The Miami Grand Prix is getting a Lego-inspired upgrade this year, featuring a life-size Formula 1 car composed of 400,000 Lego bricks. Between the high speeds and tight turns, the Formula 1 race was already sure to draw a crowd, but this year it will have an extra bit of family fun as the Lego car takes to the track to take a lap around the esteemed circuit.
The senior management of Lego dreamed up the idea during a visit to the company’s model production factory in Kladno, Czechia. Looking for new ways to promote Lego’s recent partnership with F1, the leadership team became inspired by the idea of creating a drivable, life-size Lego car. From there, it was off to the races.
A Brilliant Idea
Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer for the Lego Group, described the discussions, stating “[we] were talking and we were brainstorming together and saying, ‘What could we do with F1 that would be completely epic and beyond anything we’ve done before?’”
The team decided that the epic idea could be no less than a drivable, full-size Lego F1 car, telling ESPN that “it took a while because, of course, it’s a great idea, but can you really make it happen? But that was very much the process.” Trusting the process became key, and the car was on its way from dream to reality.
Putting it Together
While Lego has had a lengthy history of creating life-size cars, only one had been drivable up to that point due to the fragility of Lego bricks, even with specialized construction glue. Senior designer Jonathan Jurion and engineering manager Martin Šmida were tasked with creating a faithful replica that could complete the 3.3-mile lap.
Challenges Ahead
The task was fraught with challenges. The bricks would have to be sturdy enough to drive, sizable enough to accommodate two F1 drivers, with a steel-frame chassis, an electric drivetrain, hydraulic brakes, and a power steering system. No small feat. Describing the process, Jurion said they started with a 1/30th toy model, before they “take that design and try to upscale it so [the fully built life-size car] is a 30-times upscale of the original model you can buy in shops. And then we try to go piece by piece, design each part, and try to make it look as faithful to that as possible.”
Though the design was also inspired by the beloved toys themselves, there were, of course, no instructions for the engineering team. The designers were inspired by the cockpit setup of an airplane’s design, deciding that sitting in tandem would likely be the best way to accommodate the pair of drivers, with movable pedals to allow for slightly more comfortable driving. Fortunately for anyone looking to recreate the masterpiece, a manual has since been prepared.
400,000 Bricks Later
While the centerpiece of the car is the Lego bricks, not every part could be made of the bricks. The wheels and tires were loaned from the teams and famed F1 tire supplier Pirelli. The chassis providing support beneath the 400k bricks is likewise not made of Legos. After 3,000 hours spent in development and another 19,000 hours of assembly, the car came out to 1,500kg, just under double the weight of a typical Formula 1 car.
A Tour Around the World
After the cars complete their F1 race, they are set to take a victory lap around the globe so Lego fans worldwide can get a chance to enjoy them. Goldin already has her sights set on what’s next and how the team can top the historic run, saying, “One of the things that we pride ourselves on is to never let our imagination be in any way constrained by what is considered possible. It’s always: Let’s make the impossible possible. And I’m confident that the creativity of our teams will bring another, even more challenging idea to the table.”
