1/43 Model Review: 2000 World Champion Michael Schumacher (Ferrari F1-2000)

Background

The 2000 Ferrari was a direct development of the 1999 car, which itself was a development of the 1998 car. With the base of the car refined, with a new engine and improved aerodynamics, Ferrari finally made a car that was a match to Adrian Newey's McLarens. Schumacher finally delivered the team's first Drivers' crown since 1979 and its second Constructors' Title in a row, with 9 wins in the season. It would be the first of four in a row, the beginning of a dominant era. Barrichello in his first year in the team earned his first Grand Prix victory, battling through the field in an impressive race in Germany.

Hot Wheels (Mattel)

Hot Wheels 26748

Hot Wheels 26748

Apologies that my photo is so bad, so I've posted a second clearer photo.

When I heard that Hot Wheels/Mattel had taken the exclusive rights to produce Ferrari F1 models, I wasn't particularly optimistic. The cars produced were not of the quality of Minichamps models at the time. However, having seen some of the other budget options available, this is probably the best budget version available.

I like the multi-element rear wing, though it's a bit big and clunky, I'm impressed with what they have done on that rear wing. The front wing and bargeboards are similarly slightly bulky, but nicely detailed. The main shape itself is not bad, the detail is fairly nicely defined, like the sides of the monocoque and the side and rear head protection.

Hot Wheels also released a three car set with the 2000, 2001 and 2002 cars included in special versions. The 2000 car simply has black rubber decal markings on.
Score: 6/10

Mattel Elite

Mattel Elite P9943

Mattel Elite V8379

This is not the same car as the Hot Wheels model, it is more clear from other angles, but in fact it's the same as the Ixo car (below). The second picture is of the Japanese GP version. The car is smoother than the Hot Wheels one, in that it fits together nicer but the proportions are a bit off, with parts of the car a little too rounded and too exaggerated like the sidepods and the rollover bar from front view. You get a much less detailed rear wing with this version, but the front wing is of a similar quality. Even the bargeboards are not quite as defined, but just smoothed out shape.
Score: 5/10

Ixo

As the car has been reviewed in the Mattel Elite section, I won't repeat what was said there.
Score: 5/10

RBA

I nearly didn't put this one in for how bad it was, but it's so bad I had to include it! Especially when one ebay seller says in the description this is a high quality detailed scale model. Sorry, I can't see any part of this car that remotely resembles the real car.
Score: 1/10

BBR

BBR 105167

This is the launch version, although I have seen Australian GP and Japanese GP versions too. This is a very nice model from BBR, a beautiful shape, good proportions, intricate detailing. A very nice model.
Score: 9/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK293

This Tameo kit is based on the Japanese GP. I'd personally be happy with the BBR version, but this Tameo kit is just slightly more refined and more polished.
Score: 10/10

1/43 Model Review: 1999 World Champion Mika Hakkinen (McLaren MP4/14 Mercedes)

Background

In 1999, Adrian Newey and the McLaren team produced another competitive car with refined aerodynamics from the previous contender and a powerful Mercedes engine. They had the best car, with the car almost completely overhauled from the almost dominant MP4/13. Whilst the 1998 car was smooth and sleek, the MP4/14 looked more aggressive. However reliablity, and driver errors hampered what should have been an easy championship for them. After Schumacher broke his leg at Silverstone half way through the year, Hakkinen was left fending off Irvine in the Ferrari and Frentzen in the Jordan for the championship. He spun at San Marino, Germany and Italy, where he was filmed weeping behind some trees. But 5 wins, including an impressive win fending off Schumacher in Suzuka, and another 5 podiums would secure the Finn his second Drivers' World Championship, but the Constructors' title would go to Ferrari.

This season for McLaren was a bit of an enigma. Somehow, Schumacher was able to claw his way into the 1998 championship which was decided at the last race, when McLaren should have walked away with it. If there were signs of frailty in reliability in 1998, they were worse in 1999. It wasn't until the fifth round that both McLarens made it to the end. Hakkinen also made errors, crashing out of the lead in San Marino and in Italy. Schumacher would have taken the Championship had he not had a brake failure that lead to his leg injuries keeping him out for most of the season. But McLaren made hard work of it, struggling to see off the threat of Irvine's Ferrari (who was still well off Schumacher's pace) and even Frentzen's Jordan (a midfield car for crying out loud!). Coming into the final race of the season, it was Irvine who was leading the championship.

Minichamps

Minichamps 530994301

The initial version released was part of the McLaren Collection. The shape is OK, but I don't think it quite captures the car as well as the 1998 MP4/13. To me, it just doesn't quite look as aggressive as the real car and I suppose that's down to the finer details. But the car is still of reasonable quality as you'd expect from Minichamps.

Minichamps 402989901

The car that comes with the MP4/13 two-car set comes with a livery from later in the season, which I personally prefer. The car is the same though.

Minichamps 436990001

For the World Champions Collection version, we get an updated livery and decals, but I have to admit that I prefer the original. If you look at the sidepod in particular, the blending of the silver into the black is too clean for me. I also prefer the red on the nose from the previous model. But the updated driver figure decals are a nice touch.
Score: 7/10

Formula 1 Car Collection / Ixo

This is not a great model in my opinion. The textures are really not good at all. The nose and monocoque section is not too bad, but the sidepod opening is too wide, the airbox way too big, and the upper rear wing element seems huge, or maybe it's just the size of the Mika decal. And on this version, everything seems to be slanted forward, like it's going to fall over nose first.
Score: 5/10

RBA

The RBA car is very similar to the IXO one, but there are enough differences to conclude they are different models. I don't think RBA have done a particularly good job with their other models, but I actually think this one isn't bad at all, and I prefer it over the Ixo car, both in terms of the overall shape and the detail on the decals. It's not Minichamps standard, but it's still not a bad model.
Score: 6/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK276

This Tameo version is based on the Spanish GP. This model is truly stunning, and what I missed from the diecast Minichamps car is all included in this Tameo offering. Once again the details on this car are fantastic. 

Score: 9/10

1/43 Model Review: 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve (Williams FW19 Renault)

Background

Following a dominant 1996 season for the Williams team, and the departure of World Champion Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve sailed to his only Drivers' World Championship title, and the Constructors title for 1997. Joined by Heinz Harold Frentzen, he showed signs of promise but more often than not struggled in the car. Villeneuve thrived and took 7 wins that season. The season finale saw Villeneuve battle with Schumacher in the Ferrari for the title, which saw the famous scenes of Villeneuve coming alongside the Ferrari on worn tyres to pass. Schumacher to attempt to crash him out, but failed and was disqualified from the season as a result of his actions. This would also be the last Williams to be designed by Adrian Newey and the last with a works Renault engine (of that era) after this partnership dominated the early-mid 90's.

Minichamps

Minichamps 430970093

I don't usually feature show cars, to be honest, I don't really see the point of them. Very occasionally you would see last year's car with the current livery on in testing, but it was rare, and though they came out months before the new shape, I was happy to wait. So here's the Williams FW18 in the 1997 colours.

Minichamps 430970003

Minichamps 430970003

Anyway, onto the main car and you could get a couple of variations of livery, though it was not advertised as such and come under the same model number. Essentially the early season livery with Hype on the sidepods and the barcodes was based on previous seasons non-tobacco livery, though it never raced. The Snap-On on the bargeboards appeared at the British GP, the team running R.? on the sidepods, the engine-cover and the rear wing, though on this model it only appeared on the sidepod. So really, none of these liveries ever raced.

Minichamps 402969701

The two car World Champions set features an updated FW19 with more or less how it ran at the French GP, though it had ? on the rear wing rather than barcodes.

Minichamps 436970003

The original World Champions Collection came with tobacco sponsorship applied and with the livery from the last race, the European GP, when Villeneuve was crowned champion. At the race, Schumacher was leading but he struggled with tyre wear. Shortly after the pitstops, Villeneuve knew he had an opportunity to pass and made a clean pass up the inside into the hairpin. Schumacher closed the door and bumped into Villeneuves' sidepods, knocking the German into the gravel trap and out of the race. Villeneuve managed to nurse his car to the finish line, allowing both McLarens to overtake, finishing third.

Minichamps 436970003

The model was re-released in the proper British GP livery. I'm not sure why Minichamps decided to release this version, it was never really that popular to begin with, the FW19's being traded very cheaply.

Adrian Newey recently said that the air intake above the driver's head was developed so that the bottom no longer attached to the headrest, as it was causing some issues on the FW18, and that he took inspiration off an inlet from a turbo-prop plane engine when flying. This relatively simple innovation is still seen on cars today. The sculpted winglets in front of the rear wheels, not on the Minichamps model, also sparked a frenzy in other teams rushing to accommodate it on their cars for the 1998 season.

The model itself I quite liked, and though it's still in diecast, I think it's still pretty reasonable.
Score: 7/10

Onyx

Onyx X311

With the success of the Michael Schumacher, I'm guessing, drivers started having their own collections and signing exclusive deals. Interestingly, Villeneuve had his own picture on the cardboard inlay of the Minichamps, but is simply known as 'Canadian Driver' on the Onyx model. Frentzen however appeared in Onyx Collection, but only had a dark blue helmet known as 'German Driver' on the Minichamps car.

Onyx had fallen well behind Minichamps in terms of model quality by this time and though their small collection of 1997 cars were an improvement on their previous offerings, these would be the last Onyx F1 cars we see produced. The rollover bar is a bit high and the rear wing too low, and the nose a little bulky, but the rest of the car is fairly reasonably proportioned.

My only venture into 1/18 scale cars with with the Onyx version of this car, and I was quite impressed by it, so it was a shame that the 1/43 version didn't quite have the same proportions.
Score: 5/10

Ixo/Formula 1 Car Collection

The Ixo car has been released in various promotions, the latest being as part of the Formula 1 Car Collection series. The nose doesn't really resemble the real thing, being too high and not particularly well sculpted. The airbox extends too far forward, but it does have the sculpted winglets on the sidepods. I'm not sure why the decals aren't straight above the bargeboards. So it's not a particularly great offering from Ixo in my opinion.
Score: 5/10

RBA

The RBA car is another budget version available on the market, but I prefer the Ixo and the Onyx versions. The general shape is kind of all there, and the proportions are kind of OK. If you squint, you would recognise it, but it's not particularly well defined or detailed.
Score: 4/10

BBR

The first thing that jumps out to me is how far out the rear the rear wing is. I don't think the nose is particularly good, the front wing endplate lacks any definition, the rollover bar air intake is too big, and the sidepods seem generally a bit too low. So, as you can tell, I'm not particularly impressed by this BBR car, considering I've seen some excellent models made by them before.

Score: 7/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK240

Tameo TMK251

Tameo's excellent models comes in early and late season versions, from the Brazilian and European GP. The car is either too squat or it's a bit too long, either way it seems a little out of proportion. Other than that, it's another lovely model and the best model of this car in this scale.
Score: 8/10

I did like the Spanish and Monaco GP cars where they ran inverted colours on the rear wing, with a dark blue rear wing with white text, it's a shame there aren't any models with that particular livery.

1/43 Model Review: 1990 World Champion Ayrton Senna (McLaren MP4/5B Honda)

Background

The 1989 MP4/5 was updated for the 1990 season, but Prost left McLaren for Ferrari. McLaren had the qualifying pace, but on full tanks the Ferrari was superior. Senna took 6 wins, and the team took the Constructors' Championship.

Senna went to the Japanese Grand Prix with the advantage over Prost. Senna qualified on pole, but despite his protests, started on the wrong side of the grid. Prost took full advantage by leading into the first corner, but Senna, unwilling to give up the corner, drove into Prost and took both of them into the gravel trap and into retirement. Senna took his second Drivers' World Championship.

This would be Gordon Murray's final F1 designed car, after a successful career with Brabham and McLaren.

Minichamps

Minichamps 540904327

Once again, this early Minichamps model was created for the original Senna Collection. The shape is pretty basic, but reasonable enough.
Score: 6/10

Minichamps 540904327

The new Senna Collection features the same diecast car, but with several updates including its decals, driver figure and helmet and rear wing. This is a much better model overall, but I would still like a proper update from Minichamps on this car.
Score: 7/10

Ixo

F1BRACOL012

Ixo have created a nice car which was initially released in Brazil with a nice driver figure. It's comparable to the Minichamps cars, better than the original, not quite as good as the updated version.
Score: 6/10

RBA

RBA released a number of budget models that featured various world champions. This is their MP4/5B, which shares the same chassis as the Ixo car, but the wings and suspension are much less detailed.
Score: 5/10

Onyx

Onyx 077

Another budget version of this car is by Onyx who have created a reasonable enough toy car, however it's the least accurate of them all. They had generic wheels and tyres, a single axle with very generic suspension, there are no little appendages like mirrors. 

Score: 4/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK117

This Tameo kit features the car from the USA Grand Prix. Though there are lovely details on the car, it doesn't quite have the finesse finish as the car below...

