1/43 Model Review: 2012 World Champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8 Renault)

Background

Having had the quickest car in the field since the middle of 2009, the RB8 did not start the season as the quickest, being hurt by rule changes that banned exhaust blown diffusers of which the previous cars were heavily designed around. Vettel still won at Bahrain and scored strong points finishes as seven different winners won the first seven races.

In Valencia, Red Bull brought an upgrade package that saw him dominate only for an alternator failure to occur just after a safety car period causing him to retire from the lead. It wouldn't be until Singapore that Vettel would have the strongest car again, when designer Adrian Newey and his team perfeced the Coanda effect, which used exhaust gases to gain more downforce. Vettel delivered four wins in a row, reminiscent of the previous season.

Vettel had the lead of the championship going into the season finale at Brazil. With changeable conditions, he was caught out with a crash with Bruno Senna's Williams, and the RB8 was lucky to continue, so the race swung to Alonso's favour and then Vettel's and so swung between the two as the laps went on. But despite Alonso finishing second, Vettel did just enough to clinch the championship by 3 points. It is his third championship in a row, becoming the youngest triple World Champion, and demonstrated once more what a great racing driver he is.

Minichamps

Minichamps 410120001

For 2012, there were not a huge amount of track specific RB8's to choose from, the above being the standard model, and below the Brazilian GP version. The standard car is based on the early season, with the stepped nose and the early version of the coanda effect exhaust. Again, another nice metal model from Minichamps.

Minichamps 410120101

The Brazilian car features all the up to date specification changes to the car, with nose cameras on the tip of the nose, a slightly different front wing, new rear wing endplates and updated exhausts. But the best thing about the car, besides the intermediate tyres, is the damage to the floor near the exhaust area, with a big chunk of the floor missing and some bodywork damage exposing the metallic exhaust.

Minichamps 413120201

There is this limited edition tall box version of the Japanese GP and features the late season changes to the shape as discussed on the Brazilian GP version, but obviously without the damage.
Score: 8/10

Tameo

Tameo TMK407

This is the early season Bahrain GP version from the beginning of the season. Another fantastic shape from Tameo, a lovely sheek shape, lovely detail on the rear endplate with the slot gaps. Fantastic work again from Tameo.

Tameo TMK 408

This is the Monaco GP version, which is very similar to the Bahrain car.

Tameo TMB011/TMK411

And finally we have the Brazilian GP version, though there's no attempt at the damage incurred on lap 1, but again we get the car updates from the early season car. 

Score: 9/10

1/43 Model Review: 2011 World Champion: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing RB7 Renault)

Background

Sebastien Vettel in the Adrian Newey designed Red Bull RB7 with exhaust blown diffuser powered him to a dominant second consecutive World Drivers' Championship and Constructors' Title for the team. He scored podium finishes in 17 of the 19 races, winning 11 of them. Mastering the best out of the new Pirelli tyres, he took 15 Pole Positions, led from the start and controlled the race to victory. This is the second of his four consecutive titles to date. 

Minichamps

Minichamps 410110001

The standard model is of your usual Minichamps standard, although it has a slightly ill-fitting engine cover (prevalent on all models). Judging by the helmet, this is based on the Turkish GP, though I can't discernibly see any other difference. I like the tyre shape, with a slight change from the Bridgestones that we have been so accustomed to seeing. There's a nice amount of effort putting the exhaust on the floor of the car.

Minichamps 410110101

The Malaysian GP model, of what I can see, has a different helmet decal in a time when Vettel ran different helmets almost every race, and almost a different helmet for each session. We'd already witnessed a pole to lights victory in Australia, and this was yet another repeat of the same formula in Malaysia.

Minichamps 410110201

This is the Turkish GP version, the fourth race of the year and, you've guessed it, pole position, good start and the inevitable victory extending his lead in the Championship.

Minichamps 410110301

The last of the standard Minichamps models and it's from the end of season Japanese GP where Vettel clinched the Championship with four races to spare. His only mathematical rival, Button in the McLaren, started alongside pole-sitter Vettel, and Jenson managed to win the Grand Prix, with Alonso second, but Vettel only needed one more point to secure the Championship and hence we have a Japanese GP version. The car has updated rear wing endplates, new front rims and the Seven-Eleven logos added.

Minichamps 413110401

There was also a Monaco GP car in a standard tall box, where predictably Vettel had pole and won the race.

Minichamps 413110601

There is another Monaco GP version in an alternative tall box.

Minichamps 413110501

And finally there was a small run of Spanish GP with a standing figure exclusive to some German modelshops.
Score: 7/10

The RB7 is still frequently used as the team's show car, and Verstappen used it in a snow run demonstration, and there were a couple of versions of the model available, the one pictured coming in a large presenation box as part of the Max Verstappen Collection. I love the steel chains around the wet tyres, incredible detail, and the one-off decals on the sidepod look great, advertising the Red Bull owned Austrian GP.

