LEGO Assembles a Full Grid of Drivable Brick Minicars for Formula 1 Drivers at the British Grand Prix

Silverstone gets ready for a different kind of lap this weekend when all 22 Formula 1 drivers take the wheel of minicars made from LEGO bricks. Builders at the LEGO factory in Kladno, Czech Republic, put more than 6,400 hours into creating these 22 vehicles. Each one incorporates over 28,000 bricks arranged over a steel frame to match the specific livery of every team on the grid. Driver numbers and team emblems appear in their proper places with a playful LEGO touch.

Complete LEGO minicars weigh approximately 280 kg. Only 65 kilos of that weight come from the actual bricks, which are what people think of when they hear the word LEGO. Standard go-kart wheels sit at each corner, with electric motors providing power to propel them forward. When they do? The maximum speed is a fairly reasonable 25 kph (15.5 mph).

LEGO Speed Champions Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack – Contains 10 Sets in 1 – Includes Exclusive…

• AUTHENTIC F1 RACING COLLECTION – Bring home the high-speed trackside excitement with the Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack. Live the F1 dream
• BUILD. RACE. DISPLAY. – This collectible LEGO car kit brings F1 to life like never before. Cheer on your favorite teams and show off your winning…
• GREAT MODEL CAR GIFT – The perfect way to build together and race together. A thrilling experience for the whole family

A team of 20 designers and engineers worked their magic on this project, and team leader Jonathan Jurion stated that they went back to the drawing board after last year’s Miami Grand Prix to double-check every detail. Drivers and fans responded clearly: they wanted a larger version of the entire experience.

To be honest, last year’s show had a much more relaxed atmosphere. There were fewer automobiles, and the scene was chaotic, with bricks flying everywhere. Thankfully, they’ve addressed this issue this time around with the inclusion of plastic bumpers, roll hoops, and fenders to keep all of the parts where they belong, on the vehicles, rather than in mid-air and going for the drivers.

The actual racing, if you can call it that, begins approximately 90 minutes after the drivers are lined up for the parade on Sunday. The course is a full lap of the Silverstone circuit, which will be aired live online via Formula 1 networks.

Julia Goldin, the LEGO Group’s chief product and marketing officer, believes that the fan and driver reactions in Miami made it a simple decision to continue with the project. Emily Prazer, Formula 1’s chief commercial officer, thinks that this unusual collaboration between the two worlds will be a success because people of all ages will enjoy watching genuine F1 drivers in miniature cars.

This one started small in Miami, but it’s now heading to Silverstone with the complete package – a slew of custom-built machines. The sight of these F1 racers blatting around one of the world’s quickest tracks in LEGO-built cars is sure to be a spectacle before the main event begins.