Score: 9/10

Makeup Eidolon

FE020A

FE019A

This kit comes from a brand I'm not aware of and it comes in either USA configuration (top picture) or Japanese GP (lower picture). These models are exquisite, though you do have to mortgage your house to pay for them. Some of the details, particularly on the US version, are so small and fine that I wouldn't even want to breathe on it lest it get damaged.
Score: 10/10

1/43 Model Review: 1986 World Champion Alain Prost (McLaren MP4/2C TAG)

Background

The MP4/2 had already won the previous two years' championships and with the updated MP4/2C, and ex-champion Keke Rosberg joined Prost at McLaren. Rosberg struggled with the setup and running out of fuel however, whilst the Williams team were now the team to beat. Prost cleverly took big points finishes whilst Piquet and Mansell took points off each other in their own battle. Coming to Australia, Mansell was 7 points ahead of Prost, with Piquet a further 2 behind. Rosberg stormed in front, but a puncture on lap 62 caused him to retire. Mansell dramatically suffered the same fate as Rosberg and Prost went on to win the race and his second Drivers' World Championship.

Minichamps

Minichamps 530864301

Like the other MP4/2 cars by Minichamps, this is quite an early edition which is number 42 in the McLaren Collection. For its time, I think this is a lovely model. 

Minichamps 436860001

The car was re-released as part of the World Champions Collection and comes with some revised parts. Most of the changes look great, but to me, the rear wing seems to be placed much further back and that doesn't look quite right to me. Though it lacks some of the fine details of some of the newer models, it is still a nice model in its own right.

Score: 7/10

Solido

Solido 14003

I'm quite impressed with this Solido car, and it's very reasonably priced too. It's comparable in quality to the Minichamps version and, though it doesn't come with a driver figure, it does have quite nice cockpit details. 

Score: 7/10

Altaya/RBA

As you'd expect with the RBA cars, these are low budget, low detail cars, so it's never really going to get particularly good scores. It's recognisable enough, but it looks more like a toy than a model. 

Score: 5/10

Spark

Spark Mc-ES-1622-06

This McLaren is part of the 50th Anniversary collection from Spark from the Japanese Euro Sports store. Like the 1985 version, there are only 200 of these made, so these are pretty rare or very expensive. Spark have done a great job on this car. Again the shape is simple but the details in the cockpit, the brakes and at the rear of the car are all beautifully done. The driver figure is good, and the helmet is OK, but I'm still not a fan of the visor. 

Score: 9/10

1/43 Model Review: 1980 World Champion Alan Jones (Williams FW07B Ford Cosworth)

Background

Patrick Head (the co-founder of the Williams team who returns in 2019) was known not to rush into the latest technology, but it was to be well researched and applied before it found it's way on his cars. And for ground effect, that came in the form of the FW07, which would be introduced half way through the 1979 season. It was unreliable at first, but Reggazoni gave the the car it's first victory at the British Grand Prix. Jones then took four victories from the remaining 6 races to establish this car as the one to beat. A development for the FW07B would propel Jones and the Williams team to their first Championships the following year. Jones took 5 wins and took both Drivers' & Constructors' Championships for the first time.

RBA/Altaya

The RBA model looks like its from the USA GP West. It's very basic, and missing Good Year logos.
Score: 6/10

Minichamps

Minichamps 430800027

Judging by the sponsors on the car, this is meant to be from the end of season USA GP East or Canadian GP.
This original model came with a removable cowl, which comes off in one big piece. Unfortunately, the fit getting it onto the model isn't easy, there's always a gap somewhere, which detracts from it a little. The car perhaps sites a bit too high, so the skirts don't quite reach the floor. The model was quite rare and valuable before they re-released updated versions recently.

Minichamps 436800027

Minichamps released a host of updated FW07s recently, including this World Champions Collection model. The main updates are more painted detail on the engine underneath the cowl. Nothing has changed on the shape at all, and the engine detail could do with updating (I'd imagine Spark doing a much better job). If it didn't have the removable cowl, I'd probably score this model higher, but sadly the novelty factor just doesn't quite justify having it.
Score: 7/10

Formula 1 Car Collection/Ixo

I quite like this Ixo version of the FW07B. It's not super high detail, but what details it does have is done quite nicely.
Score: 7/10

Tameo

Tameo SLK022

This Tameo kit is based on the Monaco GP version and its a real beauty. The overall shape is lovely, the tyres are good, the details are nicely covered.

Score: 9/10

There are other kits around, I think there's a Western Models, SRC, Tenariv, FDS and the Yaxon and Polistil toy models, but I'm struggling to find good pictures of them all, so I'll stick to the brands I know.


