Rial
| |
| Full Name | Rial Racing |
| Base | Fußgönheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany |
| Founder(s) | |
| Team Principal(s) |  Günter Schmid
|
| Technical Director | |
| Noted Former Drivers | |
 Andrea de Cesaris
|
Formula One |
Rial is a German alloy wheel manufacturer and former Formula 1 racing team. Ex-ATS owner Günter Schmid purchased the company in 1987, with Rial racing being formed in late 1988 for an entry in the 1989 Formula One season.
History
Rial made their Formula One debut in 1989 with the lineup of Stefan Johansson and Christian Danner. Danner only managed to make the grid on one occasion in the first half of the season and was subsequently replaced by popular Italian driver Andrea de Cesaris. The team failed to score any points all season.
De Cesaris remained in 1990 with the Italian being joined by Finnish youngster JJ Lehto. The pairing was much stronger and de Cesaris was able to score the team's first points with a fifth place finish in the Belgian Grand Prix - allowing the team to finish ninth in the Constructor's standings.
This uptick in performance saw them get a partial investment from Porsche - who saw the Fußgönheim outfit as the perfect base for a potential assault on the series. Despite the increased investment, Rial could not keep hold of Andrea de Cesaris who instead accepted a seat with Oreca. Rial's lineup would see Formula 3000 graduate Michael Bartels be joined by former Osella driver Nicola Larini. Bartels would partly share the drive with the team's reportedly preferred candidate Bernd Schneider - who was racing in the World Touring Car Masters with Vauxhall and race the Rial when his schedule allowed.
Formula One Results
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | # | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pts | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Rial Racing | Rial ARC1 | Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 | BRA | SMR | MON | FRA | USA | CAN | GBR | GER | HUN | SOV | POR | ITA | BEL | JPN | AUS | MEX | 0 | 14th | |||
| 38 |  Stefan Johansson
|
DNPQ | DNPQ | 11 | DNPQ | 9 | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | Ret | 10 | DNQ | Ret | 12 | DNPQ | DNQ | 13 | |||||||
| 39 | Christian Danner
|
DNPQ | DNPQ | 14 | DNPQ | DNQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | |||||||||||||||
| Andrea de Cesaris
|
Ret | Ret | Ret | 14 | DNQ | DNPQ | DNQ | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | Rial Racing | Rial ARC2 | Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12 | USA | BRA | PAC | SMR | MON | CAN | MEX | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | JPN | AUS | 2 | 9th | |||
| 31 | Andrea de Cesaris
|
Ret | Ret | 15 | 9 | 11 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | 14 | Ret | 11 | 5 | 14 | Ret | Ret | Ret | |||||||
| 32 |  J.J. Lehto
|
9 | Ret | 13 | Ret | Ret | 13 | Ret | Ret | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 12 | |||||||
| 1991 | Porsche Rial Racing | Rial ARC3 | Porsche 3512 3.5 V12 | USA | BRA | PAC | SMR | MON | CAN | MEX | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | ESP | JPN | AUS ‡ |
0 | 12th | ||
| 31 | Michael Bartels
|
DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | Ret | Ret | Ret | |||||||||
| Bernd Schneider
|
14 | Ret | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | Nicola Larini
|
Ret | 12 | 13 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | Ret | 14 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 11 | 8 | ||||||
| 1992 | Porsche Rial Racing | Rial ARC4 | Porsche 3512 3.5 V12 | RSA | MEX | BRA | PAC | ESP | SMR | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | JPN | AUS | 1 | 9th | ||
| 31 |  Karl Wendlinger
|
Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 15 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | 14 | Ret | 10 | 6 | 14† | ||||||
| 32 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen
|
Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 13 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 9 | Ret | 10 | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret |
