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Tyrrell Ford 018 #4 J. Alesi Japanese GP 1989 Minichamps 1:18

-12%
Tyrrell Ford 018 #4 J. Alesi Japanese GP 1989 Minichamps 1:18 110891504 Diecast
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Minichamps' 1:18 diecast Tyrrell Ford 018 reproduces Jean Alesi's number 4 car from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, run during the rookie season that first announced him to Formula 1. Correctly finished period livery and a compact open-wheel casting make this a strong piece for a late-1980s F1 shelf.
Tyrrell Ford 018 #4 J. Alesi Japanese GP 1989 Minichamps 1:18
Regular price: £122.00 Current price: £107.00 -12%

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Estimated delivery: 01-03.09.2026
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Specifications
Car Brand
Tyrrell
Model Manufacturer
Minichamps
Scale
1:18
Material
Diecast
Model Condition
Used Model
SKU
110891504
Genuine articles Sourced from manufacturers
5-layer carton Foam-filled interior
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About the Tyrrell Ford 018 #4 J. Alesi Japanese GP 1989 Minichamps 1:18

TL;DR: Minichamps' 1:18 diecast Tyrrell Ford 018 reproduces Jean Alesi's number 4 car from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, run during the rookie season that first put him on the F1 map. Livery and cockpit detail are diecast-rendered on a compact late-1980s open-wheel body. A period piece for early Alesi collectors.

Jean Alesi's F1 story began mid-season in 1989, and by the time the championship reached Japan that October he'd already shown enough to make Tyrrell's decision to keep him look obvious in hindsight. It rewards the Tyrrell fan willing to look past the obvious podium finishers of that era.

Minichamps' 018 Casting and Late-1980s Tyrrell Livery

Number 4 Graphics and Cockpit Detail

The Tyrrell 018 carried a livery built around Camel's yellow and white branding, a scheme Minichamps reproduces with clean, correctly placed decal work along the sidepods and nose. The number 4 sits prominently on the airbox and nose cone in period-correct lettering, and the cockpit surround shows the era's simpler roll hoop and lower windscreen, a useful visual marker of how quickly F1 safety design would change over the following decade. That decal precision matters particularly on a Tyrrell of this era, since the sponsor branding covers a larger proportion of the bodywork than the more minimal liveries common on today's grid.

Diecast Weight and Panel Lines on a Compact F1 Body

Late-1980s F1 cars were narrower and simpler in profile than anything racing today, and the 018's slender nose and modest rear wing translate well into a diecast casting at this scale. The model carries real heft for its size, and the moulded Ford V8 detail visible through the rear bodywork gives the casting something to reward a closer look beyond the livery alone. Regular handling is fine given the diecast's robustness, though keeping the nose cone away from repeated knocks preserves its fine tapered profile over years of display.

Alesi's Breakthrough Season with Tyrrell

Japan as a Season-Ending Test

Alesi joined Tyrrell partway through the 1989 season, stepping into a seat that gave him a genuine chance to prove himself against established drivers in one of the grid's smaller, independent teams. By the time the calendar reached Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix, a race remembered above all for the title-deciding collision between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost further up the field, Alesi was already firmly established as a driver Tyrrell intended to build around for the following year.

Diecast Value for a Period Subject

This sits at a standard diecast tier for period F1 subjects, a fair trade for collectors who want a tactile, opening-panel-free single-seater casting without paying the premium a hand-built resin specialist would charge for the same livery.

A Late-1980s F1 Anchor for a Diecast Collection

A 1989 Tyrrell makes an unusual but rewarding choice next to the more obvious McLarens and Ferraris of that era, a reminder that the midfield had its own compelling stories that season.

1:18 Scale Among Period Rivals

Placed beside a same-era McLaren MP4/5 or Ferrari 640, the 018's narrower proportions and simpler aerodynamic surfaces show how quickly F1 design moved even within a single season, since 1989 marked the sport's return to naturally aspirated engines after years of turbo dominance. At roughly 20 centimetres, the casting sits comfortably among other late-1980s single-seaters on a standard shelf, and the era's simpler bodywork means less fragile detail to protect during handling than a modern F1 casting demands.

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Original price was: £122.00.Current price is: £107.00.
Original price was: £122.00.Current price is: £107.00.
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