1:18 Williams Renault FW16 – Damon Hill – 1994 Brazilian GP

Description

About the Car

Designed by Adrian Newey and built by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, the Williams FW16 is a Renault powered Formula One racing car.  The engine is a Renault RS6 3.5 V10 engine.  Completing in the 1994 Formula One season, the Williams team won the Constructor’s Championship and British driver Damon Hill finished runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship.  The car had a carbon fibre and aramid monocoque chassis with a Williams transverse 6-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission.  In the off-season the FIA banned various electronic devices used on front running cars from the previous seasons, that required changes from the FW15C car to the FW16 car.

Damon Hill born in 1960 is a British former racing driver, racing from 1992-1999.  He started racing motorcycles in 1981 and then moved on to cars, joining the Williams team in 1992 as a test driver.  He was promoted the following year and had 22 wins and 42 podiums during his career as a driver.

The 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix was the first race of the 1994 Formula One World Championship held in March at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo.  The 71-lap race was won by Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill finished second.

About the Brand

Established in 1899 Renault is a French multinational automobile manufacturer.  It has manufactured cars, vans, trucks, tractors, tanks, buses, aircraft, and aircraft engines.  The company was founded by Louis Renault along with his brothers Marcel and Fernand.  Louis was an aspiring engineer who had built some models and teamed up with his brothers.  Renault also has a role in motor racing especially rallying, Formula 1 and Formula E.

About the Manufacturer

Minichamps was founded in 1990 as a die-cast car producer in Aachen, Germany under the name of Paul’s Model Art GmbH.   The original company was the Danhausen, a trade company that made 1:43 scale models and sold them over the counter and mail order.  From 1971 to 1993 the company published the famous Danhausen World Model Car Book.  Danhausen was owned by the grandsons of Emma Danhausen – Hans Peter and Paul Gunter Lang.  There was a dispute between the brothers in the late 1980’s.  That is when Paul formed the Paul’s Model Art.  Diecast models were made more for the adult clientele and holding their value was a big question that needed to be answered.  Minichamps’ excellent quality has been noticed by Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Opel, and BMW.