Is Formula One the best partnership Lego has had this year?

Despite deals with Disney and Marvel, these build-and-display racing car sets stand out for fans of both brands

The F1 builds in Lego's Speed Champions line allow younger fans to create a compact version of their favourite team's car. Photo: Lego

Lego has released many popular build-and-display sets from familiar films, television shows and brands, from Nike and Disney to even Nasa. But this year, one partnership stood out above the others: Formula One.

The Danish building bricks company released a wave of F1 sets, from small Speed Champions cars to complex Technic models, and all have been met with strong demand. For many, including the sizeable motorsports fan base, this may well be Lego’s best collaboration of this and other years to come.

An old connection

Lego’s link with Formula One goes back further than many think. In the 1980s and 1990s, it released Technic sets that resembled racing cars, though without official licences. Ferrari was the first team to appear in licensed Lego sets in the early 2000s, and fans often adapted them to look more like real F1 cars.

A major step came in 2022 with the launch of the Technic McLaren F1 car. It was the first time Lego worked directly with an F1 team on a set, and it showed the potential for more detailed F1 models.

The set allowed F1 fans to build their own car, which gave them a better understanding of what goes into these engineering marvels. For Lego fans, it was a chance to get closer to the popular motorsport.

A real partnership

The Williams Racing FW14B & Nigel Mansell set celebrates an important car and beloved driver in F1's history. Photo: Lego

In September 2024, Lego and Formula 1 announced a multi-year partnership, set to launch with the 2025 season. The collaboration aimed to bring F1 racing to a younger audience through hands-on building experiences, offering sets that ranged from Duplo for pre-schoolers to more complex Technic and Speed Champions models for older builders and collectors.

The announcement paved the way for major releases in 2025. In March, Lego unveiled two Technic sets: the Ferrari SF-24 F1 Car and the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Car. The Ferrari, made up of 1,361 pieces, features a working suspension, two-speed gearbox and steering. The Red Bull, with 1,639 pieces, includes a V6 engine, slick tyres and detailed team livery.

Alongside these, Lego launched 10 Speed Champions sets, each representing a team from the 2024 F1 grid – Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Williams, Haas, Alpine, Sauber, Red Bull and Racing Bulls were all included. Each set contains between 240 and 270 pieces, offering options for younger fans while also appealing to collectors.

Despite appearing like the 10 cars could be a similar build with different stickers, each provided a unique experience with different ways to make the small models look as close as possible to the real thing.

Lego has also released a Nigel Mansell Williams Racing set from 1992 as part of the Icons line. This follows last year’s release of Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/4. Both of these releases celebrate the history of F1 and some of its most beloved drivers and cars.

Why does it work?

The 1,639-piece Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Race car. Photo: Lego

The fit between Lego and F1 feels natural now. Formula One is about precision, engineering and performance. Lego is about creativity and crafting objects from the ground up. Both reward patience, focus and attention to detail.

As F1 tries to attract younger fans, especially in the US and Middle East, Lego offers a fun way for children and families to connect with teams through building.

For adults and collectors, it brings something as complex and beautiful as an F1 car into their homes. It’s a peek behind the curtain at how they are assembled and what makes them so special.

Bricks on the track

The life-sized Lego version of the Mercedes-AMG car next to the smaller model it's based on. Photo: Lego Middle East

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in May 2025, the popularity of the partnership for fans of both brands reached a pinnacle when Formula One introduced a unique twist to the traditional drivers' parade. All 20 drivers took the wheel of 10 fully driveable life-size versions of the Speed Champions cars, each custom-designed to match their team's colours and liveries.

The near 1:1 scale vehicles, constructed from nearly 400,000 Lego bricks and weighing 1,000kg, were built over 22,000 hours by a team of 26 designers and engineers at Lego's Kladno factory in the Czech Republic. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 20kph, the cars featured authentic details, including sponsor logos and Pirelli tyres.

The parade was not only a fun experience for both drivers and fans, but also demonstrated the painstaking detail behind Lego cars, and how much work goes into making them look like the real deal.

The Mercedes-AMG team's car used in the parade is on display at Abu Dhabi's Galleria Mall to celebrate race week, giving fans a chance what these intricate builds look like up close. Fans attending the Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit can also partake in the brick building fun at Lego's pop up booth where all the F1 cars can be bought.

A verdict and a prediction

More complex sets such as Lego's Technic Ferrari SF-24 F1 Car allow older fans to enjoy and understand the motorsport. Photo: Lego

For many, Lego might seem like an activity for young people. While that is still true, there are many adults around the world that partake either alone or with their children. There are many intellectual properties that have now become synonymous with a Lego release, from Star Wars to Marvel.

But for fans of cars and motorsports, the output through the Speed Champions and Technic sets might feel minor compared to how many sets are released for other themes. With the F1 partnership, the options have increased, and there’s more to look forward to.

As for what comes next, ideally Lego could release all the cars on the grid every year in the Speed Champions line as it would be nice to see a continuation even though there will always be more popular teams than others.

For the Technic line, the release output is perfect, and it’s safe to expect two F1 cars every year. As for the cars in the Icons line, it would be great to see a Michael Schumacher Ferrari or Fernando Alonso Renault, allowing the brand – and its base of builders – to continue the celebration of F1’s rich history.