1/43 Model Review: 1994 Williams FW16 Renault

Background

After dominating the sport since the middle of 1991, Senna finally got his chance to drive the Adrian Newey designed car. After the ban on driver aids, the team struggled to dominate the field as it had done for nearly three seasons. The car was difficult to drive and drivers Senna and Hill struggled to take the battle to the Benetton of Schumacher, who was largely to have believed to have been cheating to get there. But any investigations into the Benetton car were distracted by the untimely death of Ayrton Senna at Imola.

The Imola Grand Prix weekend had already seen Barrichello nearly lose his life after a terrible accident in practice, and Ratzenberger losing his life during qualifying. Senna had led from his third consecutive pole position, hoping to bag the first points of the year, but after the safety car period for a horrible start line crash, Senna went off at the Tamburello corner, a flat out left-hander. The steering column broke (cause or effect will never be known), the car went into the barriers, and a suspension arm pierced the helmet of the Brazilian and claimed his life. A legend of the sport was lost that day, but he died doing what he loved, doing it at the top of his game. Williams did however win the Constructors' Championship, a small consolation for the heartache of the 1994 campaign.

Only Damon Hill ran at the Monaco Grand Prix, but David Coulthard, their test driver was drafted in to race at the Spanish Grand Prix. He would share the seat with Nigel Mansell when he was not competing in America.

The car became progressively stronger through the season and Coulthard was able to finish in the points on five occasions including following Hill home at the Portuguese Grand Prix to give the team their only 1-2 of the year.

Hill took advantage of Schumacher's controversial penalties and came within a point of the German coming into the final Grand Prix. Schumacher was running ahead when he went off and damaged his suspension. Hill tried to overtake, not knowing the Benetton was damaged, but Schumacher turned in on him, and in turn, broke the Williams' suspension and Hill's hopes of claiming the title. Williams did however win the Constructors' Championship, a small consolation for the heartache of the 1994 campaign.

Mansell would be right on the pace at the French GP, qualifying just behind his teammate and pole sitter, but a gearbox problem forced him to retire. Mansell would return for the final 3 races and go on to win the final race of the season, his last in F1.

In Adrian Newey's excellent book, there is a fascinating chapter on the FW16 where much is made on the Senna incident and the legal battles afterwards. What else was interesting was that they had discovered an aerodynamic instability on the FW16. The cause was eventually found to be the sidepods essentially being too long, and it would stall the aerodynamics on the car at crucial points.

Once the FW16B had been developed to alleviate this problem, the car was much more competitive and was probably the fastest car on the grid. The FW16B also incorporated the mid-season regulation changes to the front wing, the plank on the floor and the holes cut in the engine cover. One rule that was mentioned but not implemented mid-season was the front of the cockpit. You could not see the wheel nor the drivers hands from outside the car with the monocoque covering them, but there were a number of accidents where drivers' heads would hit this part of the car in an accident.

Williams had run virtually the same livery since 1985 (pictured below), but with losing Camel and Canon sponsorship, they were replaced by Rothmans. The blue, gold and red stripes on a white background gave for a beautiful livery that would feature on the Williams cars for the next four years (and influenced the 2011 FW33 also pictured).

Minichamps 400850105

Minichamps 410110011

Onyx

Onyx 210

This Onyx model was one of the first models I had owned. It was based on the early season shape, with textures mainly from the French Grand Prix, but the box labelled it as the Australian GP. The only update that I could see that made it stick out as the Australian Grand Prix is the red marks on top of the rollover bar and on the front wing (not pictured). As mentioned in a previous blog, the fuel cap is on the wrong side, and the non-tobacco 'stripes' on the rear wing were never run in a race. 

Onyx had a central axle running through the front suspension, whereas the Minichamps model had a more realistic front suspension where the front wheels were attached to the wheel hub. Generally, for the price, it was a nice model. 

