Lamley Daily: Microchamps Benetton B194 Jos Verstappen

Model: Benetton B194 (B192)

Release: #6 Jos Verstappen 1994

eBay link: Microchamps F1

Why I’m featuring it: Today, Jos Verstappen is a part-time rally driver and the quotable father of a multiple Formula 1 World Champion. Thirty years ago, he was a promising young F1 driver with a plum seat as teammate of soon-to-be World Champion, Michael Schumacher.

The car was the Benetton-Ford B194. Benetton was the contemporary incarnation of the Enstone-based team that had started out as Toleman before being taken over by the Italian clothing company. It would later be run as Renault’s factory team (twice, or three times including Alpine) and Lotus.

Verstappen had initially signed as test driver but was promoted to the race seat when JJ Lehto injured himself in pre-season. Even then, he didn’t complete the full calendar. He was first replaced by a temporarily returning Lehto, starting with the San Marino race that has been commemorated this week on the 30^th anniversary of the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna. Verstappen was then put back in the car before again losing his drive late in the season, this time to Johnny Herbert, who kept the seat for ’95.

The ’94 season nevertheless yielded the best results of Verstappen’s 10-year F1 career with two third places in Hungary and Belgium, as well as a frightening low point in the notorious pit fire while refueling during the German Grand Prix.

I’m not sure I’d describe the model as ‘fire’, but I like it all the same!

This is a Microchamps (Minichamps 1:64) release from 1994. The German brand was producing several F1 cars around this time, including those raced by Schumacher, whose other mounts had already been modeled (Mercedes C11 from WSC, Mercedes 190E Evo 2 from DTM, Reynard F3 and more). Mini GT is about to do a similar series for Senna.

The quality here isn’t up to Mini GT standards but it’s decent enough. The body is metal on a plastic base. The car rolls well, and we get a driver figure with an appropriately coloured helmet.

Mild Seven sponsorship had replaced Camel in 1994, resulting in a switch from yellow to pale blue and white, married with Benetton green. Here, the deco is applied with stickers, and the one on the left sidepod is misaligned.

If you’re looking at this thinking it’s not a great replica of a B194, you’d be right. Let’s put it alongside the Microchamps Benetton B193 from 1993, Riccardo Patrese’s last year in F1.

They are identical, but both are imposters. They are actually the B192, Schumacher’s first full-season F1 ride from 1992. The base of Patrese’s car admits as much, but by the time we get to Verstappen’s, the base is labeled only with a euphemistic ‘Benetton’.

Does the inaccuracy bother me? No. Both plug gaps in my 1:64 F1 history, and the quest to track down further missing models continues. It’s great to see more new F1 releases coming our way, too, including Mini GT’s first McLaren, the MCL60 from last season.

Happy collecting!

(find Microchamps F1 on eBay)

(follow me on Instagram @diecast215)