Lego icons F1 sets: from Senna to Schumacher, the evolution of legendary machines

From Ayrton Senna to Michael Schumacher, passing through Nigel Mansell, the world’s most famous building bricks are bringing Formula 1 history back to life through some of the most iconic single-seater cars ever seen. And it must be said that in every set, the attention to detail is becoming increasingly obsessive…

The connection between Lego and Formula 1 is becoming stronger and stronger. Nowadays there are Lego sets for all budgets and all ages dedicated to the world of the great Circus. From Speed Champions for younger fans to the impressive Technic range, which most recently featured the McLaren MCL39, the current world champion car, and will soon also welcome the Aston Martin AMR26.

However, what truly excites those of us who have just crossed the “forties threshold” are without doubt the Lego Icons sets, which bring back to life the single-seaters that were legendary for us — the cars that made us dream when we were children or teenagers.

Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher. These are the names chosen for the first three releases, and we are talking about figures who need no introduction even for those who have never followed Formula 1 closely. The most fascinating aspect is that, just like with real cars, you cannot help but notice the evolution that has taken place from the MP4/4 to the F2004.

Not that the legendary McLaren with which Senna won his second world title did not do justice to the original car’s shape, but there were clearly some details that could have been improved. First of all, all four tyres are the same size, whereas the rear tyres should have been wider. In addition, they are not branded.

These issues were solved with the FW14B, where the rear tyres have the correct dimensions and all four feature the Goodyear branding, which at the time supplied tyres alongside Pirelli. The cockpit is also more detailed, as the presence of seat belts can be seen, something that was missing on the MP4/4. And it must be said that even in terms of body shape, although the McLaren was already quite faithful, the iconic single-seater that gave the “Lion” his second world title comes extremely close to perfection. Just look at the front wing or the shape of the sidepods to understand it.

The arrival of the F2004, with which Michael Schumacher won his seventh and final world championship — the fifth consecutive title for Ferrari — raised the bar even higher, with what we could almost call obsessive attention to detail. If tyres were the biggest flaw of the MP4/4, here they are a real highlight, as even the grooves have been reproduced, reflecting the 1998–2008 era when grooved tyres were introduced to reduce cornering speeds.

Once again, we are talking about one of the most historic cars ever, capable of winning 15 out of 18 races entered, and fans can immediately recognise its shape even in Lego form — from the front wing to the bargeboards, and even the engine cover. As with the previous two sets, tobacco sponsorship branding is missing, but in this case it is due to international regulations rather than a Lego design choice.

In reality, even back in 2004, in some countries it was already not possible to advertise these brands. Therefore, the brick-built version of the F2004 matches the specification used by the Scuderia during the British, French, Canadian and United States Grands Prix — all of which were won by the German “Kaiser”. In fact, the Magny-Cours victory is one of Michael Schumacher’s most iconic wins, achieved with a four-stop strategy and qualifying-level pace maintained throughout the entire race distance.

If we want to be extremely precise, while the steering wheels of the McLaren and Williams sets are correctly simplified in line with the standards of the era, the Ferrari version was already closer to modern designs, with a more horizontal shape, numerous adjustment switches and an integrated dashboard. Therefore, the round steering wheel with the Ferrari logo feels slightly out of place. However, it is likely that future versions will evolve in this aspect as well, considering that the Speed Champions F1 sets already feature steering wheels closer to real-life designs.

Now the curiosity is about who will receive the next tribute. If Lewis Hamilton is clearly a strong candidate with his seven world titles, a chronological approach — as used so far — would also point towards Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Unless Lego decides to surprise everyone by stepping back in time, because when talking about icons, one cannot ignore names such as Alain Prost or Niki Lauda…