Score: 5/10

Minichamps

1994 Diecast Model

With the 1994 season bringing so many driver changes, Minichamps did not hesitate to release various versions of the car. I did not collect them all, and in fact I never owned the base models with Hill and Senna. The diecast model is, in my opinion, much more accurate than the Onyx model, 

Minichamps 430940103

David Coulthard's model was a limited edition run of 3,333 of the British Grand Prix, complete with 'Racing' livery. This was with the early season shape and no updates other than to the livery. Their attempt at the saltire on DC's helmet is interesting. 

Score: 6/10

Minichamps 430940102

Nigel Mansell's French GP model had the correct French GP livery with the bar-code and the fuel cap on the correct side of the car. They did a better job on the Mansell helmet. 

Score: 6/10

Minichamps 433940101

In the UK, we received 4,999 run of 4 Damon Hill cars, and the FW16 was updated with barge-boards, a new driver body and helmet. Hill is also seen waving a Union flag, which he held proudly aloft after he won the British Grand Prix on the cooling down lap. 

Score: 7/10

Minichamps 540944312

As well as the base Senna model (with barcode livery), they released that version as number 7 of the Ayrton Senna collection. They later released an updated version of the car as number 20 of the Ayrton Senna collection nearly a decade later, but with factory applied tobacco livery (as well as updated suspension and helmet. This was (and still is) one of the most highly priced Minichamps cars, often fetching over £100. I bought it new for around £25, and sold it in 2017 for £120. 

Score: 7/10

2016 Resin Model (FW16)

Minichamps 447940202

In 2016, Minichamps began to release resin versions of the FW16 early season. The new Senna collection had all three of Senna's GP in the FW16 all with correct livery (minus Rothmans logos) and detail on the car-shapes. I went for a special run done for the Senna shop of the Pacific Grand Prix with the double-decker rear wing and the additional scoops on the side of the nose-cone. The all new FW16 is beautiful, and I think Minichamps have done a really good job on this car. I only sold my old Senna model after purchasing this one - even though Senna didn't make it past the first corner after being taken out by Hakkinen. 

Score: 9/10

2018 Resin Model (FW16B)

Minichamps 417940602

In 2018, we also various versions of the FW16B released (finally!). I was so pleased, that I snapped up Mansell's race winning Australian Grand Prix version. I liked the rear wing with the extra winglets, the shorter sidepods, the longer and sleeker barge-boards, the opening in the engine cover is nicely modelled, as well as the two small inlets by the Renault logo, and the rear light treatment is also very nice. The cockpit is also a more rounded and open than the early season triangular version. A Mansell French GP, Hill's Belgian GP win and Japanese GP win on wet tyres were  released along with a David Coulthard debut model from the Spanish Grand Prix with the early season car.

Unfortunately, today's prices of new resin models makes it really difficult to collect them all.
Score: 9/10

Below are all the resin models I haven't owned in race order...

Minichamps 547940102

Minichamps 547940302

Minichamps 417940802

Minichamps 417940702

Minichamps 417940400

Minichamps 417940500

F1 Car Collection / Ixo

Ixo produced an FW16 for the F1 Car Collection magazine, and I believe it's also the same mould that is released in Brazil (Eaglemoss) of Senna's car. I've never owned either, but from what photos I've seen, it's a nice improvement on the Onyx version as a budget version.
Score: 5/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK180

Tameo have done a nice kit version of the early season FW16. I think the sidepods are a bit long, probably because the area around the rear tyres/suspension seems elongateed. But the shape is generally very nice and accurate, and the textures are nice on this too. 

Score: 8/10

Tameo TMK190

There is also a late season version of the Williams FW16B available from Tameo, and this is one beautiful model. I like the 3D endplates on the rear wings. There is lovely detail, the opening on the engine cover is nicely done. It comes with the shortened sidepods, and I think they deal with the barge-board better than Minichamps. I'm not sure why the Divella logo has an inverted colour scheme.
Score: 9/10

BBR

BBR BG29

Oh dear, I can't take my eyes off that hideous nose/front wing. Just look how huge it is. The rear wing sits too far forward as well as being a little too big as well. The textures aren't great either. Very disappointing considering some of the other 1994 offerings from BBR. 

Score: 3/10

For more 1994 Model Reviews, click here: https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/p/1994-model-review.html