Potamo

Potamo is a new model kit brand to me, but this model is beautifully made. The selection of blue is a bit disappointing and the decals look like they've gone through the wash, a little bit faded. But the shape is fantastic, lovely fine details throughout the car.
Score: 8/10

1/43 Model Review: 2010 World Champion: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing RB6 Renault)

Background

The 2009 RB5 by the tail end of the season was the car to beat, and Red Bull carried on that momentum with the RB6, winning the first of its four championships, with Vettel taking the Drivers' Titles. The car earned 15 pole positions in 19 races with Webber winning 4 races to Vettel's 5 races. The final season of Bridgestone rubber before moving to Pirellis, the season was an exciting title battle, with Webber and Alonso being the favourites going into the final race, but it was Vettel who snatched victory at the final race to clinch the title.

Minichamps

Minichamps 410100005

Minichamps have done a few versions of the RB6, with the standard car being based on the early season. Other than removing the nose cameras, I can't see any difference to the rest of the shapes for the late season versions. Anyway, as usual, Minichamps have good paint and decals onto a nicely proportioned shape. One thing that bothers me is the slightly ill fitting engine cover, that doesn't seem to be a one off build issue, but you can see it on all my models. 2010 was the first year for Minichamps to go to the long boxes, thanks to a ban on refueling and thus longer F1 cars were the result. 

Minichamps 410100305

Vettel took a pole to lights victory with Webber starting second, initially losing second to Kubica, but when he retired, Webber followed Vettel home to another one-two finish. This car also comes in Suzuka Legend series.

Minichamps 410100205

Vettel took victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix having started behind team-mate Webber, both of whom were on the front row of the grid. There is a standing figure version of this car made exclusively for some German modelshops. 

Minichamps 410100105

The Red Bull RB6 propelled Sebastian Vettel to the 2010 title at Abu Dhabi to become the sport’s youngest ever Drivers' World Champion. It was a fine victory, with Seb leading much of the race. His main championship rivals, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber, pitted too early, and found it difficult to make progress up the order. Frustratingly, Alonso and Webber finished in seventh and eighth respectively, after getting caught behind the Renaults of Petrov and Kubica. This allowed Seb to clinch the title by a mere four points, earning his first of four World Championships to date.

Score: 7/10

I've seen a couple of shots of a Tameo RB6, but I think they are customised, so I'm not going to review it here. Other than that, I'm not aware of any other models of the RB6 in this scale. 

1/43 Model Review: 2009 Red Bull RB5 Renault

Background

Vettel was promoted to the senior Red Bull team having driven for Toro Rosso and embarrassed the senior team by scoring either teams first victory, regularly out-performing the Red Bulls and finishing ahead in the Constructors' Championship. 2009 saw new rules and regulations and Red Bull had a promising pre-season. But it was Brawn who dominated the first half of the year, helped by their double diffuser design. But a rain-soaked Chinese Grand Prix brought Red Bulls first victory and 1-2 finish with Vettel winning, which this model commemorates. As Red Bull introduced the double diffuser, the potential in the car was finally displayed as the balance of power shifted to the Red Bulls, with three further victories for Vettel and two for Webber. Red Bull with Adrian Newey designed cars, and Sebastian Vettel would dominate the next four seasons with the foundations based on the RB5.

Minichamps

Minichamps 400090115

There aren't too many special race-specific editions by Minichamps for the 2009 season, but you can get this variant of the early season RB5 with a model of Vettel standing in his cockpit, the scene of Red Bull's first victory in China. The conditions were very wet, so you get a nice set of wet tyres with it. This is a nice model, I liked the thin nose they started the season off with, though I wish they didn't pioneer the somewhat excessive shark fin. The driver model isn't bad either.
Score: 8/10

Pantegana/Tameo

Pantegana PK001

I've not heard of Pantegana, but some have labelled it as a Tameo kit from the British GP where by then, the car had a wider nose and added a double diffuser. Minichamps have nice decals (the Red Bull looks way too stretched on the sidepod on this one) and a better blue. The resin model (as opposed to Minichamps' diecast) allows for nicer detail on the shape, and they are recreated nicely on this model.

Score: 9/10

Where are they now?

Red Bull went on to dominate F1 until 2013 when the hybrid era began and the Renault engine had held them back. They still compete for victories, but not enough to challenge for championships. 2019 is the start of their relationship with Honda, and so far there is promise of progress, but still not quite enough for a championship yet, but it is not far away.

Sebastian Vettel won four World Championships in a row at Red Bull, but a poor 2014 season saw him depart for Ferrari. Having a quick car in 2017, and a better contender in 2018, Vettel looked to challenge for the title, only for mistakes and bad luck to strike. 2019 so far looks like their best opportunity to win the Championship yet.

Mark Webber nearly won the 2010 championship, but a bad strategy call at the final race meant his team-mate gained the title. He never really recovered from that, and despite some great performances, was not consistent enough to challenge Vettel for titles. He went on to win in WEC for Porsche and is now a pundit on TV.