LEGO created Ayrton Senna’s iconic McLaren F1 car

For Formula 1 enthusiasts, the legendary pairing of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna and his dominant McLaren MP4/4 race car stands as an enduring symbol of motorsport excellence. Now, LEGO designers have meticulously crafted a new building set that allows fans to recreate the excitement and pure racing thrill embodied by this iconic duo.

The brand-new LEGO Icons McLaren MP4/4 & Ayrton Senna set is the result of a collaborative effort between LEGO designers and the McLaren team, with a shared goal of capturing every intricate detail of this revolutionary 1988 design.

“We wanted to create the most recognizable car from F1, one of the most famous cars of all time that fans would love,” said Senior Model Designer Ann Healy, who spearheaded the project.

Turning a life-sized race car into a miniature replica was no easy feat. Healy pored over archival materials provided by McLaren, studying top, side, front, and rear views to ensure the set accurately represented the 1988 iteration, complete with its distinctive nose and wing designs.

“It was really important to honor people’s strong sense of what this car looked like,” Healy explained. “I’ve designed lots of LEGO vehicles in the past, but this was the first time I’ve done a vehicle that already existed.”

Authenticity was paramount, and Healy went to great lengths to capture the MP4/4’s revolutionary features, such as the driver’s reclined seating position and manual front suspension adjustment. New LEGO elements, including authentic F1-style slick tires and wishbone suspension pieces, were created to accurately depict the car’s cutting-edge design.

The finished set is a masterpiece of detail, boasting working steering, an adjustable rear wing, mirrors, a gearshift, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter V6 engine. “It was a lot of fun working out how to recreate the steering and details like the fuel-line connection points to the six-cylinder engine,” Healy shared.

But the set wouldn’t be complete without a minifigure of the legendary Ayrton Senna himself. “He’s obviously a huge part of this story and the champion driver that season, so we thought it would be great to honor him in this set,” Healy said.

With this remarkable LEGO creation, fans can relive the glory days of the McLaren MP4/4 – a car voted the ‘Greatest Race Car of the 20th Century’ and the ‘Greatest Formula One Car of All Time.’ Healy hopes the set will bring joy to fans and serve as a testament to the skill and dedication of the McLaren team that engineered this iconic machine.