1/43 Model Review: 2019 Ferrari SF90 (Bburago)

Ferrari's second half of the year began brightly as Leclerc took two emotional victories in a row, at tracks that suited their high power and low drag concept. Vettel also won the Singapore GP after more strategy criticism. Leclerc repaid Ferrari's faith in him and was firmly established as a future star, if he isn't that already, and he's been rewarded with a big fat new lengthy contract. After Vettel's appalling mistake in Italy, he has shown signs that he's not done with the sport yet and could figure in the 2020 title fight.

In recent years Bburago have released some budget F1 cars, and whilst the first couple of attempts were quite bad, they are starting to produce some reasonably passable models in the last couple of years, though they do cost a little more now.

Bburago BU36815V

One of the problems before was simply bad proportions, but the Ferrari cars seem to have more effort put towards them than other teams. For me, there's no complaints about proportions here. The question about Bburago models is whether they are toys or whether they are models. I'd say most of their cars were clearly toys first, that's why there was a lot less detail and the parts were very bulky.

Bburago BU36815L

Now it seems that they are being presented more as budget models with a suggested age of 14+ for owners. For a budget model, it's really not bad.

Bburago BU36814L

Bburago BU36814V

They also released a version with the driver inside, these being based on the Australian GP. Personally I can't see any difference in the models other than the driver figure.

Score: 6/10

1/43 Model Review: 2019 Ferrari SF90 (Looksmart)

Looksmart have continued to produce excellent Ferrari's again, being priced around £100, more than the resin Minichamps cars. These SF90s are based on the Chinese GP, the so-called 1000th F1 race.

Looksmart LSF1019

Looksmart LSF1020

BBR BBRC225B

I will compare it to the BBR model that has already been released. The first thing to notice for me is that the BBR car is longer, with the rear wing endplate having at more of an inclined angle (more akin to the 2018 rules). The detailing looks of similar high quality from both model makers, and besides the length, proportionally both cars are very similar. 

The front ends of both cars look of very similar high quality, there's good definition of the front wing elements and the turning vanes on the underside of the nose. The complex bargeboard and sidepod leading edge section is well modelled by both brands. The Looksmart car does come with a driver figure, though the helmet remains the same basic one that they've been using for years - it could do with updating. 

The rear of the BBR car seems more defined, from the mini T wing, to the slots in the rear fin.

The only thing that I'm not too keen on is the red on the Looksmart model. It is matte compared to the previous year's model, but I think it needs to be a little less pink. Still, a very nice model.
Score: 8/10

Race Specific Versions

Looksmart LSF1022

Looksmart LSF1021

Looksmart have released a pair of Canadian GP versions of the SF90, where both cars were classified on the podium, with Vettel being penalised after finishing first on the road. The model includes all the changes from the Spanish GP update package, the most noticable being the gap on the shark fin.

Looksmart LSF1023

This is the Belgian GP version, Leclerc's long awaited first victory in F1 and for Ferrari. It was a bitter sweet weekend, with the death of F2 driver and fellow Frenchman, Antoine Hubert. It was only fitting that one of his friends and rival whilst growing up took victory in his honour.

Looksmart LSF1024

This is the Italian GP version, where Leclerc is the latest Ferrari driver to win at the team's home race to emotional scenes. There was a great battle for the lead with Leclerc fending off the World Champion to claim a popular victory. 

Looksmart LSF1026

This is the Singapore GP version of the car, where Leclerc did everything right to earn victory, but Vettel got the favoured pit strategy and leapfrogged into the lead to seal his only win of the season. 

