary, and Portugal. His aggressive driving style and fearless racing won him admirers throughout the paddock, and he finished just 19 points behind Hill in the final standings despite being a Formula 1 rookie. The intense rivalry between the Williams teammates created tension within the team and set up a fascinating championship battle for 1997.
Michael Schumacher's first season with Ferrari yielded three victories despite the team's technical disadvantages compared to Williams. His wins in Spain, Belgium, and Italy demonstrated his ability to extract maximum performance from an inferior car, while his commitment to Ferrari's long-term rebuilding project remained unwavering. Schumacher finished third in the championship with 59 points, consistently outperforming teammate Eddie Irvine and beginning the gradual process of transforming Ferrari into championship contenders.
Mika Hakkinen secured his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, though his season was marred by inconsistency and a massive crash in qualifying at Adelaide that left him with serious head injuries. David Coulthard won two races for McLaren-Mercedes at Monaco and Italy, while Jean Alesi claimed victory for Benetton at the Nurburgring in a chaotic wet race. These results showed the competitive depth of the field, even if Williams remained the dominant force.
Williams secured the Constructors' Championship with 175 points, more than double Ferrari's 70 points in second place. However, the season ended on a sour note when team principal Frank Williams controversially chose not to renew Hill's contract for 1997, instead signing Heinz-Harald Frentzen to partner Villeneuve. The decision shocked the paddock, with many viewing it as a betrayal of Hill just weeks after he had secured Williams' eighth Drivers' Championship.
The 1996 season marked the final year of Renault's partnership with Williams before the French manufacturer's withdrawal from Formula 1 as an engine supplier. Their dominance throughout the mid-1990s had yielded five consecutive Constructors' Championships and four Drivers' titles, establishing them as one of the most successful engine manufacturers in the sport's history. Williams would switch to Mecachrome-branded engines for 1997, essentially rebadged Renault units.
Hill's championship triumph was tinged with the bitterness of his impending departure from Williams, forcing him to move to the struggling Arrows team for 1997. Nevertheless, his eight victories and consistent point-scoring throughout 1996 confirmed his status as a deserving World Champion, silencing critics who had questioned whether he could win the title without being in the dominant team. The season set up an intriguing 1997 championship battle between Villeneuve and Schumacher, two aggressive racers who would soon become embroiled in one of Formula 1's most controversial championship deciders.