F1 LEGO cars are back for British Grand Prix, how they were built and their top speed

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc laugh as they drive a Ferrari Lego F1 car — Photo: © IMAGO

British Grand Prix

F1 LEGO cars are back for British Grand Prix, but this time it's different

They're BACK!

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 4 July 2026 21:49

Make us your Google favorite

The 2026 F1 British Grand Prix takes place this weekend, and it will also see a return of a fan favourite pre-race event.

This year's British GP at Silverstone is a sprint race weekend, meaning that we have plenty of competitive action to look forward to, and a maximum of 33 points on offer for the drivers.

But it's a non-competitive, point-less event which may just have F1 fans more excited this weekend.

Article continues under video

The return of the LEGO cars which delighted fans at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix has been confirmed, with the 22 drivers set to race around in karts made entirely of LEGO.

At the British GP, however, there are some differences compared to the 2025 version of the event.

SPRINT RESULTS: Lewis Hamilton denied Silverstone fairytale

Why are drivers at Silverstone driving LEGO cars?

The 22 stunning LEGO cars will be driven around the Silverstone Circuit by the drivers ahead of Sunday's main race at the British GP.

Whereas a drivers' parade where the competitors are shown off to their adoring fans pre-race is normally completed via a bus, at the British GP, the drivers will drive around in the LEGO karts, all done up with their respective teams' liveries.

Not all of the drivers are excited about the parade, however, with Lance Stroll claiming he was 'indifferent' to it, Max Verstappen saying he'd prefer a more standard drivers' parade, and Lewis Hamilton describing it as the 'most dangerous' part of the entire weekend.

F1 chief commercial officer Emily Prazer is positive about the pre-race event, however, saying: "Last year’s F1 drivers’ parade in Miami with the LEGO big build cars was one of the most memorable and talked-about moments of the season, capturing the imagination of fans around the world and showing a different side of the sport.

"This year, we’re building on that moment to create an incredible spectacle for fans attending the British Grand Prix and those watching globally. There is something truly special about bringing together the worlds of Formula 1 and LEGO play, combining innovation, creativity, and entertainment in a way that can inspire and excite fans of all ages."

When is the LEGO drivers' parade, and how can I watch?

The drivers' parade in the LEGO cars will take place one-and-a-half hours before the start of the British Grand Prix, so around 1:30pm BST.

You will be able to watch the full drivers' parade on F1's YouTube channel.

Sky Sports F1 will likely show any highlights from the LEGO event on their broadcast, while F1's official social media pages will be the place to go for more content showing the drivers in their element.

How are the LEGO F1 cars made?

The 22 LEGO karts are made of 28,000 individual LEGO pieces, as well as a number of other components which make the karts fully drivable.

They have a top speed of 25km/h, and were designed by 20 specialists in design, engineering and building from the LEGO Group. Those specialists spent a combined 64,000 hours working on the 22 karts.

Each of the LEGO F1 minicars weighs approximately 280kg, with 65kg of that being LEGO bricks, while each is fitted with standard go-kart wheels.

They're powered by an electric motor, and have power steering so that the drivers are able to properly drive them around the almost six kilometre circuit.

What differences are there between the 2025 LEGO cars vs 2026?

The 2025 Miami GP LEGO drivers' parade saw 'big-build' LEGO cars, capable of fitting each teams' two drivers. That led to each set of team-mates having great fun, even trying to race other teams around the track.

For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc drove the LEGO car, while Hamilton admitted it was scary to be a passenger to Leclerc's driving!

Those cars were made of almost 400,000 bricks, weighing a staggering 1,500kg, and LEGO only produced 10 of them for the 10 teams at the time.

This year, they have produced 22 smaller cars, but that allows each driver to have their own mini car, so expect fireworks as their inner child escapes one-and-a-half hours before the main grand prix!

F1 HEADLINES: Horner to make shock return, Red Bull figure absent

Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

View full biography

F1 British Grand Prix Lego