For more World Champion Reviews, click on this link here https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/p/f1-world-champions.html

1/43 Model Review: 1996 Williams FW18 Renault

Background

Damon Hill was in his fourth year with Williams having been runner up to Schumacher for two consecutive years. The German would move to the struggling Ferrari team, leaving Williams to dominate the season. Hill was everyone's favourite to secure the title, but it wouldn't be until the final race of the season until he sealed the title, as his rookie team-mate, reigning Indycar champion, Jacques Villeneuve, proved a worthy contender. Hill won the title, despite not having his contract renewed in 1997, becoming the first father and son to have been World Driver's Champion, Graham Hill being a former three time champion.

Jacques Villeneuve was in his first season in Formula One, in the quickest car of the year designed by Adrian Newey. He lead most of the way on his first Grand Prix only for a mistake in the first corner caused him to lose out to team mate Damon Hill. It wasn't until the fourth Grand Prix of the year when Villeneuve would become a Grand Prix winner at the European Grand Prix after being chased home by Michael Schumacher's Ferrari. He would win a further three Grand Prix during the season, fighting for the championship until the final Grand Prix.

Minichamps

Minichamps 430960005

The standard model comes with the early season livery before they moved the number off the rear wing to the winglet. Some of these models have a Japanese GP sticker on the lid.
I actually bought this one with the lid of this model signed by Damon Hill.

The rollover bar is too big and wide, and the sidepods also too tall. The nose is a little too rounded along the top edge too. The bargeboards are too small too. For me, it was one of the nicer looking cars on the grid, but Minichamps, to me, haven't done a great job in reproducing it.

Minichamps 433960205

The UK were able to purchase a special run of 4 cars with Damon Hill driving. The FW18 came with a driver figure (with no effort put into the face, they could have at least given him bushy eye brows) lifting the trophy aloft. They also amended the rear wing end places and removed the winglets, but they didn't put a low downforce rear wing on it. They also added an onboard camera, not that they bothered to paint it or put any detail on it. It's nice to get a different version with an amended shape, but all the failings from the original model remain.

Minichamps 402969701

Minichamps also did a run of twin car sets celebrating 2 World Champions at a time - this one with the 1996 and 1997 World Champions. This is the standard model again, but with the added onboard camera, and the number moved onto the winglet from the rear wing endplate. 

Minichamps 436960005

The World Champions Collection version came a few years afterwards with another updated version of the FW18, but with factory applied tobacco logos. They have updated the suspension, the driver figure and the driver headrest which makes the airbox look much better. Whilst the World Champions twin set had stickers on the onboard camera, strangely this one does not. 

Minichamps 400960206

The latest FW18 from Minichamps to be released is the first win of Jacques Villeneuve from the European GP. This has an additional camera on the rear wing, though there's no stickers on that, but the camera on top of the rollover bar has the most detail yet.

I will score these together, even though there are many versions. If it was just the original car, I probably would have given it a low 5 score, but with some of the newer additions and the amended cockpit area means I have upped the score by a point.
Score: 6/10

BBR

BBR Met59

I went for this BBR version of the Australian GP model. This is a really lovely model. The nose, the airbox and bargeboards are all a massive improvement on the Minichamps offering. I like the cooling outlet just under the winglet at the rear of the sidepods. It's a shame the Rothmans logos are a different blue to the car, and the whole inside 

Score: 8/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK215

I like the Tameo version too, this version from the Argentine GP. The nose is a little thinner than the BBR version and a bit more realistic to me. I like the exposed gearbox casing detail on this model too, although it is present in the BBR version too. The logos on the engine cover are just a bit too small, and the opening of the airbox is just a little too boxy and square for me, and so these things prevent it from getting top marks from me. Still a stunning model though. 
Score: 9/10

Onyx

Onyx281

Onyx's 1/43 model of the FW18 isn't great. The front wing is too big. The wheelbase seems too short making the whole central part of the car seemed squished. Minimal effort has been applied to the upper rear wing both in terms of shape and decals.
Score: 3/10

RBA/Altaya

RBA have produced a German GP model of the FW18 and caters for fans on a budget. All the issues I have with the Minichamps model are the same for this one, their moulds looking very similar indeed. But the finish is nowhere near as complete as the Minichamps model.
Score: 4/10


To read more reviews from the 1996 season, click here: https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/p/1996-model-review.html
This is also featured in the World Champions Model Reviews, for more click here: https://fongugp4.blogspot.com/p/f1-world-champions.html