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Benetton in Venice (2001)
Benetton’s then-boss Flavio Briatore is nothing if not a showman, and to launch the Benetton B201 in 2001 he organised a lavish launch event on the watery islands of Venice. Together with drivers Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella, Benetton brought the car and the motorsport media to St Mark’s Square on a gondola, at an estimated cost of $750,000 in today’s money. The team had to get exclusive permission for the stunt from the then-mayor of Venice, but it did them little good – the team finished seventh in the season with 10 points, scoring just one podium finish. It was the last year of racing under the Benetton name.
Source – f1grid
