LONDON: The LEGO Group and McLaren Automotive have embarked on the toughest LEGO Technic challenge to date, recreating a one-of-a-kind, fully drivable McLaren P1 made from LEGO Technic elements.
And if that wasn’t enough, McLaren F1 driver, Lando Norris has been enlisted for the ultimate challenge, to complete a lap of the iconic British racetrack, Silverstone, in the 1:1 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1.
This life-size replica of the McLaren P1 is made from 342,817 LEGO Technic elements, weighing 1,220kg.
The car has fully functional steering, making it the first LEGO big build ever capable of steering and taking on tricky racetrack corners. The build features an electric motor consisting of LEGO Technic Function batteries and an electric car battery, allowing it to travel further than any other LEGO model before it.
The big build process came to life with 23 specialists from design, engineering and building from the LEGO group and McLaren Automotive, with 8,344 hours of development and construction and requiring 393 different types of LEGO Technic elements.
With the car assembled, all that was left to do was to embark on the ultimate challenge, and with it being a McLaren supercar replica, who better to get behind the wheel than McLaren F1 driver, Lando Norris.
The British driver was more than up to the task, taking on the twist and turns of the 5.891km track and completing the lap around the Silverstone Circuit.
“Having worked on the original P1 programme for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1 brought to life so realistically by the LEGO Technic team for the full-scale model," saidMcLaren Test & Development Director,Ben Gulliver,
"The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.”
The LEGO Technic McLaren P1 1:8 set is available at www.LEGO.com/McLaren and LEGO Stores priced at £389.99 (RM2,202).
> Over 342,817 LEGO Technic pieces used in total
> 393 different types of LEGO Technic elements used, including 11 that were moulded specifically for this model
> Total weight: 1220Kg
> 8,344 hours spent on development and construction
> Created by 23 specialists from design, engineering and building from the LEGO group and McLaren Automotive
> The build’s dimensions are like the real-life model: 4,980 mm long, 2,101mm wide and 1,133mm high
> The build features an electric motor consisting of LEGO Technic Function batteries and an electric car battery, allowing it to travel further than any other LEGO model before it.
> The LEGO Technic engine consists of eight motor packs, each consisting of 96 LEGO Power function motors, which means the car features a total of 768 LEGO motors. The eight motor packs imitate the V8 seen in the original McLaren P1.
