Trading cards: Futera 1994 10th Anniversary Adelaide F1 Grand Prix set

Last weekend’s race delivered the usual dose of drama and safety car incidents (Max, Carlos & George) that fans have come to expect in most Australian Grand Prix races. Prior to Albert Park, the Australian GP was held in Adelaide between 1985-1995 during the epic Lauda-Prost-Senna-Mansell era that is remembered for several historic world championship deciding races (1986, 1994). Back in late 1994, Futera released a set of trading cards to celebrate the 10th anniversary of F1 races at the Adelaide circuit. 

1994 Futera card vs 2023 Topps Turbo Attax. The Futera card is marginally larger

Trading cards from that era had a much different emphasis and look than today’s various Topps card, although they are probably closest in feel to Topps flagship cards. Futera F1 cards can still be found for sale on eBay.

Aside from their nostalgic appeal for older F1 fans, the photography of Futera cards was much more focussed on the cars rather than drivers. In the late 80’s and early 90’s the number of teams on the grid was also larger and there was a much greater diversity of car designs and liveries.

Futera’s 1994 collection compromised of 110 base cards featuring:

Futera cards included lots of close up mechanical photos

• 60 driver cards for each driver who had raced at the circuit
• 13 cards for different parts of F1 car (e.g. chassis, engine, brakes)
• 9 F1 overview cards (e.g. qualifying, pole, etc.)
• 7 cards for different parts of the track (e.g. Brabham straight, hairpin corner)
• 13 Formula 1 Magic cards (including farewelling former world champions)
• 4 index cards.

There were 9 cards in each pack, 40 packs per box and total production of 6,000 boxes.

Cards #102-106 farewelled former champions

The set also featured inserts, which for this collection was 10 Victory Lane cards for each winner of the GP from 1985 to 1994. The 2 rare cards in this set are the Victory Lane #10 (VL.10) Nigel Mansell 1994 winner card (2,500 card population) and the Senna Tribute card with 500 card population (1 per 480 packs).

Senna Tribute card (limited 500 pcs)

The Futera website is actually a great historical reference and it mentions that the Senna Tribute card was accidentally packed 1 per 12 packs instead of 1 per 12 boxes. This happened with the 1st 40 boxes such that some collectors in South Australia found 4 tribute cards in a box.

Modern collectors still look to cherry pick some of more rarer insert cards in this set but some of the base cards have great photos too – if you’re a Senna, Schumacher, Prost, Mansell or 80’s F1 fan there are lots of cards in the collection that feature excellent photography.

Senna card #2

Rear card face

Senna and Schumacher. There are no portrait cards – the driver cards are photos in cockpits and helmets.

Victory Lane Card #10 – ’94 winner Nigel Mansell (limited 2,500 pcs)

For earlier 80’s and 90’s F1 fans, Grid’s 1992 200 card set has slightly more appeal as more historic drivers were included but the 1994 Futera Adelaide F1 set is still a decent card set.

Futera also produced a 2nd set for the following 1995 F1 season and Adelaide’s final year hosting the race. In my opinion though, the 1994 cards and photography are much superior.