1/43 Model Review: 1995 World Champion Michael Schumacher (Benetton B195 Renault)

Background

After a controversial 1994 season, Schumacher dominated the 1995 season on merit in the Benetton who had scooped  up the standard setting Renault engine. Despite the Williams team producing a better car than his Benetton B195, Schumacher drove incredibly well all season to claim his second Drivers' World Championship, his first Championship double.

The full raft of technical changes that started in 1994 after the San Marino Grand Prix were taking shape in the 1995 season, with the cars estimated to be around 5 seconds a lap slower than the previous year. Stepped floors, lower rear wings, smaller front wings, smaller engines, raised sidepods, more open and higher cockpits, and crash testing was introduced.

More detail on the Grand Prix races are featured in the many different Minichamps versions available.

Minichamps

Michael Schumacher Collection

Brazilian GP

Minichamps 510954301

The season began in Brazil, where Hill started in pole position and led from the start. Hill looked the faster and was on course for victory but was halted by suspension failure pitching him into spin, leaving Schumacher to pick up the win, the first of 9 wins that year - a joint record at the time with Nigel Mansell. After the race, Schumacher and Coulthard, who finished 2nd, were disqualified for fuel irregularites, but both were reinstated following an appeal, though the teams did not earn any Constructor Championship points.

The earliest version of the B195 comes from the season opener at Brazil. The main shape is generally good, one of the better models of that era. With Minichamps sponsoring the team with its various brands on the front wing, we see Minichamps release many versions of the car. The original helmet is quite big, and the decals just in front of the sidepod opening stop short too early showing a bit too much dark blue.

French GP

Minichamps 510954311

It's strange that Minichamps did not do many other early season versions. By now, Schumacher was leading the Championship, and despite Hill taking pole position, Schumacher eased to victory taking an 11 point lead in the title fight.

The next version released was this French GP version. This is the rarest Michael Schumacher Collection cars because Minichamps noticed that the rollover bar had changed to a traditional smooth one rather than the stepped one from the early season. Though not perfect, it has become one of the most valuable models that I know of, even today.
Score: 6/10

British GP

Minichamps 510954312

Schumacher was leading the race with Hill close behind, when the Englishman lunged up the inside and took the two of them out of the race. The British GP was where Schumacher's team mate, Herbert, would take his first every F1 victory.

The British GP saw the revised a updated model with the primary change being the engine cover. New decals are much better and the additional winglets on the rear wing endplates. The driver's helmet is also smaller and better shaped and proportioned. In the race, Hill made a very ambitious move that took the both of them out, 1995 being a low point in Hill's career.

German GP

Minichamps 510954313

The German was coming home to a hero's welcome and he delivered his first home victory, the first German to win his home race, in front of his adoring fans, the grandstands a sea of Benetton blue. Though Hill secured pole and lead away at the start, a broken driveshaft caused him to spin at the beginning of the second lap.

The German GP car is practically the same as the British GP version bar the Minichamps branding on the front wing. No changes to the shape to cater for the low downforce, low drag cars, but at least Minichamps made two different shapes for the year.

Belgian GP

Minichamps 510954314

The track at Spa is liable to provide mixed weather conditions and it resulted in a slightly topsy-turvy grid with a Ferrari one-two at the front, Hill down in 8th and Schumacher in 16th. This was one of the great come-back drives in F1 history from Schumacher. As the Ferrari's retired and Herbert slow in the dry, runaway leader Coulthard also retired. Hill stopped for wet tyres when it rained and was 6 seconds a lap quicker than the German who stayed out on slicks, now in the lead. Schumacher defended valiantly, though some of his moves were too aggressive, angering Hill. Schumacher didn't technically break any rules, but clarifications were made after this race and he was given a suspended race ban. Schumacher went wide, allowing Hill past, but the track dried and Hill had to pit again. Another rain downpour came and the Safety Car was deployed, with Schumacher and Hill battling at the front until Hill had to serve a 10 second stop-go penalty for pit-lane speeding.

The Belgian GP car is almost as rare and as valuable as the French GP car, presumably because of the German's great drive.

Minichamps 510954315

Italian GP
Coulthard spun out on the warm up lap from pole position (was it this or the Australian GP crash on pit entry the most embarrassing moment for Coulthard in 1995?) but a red flag after a second lap collision gave him a second chance. Hill, for the second time this year, ran into the back of Schumacher when lapping a backmarker and the two retired, with Taki Inoue (famous for being taken out by a Safety Car in Monaco and being run over by an ambulance in Hungary) in the Footwork later taking the blame for sliding in front of Hill causing him to take avoiding action. Alesi led from Berger when Jean's camera fell off his car and broke Bergers car (I think 1995 was the funniest year!). Then Alesi's brakes caught fire with seven laps to go, allowing Herbert through to his second victory of the year.

