LEGO 76919 Speedchamps McLaren F1: review

With the LEGO 76919 Speed ​​Champion Mc Laren F1, LEGO has been offering a small replica of a current Formula 1 car for some time now. The last time this honor fell to the Mercedes AMG F1 W12 was in 2022. It appeared in a double package with the AMG Project One and is identical in scale to the McLaren. You can discover what the McLaren has under the hood in our review of the set.

LEGO 76919 Speed ​​Champion Mc Laren F1: Facts about the set

• Set number: 76919
• Name: McLaren Formula 1
• Number of parts: 245
• Minifigures: 1
• Release date: March 1, 2024
• Recommended retail price: 26.99 euros
  
  

The package

This set comes in a handy box measuring 26 x 14 x 7 cm in the classic LEGO Speed ​​​​Champions design. Suitable for the occasion, they chose a section of a race circuit as a background, which is of course authentic and appropriate. On the back we get a few more action shots and a look into the cockpit.

Contents and instructions

After opening the package you will see 3 transparent bags, the instructions and the XXL sticker sheet. The instructions are compact, unfortunately without further information about the vehicle or anything else - LEGO could actually improve on this in the future with licensed sets made from realistic templates.

Sticker sheet

In our case we should actually dedicate a separate chapter to the sticker sheet. A total of 32 stickers should be housed in the model, but that won't be a surprise to Speed ​​Champions fans. I estimate that just by carefully applying the stickers, the construction time almost doubles. I'm actually far from sticker bashing, but the number of small stickers is enormous and requires a lot of concentration so that the model looks neat afterwards. It was not unusual for me to have to put a sticker on it so that it would fit properly afterwards.

I briefly considered presenting the set without stickers, but in this case you won't be able to see much of the race car as it is intended, as the prints and sponsorship information make up a large part of Formula 1 cars. Look. More to come.

The minifigure

Anyone expecting Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, the two McLaren drivers of the 2023 season, in our set will be disappointed. LEGO has included a “Random” minifigure in a McLaren dress with the set, the racing suit is only printed with the logo on both sides, you will not find sponsors here. The helmet comes with a trans blue visor and is also printed with the manufacturer's logo.

Alternatively, the figure also comes with a hairpiece and wrench. Personally, the lack of a more detailed figure bothers me less, but you can see that it can be done differently: for example, in the LEGO Speed ​​​​Champions 76909 Mercedes AMG F1 we ​​also got this, although not explicitly known.

Build

Leaving the annoying topic of stickers aside, let's now focus on the nice stuff, the construction and the result - LEGO has created a great and detailed little set that is a lot of fun.

Starting with the look in Papaya/Black to the very well executed shapes of the sidepods, front wings and the airbox, where some new parts were also used to support the design. The McLaren ultimately measures 19 cm in length in total.

Despite numerous stickers, the set also contains numerous printed elements, some of which are particularly worth mentioning: The steering wheel is again displayed using the gamepad element, but unlike the Mercedes F1 it is printed here and as a result includes some driving data buttons are displayed more realistically. The camera, a 1×2 tile on top of the airbox, also received a print.

The new tires and rims are also printed, they are made in Google Chrome design and the end result is a real eye-catcher. This “little” addition alone gives the vehicle a very realistic touch, which would of course be welcome for other models in the future.

Furthermore, two wedges have also been printed that are used in the rear section, although curiously a sticker still needs to be placed on the side (see comparison below). An equally beautiful printed element has been used for the nose of the vehicle. The halo system is once again implemented using a flexible tube; compared to the Mercedes, the mounting angle provides a more rounded shape.

The end result is that the LEGO Speed ​​​​Champions 76919 McLaren F1 cuts a very good figure, in my opinion it is the best Formula 1 car, regardless of scale, that LEGO has ever put on the market. Feel free to make your own impression based on the photos.

Of course, a comparison with the LEGO Speed ​​Champions Mercedes AMG (2022) is possible, but it should be noted that the Formula 1 vehicles have changed significantly over the New Year, which is also clearly noticeable in the design comparison of both vehicles.

These differences are, for example, clearly visible in the front wing or in the rear part of the chassis. This makes the McLaren look significantly smoother and more dynamic than the AMG. LEGO has also been able to use some new parts for the model, which obviously benefits the end result and makes the whole look slightly less angular.