1/43 Model Review: 1997 Tyrrell 025 Ford

Background

The Tyrrell 025 is an evolution of the previous car, but now carries the Ford engines, having ditched the Yamaha engines. Sadly the V8’s lacked the power to keep up with its rivals, despite having good drivers and a well balanced chassis. The San-Marino GP saw the innovation of the “Tower Wings” or X-Wings, which came up out of the sidepod by the side of the driver to generate downforce. These were adopted in the early part of the 1998 season by many other teams before the FIA banned the technology. This is also the last Tyrrell GP car to score a point before it was sold at the end of the 1998 season.

I personally like the majority of the 1997 grid for its shapes and liveries. I like the Tyrrell for it's simplicity, it's white with black trim looks good, the shape is smooth and simple. The nose is just an extended version of the nose that Ferrari ran at the beginning of 1996, just pushing the nose higher. However, even with this concept, you lose the downforce generation of the central part of the front wing. Simple bargeboards hidden within the suspension and tiny small sidepods, and shrink wrapped gearbox have been features of Tyrrells going back to 1995.

Minichamps

Minichamps 430970018

The Minichamps car comes in two editions, one from the San Marino GP which features the X-Wing and nose winglets as well.

Minichamps 430970019

The standard car looks quite bare without all the additional wings, but again I like the simplicity of the livery and the elegent shape. The model is nicely done, good proportions, Minichamps were improving their models and were consistently pumping out some nice models in 1997. 

Score: 7/10

Onyx

Onyx X305

You can get a few extra versions from Onyx of the Tyrrell 025, but sadly the base shape isn't particularly great, despite the relatively simple shape of the car. Above is the San Marino GP model.

Onyx X301S

Then we have the Monaco GP model, which has even more winglets around the rear wheels.

Onyx X301

At the lower downforce track in Montreal, we get a more basic version from the Canadian GP. The model struggles with odd proportions, the shape kind of if you were to really squint somewhat resembles the real car, but it just looks like it was a quick job with not much effort into making it look realistic.
Score: 5/10

Tameo

Tameo - TMK239

From Tameo, we get the Argentine GP version from the beginning of the season. This is another brilliant model from Tameo, fantastic proportions and great details. They have the extra elements on the rear wing, the additional flat floor on the leading edge of the sidepods, the holes in the sidepod and around the rear suspension are nice touches, good detail on the fuel cap and cockpit as always, and all the additional winglets are nicely sculpted too. A brilliant model if you can afford it.

Score: 10/10