The Italian GP car, again does not come in low downforce configuration, but is more of the same as the previous cars really.

Minichamps 510954316

European GP
He started the European GP in third on a damp track, but Alesi in the Ferrari started on slick tyres and was leading into the closing stages of the race. But he was caught up in a bit of traffic which allowed Schumacher to catch up to the Ferrari, dramatically taking the lead with 2 laps remaining.

The European GP car has the distinct feature as the only car in this series to come with wet tyres. It was rare in those days for Minichamps to do wet tyre shod cars, but this car was not particularly valuable in the market.

Minichamps 510954317

Australian GP
Schumacher's final race for Benetton came at the Australian Grand Prix, which he struggled to match the pace of the Williams who were streaking ahead. But after his pit-stop, he came across Jean Alesi's Ferrari, and the two tangled clumsily into the hairpin and caused both cars to eventually retire, a sad end to such a triumphant year where he equalled Mansell's win tally of 9 in a season.

The Australian GP car was one of the first models I ever got, and though I didn't know it at the time, was one of the slightly more valuable ones.

French GP ...  again

Minichamps 510954318

The re-released French GP car on the new shape was not particularly valuable. The French GP did not allow alcohol advertising, nor tobacco advertising, so it ran Drive Alkoholfrei on the sidepods instead.
Score: 6/10

Other Releases

Canadian GP

Minichamps 431952701

My favourite version of the B195 from Minichamps is the early season model with Alesi on the rollover bar. It was Alesi's first and only GP victory for the popular French-Sicilian. Schumacher had earned a huge lead, but suffered from the commentators curse when he came in for a lengthy pitstop due to a gearbox fault that also required a new steering wheel. This dropped him back allowing Alesi in the Ferrari to come through for victory and both Jordans in 2nd and 3rd, the first double podium for that team. Alesi's car stopped on the inlap and he hitched a lift on the back of Schumacher's Benetton. Schumacher's hand is raised as well as Alesi waving to the fans.

World Champion - based on the French GP

Minichamps 403950101

The car was updated recently, again disappointingly it was on the old diecast model, but the decals have been heavily revised and comes with a new driver figure. With so many B195s out already, this was hardly a must have, and with two version of the French GP car already available, it wasn't necessary to get another one, though this car came as part of the new Schumacher collection.

World Champion (Driver getting out of the car) - based on the French GP

Minichamps 400950101

Another World Champion edition, again based on the French GP, but this time in Minichamps branding. This comes with Schumacher climbing out of his Benetton and his steering wheel on top of the monocoque.
Score: 7/10

UT Models

This isnt' really a model, but it was a nice novelty when UT models came out with a couple of 1995 F1 cars in pull back toy form. You can get a Sauber, Ferrari or Williams as an alternative if I remember correctly. For a toy, this is really not bad in terms of shape, and there's nothing particularly lacking on the decals either, so this is a surprisingly good toy.
Score: 5/10

Spark

Spark S4775

With the disappointment that Minichamps would not update the shape of their B195, when Spark announced they would be applying their skills to their own version, I was quite excited to see it. Sadly I was disappointed the product. As mentioned on other Spark 1990s models, the wheels are oversized, and I'm not a big fan of their helmets. The car does have nice details that were missing from the Minichamps car. The bodylines are nice, including the fuel caps, the little engine inlet by the Renault logo is a nice touch, and the wings are of good quality as well as the nice suspension arms.

It's not a bad model, but the rollover bar, I was hoping for more of a triangular shape and it is too big, the nose could be more defined, the lower rear wing doesn't have the right curvature. It's hard to put into words what I find wrong with it, but I think the lack of definition in the overall shape is what lets it down for me. Let me put a comparison up of the real thing and the model from similar angles.

So sadly, perhaps my expectation was too high, but this was a real let down for me, a season where Schumacher proved his excellence and his rightful claim to being World Champion that many don't give him enough credit for in 1994, probably because of the Adelaide clash, perhaps because of allegations of cheating, but the FIA were particularly harsh and singled out the team several times in 1994 that lead to many lost points, so the Championship was artificially closer than it should have been. Anyway, 1995 was a triumph for Benetton, Schumacher and Renault and for me it deserves a better model. The late season car is also available but only with Johnny Herbert, the winner of the British GP.
Score: 7/10

BBR

BBR MET34

BBR's kit models come with an early season and a late season version. These models are brilliant, the kind of quality I was hoping for from Spark. The nose is much more accurate, and the rolloever bars are nicely shaped and has lots of lovely detail.
Score: 9/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK206

Slightly more impressive than BBR's excellent offering is Tameo's version of the B195 which is absolutely beautiful and a great representation of the championship winning car. I believe there is a Spanish GP version and this, from the Japanese GP.

Score: 10/10