1/43 Model Review: 2019 Ferrari SF90 (BBR)

Ferrari came into 2019 as hot favourites after testing in Barcelona suggested that they had an advantage. However, Mercedes dominantly took the first 8 victories of the season. New recruit, Leclerc looked set to win in Bahrain, but a late problem with the car caused him to fall back. In Azerbaijan, Leclerc looked on form to get pole position but clumsily crashed in qualifying. In Canada, Vettel was leading the race albeit with Hamilton's Mercedes right behind, but a mistake sent Vettel wide, and on rejoining squeezed Hamilton towards the barrier. Vettel received a 5 second penalty dropping him back to second. Leclerc was leading the Austrian Grand Prix, but was overtaken by Verstappen in a forceful move near the end of the race. But it wasn't until the Belgian Grand Prix, that Ferrari took their first victory of the season, with Leclerc earning his first Grand Prix win. He took another impressive victory in Monza, fighting with all he had to keep the lead. But in Singapore, Vettel on a favourable strategy leapfrogged Leclerc and Hamilton to win his first race this season, his first victory in over a year, and Ferrari look to be competiting for victories for the remainder of the year.

Vettel has had a disappointing year so far, he's made many mistakes, spinning when being overtaken by Hamilton in Bahrain, running wide at Canada, crashing into the back of Verstappen in Britain, spinning out in Italy and then tagging Stroll when rejoining the track. Some pretty fundamental mistakes from a four-time World Champion. But the more alarming problem will be the speed of his new team-mate, as Leclerc has got up to speed, he's been out-qualifying his experienced team-mate consistently, and it's been Leclerc and not Vettel who has been in contention for victories more often. The low-downforce car philsophy hasn't really suited Vettel to be fair, and his management of tyres has generally been better than Leclerc's too, so it's not right to write Vettel off on the basis of one-year.

Leclerc has also had his fair share of mistakes, including crashing out in Germany having gone wide at the drag strip a few times previously, and crashing in qualifying in Hungary, yet luckily having the car repaired and out-qualifying Vettel. But the potential and the show of speed is clear to be seen, with the media very keen on the young Monegasque being seen as the de facto number 1 driver at the Scuderia.

For a few years now, we have seen budget Ferrari models from Bburago, and higher budget models from Looksmart and BBR. The first we have seen released have been from BBR with Vettel and Leclerc models based on the Australian Grand Prix (not including the empty box from the Canadian GP)

BBR BBRC225B

BBR BBRC225A

For me, BBR cars are often made with high quality, sometimes the models are top quality, other times the proportions can be quite off. For me, this 2019 Ferrari looks fantastic, nothing immediately jumps out at me as particularly wrong, quite the opposite, lots of lovely details on the car to look at and admire how well the model replicates the real car. The team switched between the Mission Winnow logos (controversial for their links and similar imagery to the tobacco side of their title sponsor) and running a 90 years of Ferrari tribute, which is why the car is called the SF90.

The car has fantastic definition on the front wing, with the limit of 5 elements new to this year's rules, you can see how well modelled they are against the carbon coloured endplates. The suspension area is intricately done with the turning vanes on the underside of the monocoque nicely made. Moving onto the bargeboards, it's hard to tell from the photos the details that are there, but they've done a good job in getting the bargeboards, the turning vanes and the mirror all integrated together, with all the tiny slots. No driver figure with the BBR models as usual,  but the cockpit features good detail, though the halo does somewhat get in the way of seeing it. The engine cover it nicely done, I do like the new livery for 2019 with the subtle italian flag on the trailing edge. Again, Ferrari's sleek sidepods are nicely modelled too, there's no aggressive shaping like you see on the Mercedes or Williams cars.

There is good detail on the floor as well. With the sidepods no longer using the full width available in the rules, much more of the floor is seen these days and there are lots of gradients and slots on it. The rear of the car is also very nice, the diffuser is well done, the rear wing endplates has good slots and good detail on it, the exhaust and rear suspension are also nicely done too.

All in all, a top model from BBR. I'm not 100% convinced on the colour of the red they chose and how the matte effect works in different lights from the photos, so I'll reserve judgement on that.
Score: 9/10

Other Versions

BBR BBRC231A

This is the Belgian GP version. It includes the tribute to Anthione Hubert. The Belgian GP was Ferrari's first win of the year, in the hands of Leclerc.

BBR BBRC234A

BBR BBRC234B

The Italian GP version where Leclerc took his second victory, whilst Vettel spun and rejoined the track in a dubious way forcing Stroll off the track.