As the 2018 Formula 1 season draws to its conclusion there are many things fans of the sport will remember about this season. Some will remember Lewis Hamilton’s fifth title, some Daniel Ricciardo’s first win in Monaco, and others what might have been for Valtteri Bottas is he wasn’t dubbed the wingman.
Others’ fond memories might be Ferrari or Kimi Raikkonen and those fans might yet want a part of the 2018 season to plop onto a shelf. Look no further than Bburago’s 1:18 scale model of the Ferrari SF71H as driven by Kimi Raikkonen in the 2018 season.
Decked out in its scarlet red Bburago’s replica of the number 7 Ferrari is the budget option for collectors of F1 scale models. However, it isn’t lacking on either the detail or finishing fronts. The model under review is the launch version of the SF71H as clearly illustrated by the lack of pace-ruining upgrades (Introduced in Singapore) and the Mission Winnow sponsor stickers.
Aesthetically there isn’t much to fault on the model. The sponsors’ logos have all been carefully applied with attention to detail assuring that all logos are straight and in the correct spots. The car itself comes in at around almost exactly 30 centimeters or 11.8 inches. Bburago have also captured smaller details of the livery such as the slight fading of the red and green stripes on the engine cover, the three part air divider in the airbox, and even the slight up-turn of the ‘nub’ on the nose of the car. While the front-wing sports some impressive detail many of the elements are presented as a solid piece instead of divided into individual straits or winglets. This could be considered as a negative however it’s a good move from Bburago to ensure a bit more rigidity in some of the more delicate parts. After all, it is a collectible model and will be handled at some point.
What would any review of a 2018 F1 scale model be without the mention of the Halo. Continually slated for its lack of aesthetic appeal it is amazing to think that the head protection system is barely mentioned these days. As the model is a replica of the real deal the Halo is presented complete with the aerodynamic fairing run by Ferrari for most of the season. It is perfectly to scale and, similar to its real life counterpart, doesn’t look as out of place as many feared it would. In fact, it seamlessly blends in with other models on the display shelf.
The driver’s helmet could have been more vibrant than it is on this model and it would have been nice if Bburago could spare a few extra cents for some more realistic rubber for the tyres. But still at Bburago’s price point this model, known as (probably) the last Ferrari that Kimi Raikkonen will ever race, is worth adding to the collection.
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