Long before the LEGO® F1 Collection was announced, the LEGO Group and McLaren already had a long-running partnership. Various McLaren vehicles have been transformed into LEGO builds, including several Speed Champions sets. These have also included a couple of F1 sets, such as the large-scale Technic car, a retro Icons and an F1 car which is similar in scale to the latest Speed Champions cars based on the 2024 Formula 1 season. As we head in to the checkered flag, here’s a look at the final LEGO Speed Champions F1 Race Car set, the McLaren MCL38.
Product Details
Set Name: McLaren F1® Team MCL38 Race Car | Set Number: 77251 | Pieces: 269 | Theme: Speed Champions
Number of Bags: Bags x 6 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: sheet x 1 | Characters: McLaren Driver
RRP: £22.99/$26.99/26.99€/39.99AUD/34.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, Online & LEGO retailers
McLaren is one of the most successful and long-standing F1 teams. They joined the Championship in 1966 and have picked up 9 Constructors and 12 Driver’s Championships, second only to Ferrari. Beyond the race track, they are one of the most prolific automotive brands to partner with the LEGO Group. The two companies have partnered to create several LEGO sets, including Speed Champions vehicles, the first of the Icons retro F1 models and a large-scale Ultimate Technic car. They are also one of only a couple of teams to have their F1 cars previously portrayed in a LEGO set. Aspects of the McLaren F1 car released in 2024 have helped shape the design of the full 2025 collection.
McLaren’s orange and black livery is a striking mix. Most of the sponsorship logos are integrated into the livery, all apart from Google’s Chrome branding. This colourful brand symbol really stands out against the rest of the car, especially on the wheels, where the Chrome icon is featured on each of the hubcaps. In terms of stickers, there aren’t as many awkward ones to place on the car. The only unusual one is found on the spoiler. This features a wavy line, which makes the sticker appear as if it’s been stuck on incorrectly. But this matches the design found on the real car.
What has become apparent with the Speed Champions F1 sets is the fact they each offer something unique beyond simply a different coloured car. The McLaren F1 Race Car is the most unique of them all. You’ll notice this from the start of the build, where the core of the car is very different from others. This is to accommodate the side panels of the car. Unlike other cars, these are set at an angle. But this also offers a slight issue. Due to the side sections being connected at a single point, they are easy to knock out of place.
Another unique and prominent feature of each car is the air inlets for their ‘engines’. The McLaren has the most stable of these. Instead of being a couple of plates connected to the body of the car, it is a bigger piece which slots into the base and becomes part of the car’s overall shape. At the other end of the car is the spoiler. These are built in practically the same way across all of the sets, but the fin which sits over it does seem to stand a little too prominently.
All of the F1 sets feature a generic driver minifigure, kitted out in a team race suit and including one of the new helmet elements. This particular driver is a happy-looking chap who has a passing resemblance to McLaren racer Lando Norris, mostly due to the hair element chosen for it. To be clear, this isn’t a Lando Norris minifigure, but it can’t be an accident that it’s similar to the team’s driver.
That concludes the look at all of the LEGO Speed Champions F1 Race Car sets. The McLaren is a great looking car, and despite already inspiring a past set, this is different from that. It’s also one of the most unique of the Speed Champions F1 sets. All of the car share similarities, but the base build of the McLaren is very different. Due to this, it is also the easiest to knock and misalign various sections of it, particularly the side sections. Apart from that, it’s another impressive showcase of the Speed Champions sets and a must for F1 fans. The McLaren MCL38 F1 Race Car and the other LEGO Speed Champions sets are available now.
Read other LEGO Speed Champions F1 Reviews: Ferrari SF-24| Oracle Red Bull | Mercedes-AMG | Aston Martin AMR24 | VCARB 01 | KICK Sauber | BWT Alpine | Williams Racing | MoneyGram Haas
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz.com for review purposes. The thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or F1. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion.
