The John Barnard designed F310B was Ferrari's entry into the 1997 Formula 1 season. The team hoped that this car would be able to challenge the all conquering Williams at the time and it very nearly succeeded culminating in a controversial climax to the end of the season. It was similar in terms of design to the F310 which had been run towards the end of the 1996 season but had an improved aerodynamic package and monocoque. Power came from a revised Ferrari 046/2 V-10 3 Litre engine through a tranversely mounted 6 speed gearbox and was said to give 10 hp more than the unit in the F310. The engine had a 80 degree 'V' and ran 40 valves and in race spec would deliver around 740-750 bhp, in qualifying it was a slightly higher 760 - 770 bhp.

German Michael Schumacher ran the no.5 car and Irishman Eddie Irvine the no.6 car, the team achieved 5 victories and 3 pole positions with Michael Schumacher provisionally finishing second in the championship behind Jaques Villeneuve in the Williams Renault FW19. Sadly the car will be remembered as the one being driven by Schumacher he would drive into the side of the Villeneuve's Williams in an attempt to stop him beating him to the 1997 World Championship, a move which saw the German stripped of his second place in the championship. Irvine finished the season seventh. The car is based on the version raced by Eddie Irvine at the Monaco GP of 1997, where Irvine finished on the podium in third place at the event.

My build differs from the kit in the box considerably as the rear wing will have extended end plates (for low downforce races), the fuel cap is moved to the opposite side (Monaco races are run in an anti-clockwise direction) and different endplates on the front wing too. The barge boards will be replaced with etched versions and I will be cutting the nose off the car, allowing this to be removable and show further details at the front bulkhead. 'Marlboro' logos will be used as Tobacco advertising is not banned in Monaco and there will be numerous etched pieces added including after market metal gold BBS wheels. The engine bay is vastly more detailed to that of the basic kit and has been the most comprehensive detail work I have done to date, there are numerous other additions that I have made that I have not included here. If you have any further questions on any part of the build please dont hesitate to get in touch.

Click above for build and completed pictures