During the 1990 season the Coloni team had various difficulties, from a technical, economic and organizational point of view. The 1989 car was fitted with a Subaru engine and Motori Moderni gearbox. Over the course of the year the team replaced the Subaru engine, which was not very powerful and too bulky, with the Ford DFR but without achieving appreciable results. Bertrand Gachot never managed to pre-qualify; when the Life team left F1, Coloni was able to participate directly in qualifying, but without obtaining times that would allow her to take a place on the starting grid.