The project of F189
We continue our journey of bringing the rare stories of F1 and the cars built by teams that gave everything they had to compete at the highest level. Many of those ambitious projects never made it onto the grid, and our next story is about the First F189, an F1 car that was built but never got the chance to race.
As with our previous stories, we have done our best to bring together the most accurate information we could find about First Racing, telling the story of one of F1’s most forgotten projects in a single place.
We all know that F1 history is filled with legendary championship-winning cars; but it also includes machines that never reached the grid.
Among the most fascinating examples is the First F189, a car that was completed, tested, prepared for the new season in 1989, yet never competed.
First F189 and the F1 Dream
First Racing was an Italian team founded by former racing driver Lamberto Leoni, throughout the 1980s, the team earned a respectable reputation in Formula 3000 and believed it was ready to take the next step into F1.
For the 1989 season; Leoni assembled an ambitious project with renowned BRazilian engineer Richard Divila, who had previously worked for Williams, Fittipaldi and March.
Divila was tasked with designing a modern F1 chassis capable of competing against established manufacturers, ,the result was the First F189, a carbon-fibre F1 car built during 1988 and intended to make its championship debut the following season.
A Modern Design with Serious Problems
Visually, the F189 looked promising; Divila followed the popular low-line design philosophy that had become fashionable in F1 during the late 1980s.
The slim bodywork and compact nose were inspired by successful competitors such as the March 881, giving the car a modern appearance.
However; beneath the attractive bodywork, the project faced significant challenges.
The chassis turned out to be considerably heavier than expected, reducing its potential performance before it had even reached the circuit, engineers also identified aerodynamic shortcomings that limited the car’s efficiency, making it unlikely to challenge more established teams.
Despite these concerns, the team continued development and completed the car with a Judd V8 engine; driver Gabriele Tarquini even carried out a shakedown test at Italy’s Misano Circuit in December 1988, proving that the car was operational, so from the outside, First Racing appeared ready to enter F1.
The FIA Stopped the Project Before the Season Began
The biggest obstacle wasn’t speed but safety, before every new F1 car could compete, it had to pass mandatory FIA crash test.
During these evaluations, the First F189 failed to meet the required safety standards, the failed crash test meant the chassis couldn’t legally compete in F1.
Without FIA approval, the team was effectively barred from entering the championship.
Building an entirely new chassis would have required substantial financial investment, something First Racing simply couldn’t afford.
Already operating on a limited budget, the team found itself facing an impossible situation, with mounting financial pressure and no approved car, First Racing withdrew from the 1989 F1 season before the opening race.
The First F189 had become a complete F1 car that never started a race!
An Unraced Car Looking for a New Owner
Many unsuccessful F1 projects disappear once their teams close their doors, but the First F189 took an unusual path.
Instead of being dismantled or stored away; the unused chassis attracted the attention of Italian businessman Ernesto Vita.
Vita had his own F1 ambitions; he had acquired the rights to an unconventional W12 engine designed by former Ferrari engineer Franco Rochi, but he lacked one critical component, a F1 chassis.
Designing a completely new car from scratch needed a lot of money, Vita didn’t possess at the time, so purchasing the unused First Racing chassis offered a far cheaper solution.
How the First F189 Became the Life L190
Contrary to what many people assume; Life didn’t design an entirely new F1 car for the new season in 1990.
The team actually purchased the completed First F189 and extensively modified it.
Engineers reinforced sections of the carbon-fibre monocque so the chassis could satisfy safety requirements after its earlier failure.
They also redesigned the rear of the car to accommodate Rocchi’s unusually large W12 engine, which required far more space than the original Judd V8.
Once these modifications were completed; the car received a new identity, the First F189 was renamed the Life L190, becoming the official F1 entry for the newly formed Life Racing Engines team during the 1990.
In the past, we also shared the story of the Life Racing F1 team, another ambitious project that ultimately failed to succeed in the sport. If you would like to learn more about its remarkable journey and why it became one of Formula 1’s most infamous teams, you can read the full story here on our website.
A Forgotten Piece of F1 History
The First F189 remains one of F1’s greatest ‘what if’ stories, unlike many cancelled projects that never progressed beyond drawings or wind tunnel models, this was a fully constructed F1 car.
It was tested on track; prepared for competition and intended to race during the 1989 season, yet a failed FIA crash test and financial difficulties prevented it from ever taking part in a Grand Prix.
Its story became even more remarkable when the abandoned chassis was transformed into the Life L190, ensuring that the car eventually appeared at F1 events, albeit under a different name and with little success.
