Formula One driver Lando Norris recently drove a McLaren P1 around the Silverstone circuit in the UK. However, the one that Norris took out for a spin wasn’t a typical example of the British hybrid hypercar but a 1:1-scale replica built from Lego bricks. McLaren and Lego joined forces to create this unique build that was completed by a team of 23 designers, engineers, and builders.
According to the official release, the project took 8344 hours from development to final construction. The model comprises 342,817 Lego pieces and tips the scale at roughly 2690 pounds, which makes it 600 pounds lighter than the hypercar it is based on.
Lego has collaborated with carmakers before to build drivable life-size replicas, including a Bugatti Chiron made out of 1 million Lego pieces. However, the full-size Lego P1 is much more technical than any previous build. It is the first-ever large model by Lego to feature fully functional steering, which enabled it to be driven around the 3.66-mile Silverstone circuit. McLaren didn’t reveal the build’s powertrain details except that it is driven by an electric motor that draws power from an unspecified number of Lego Technic Function batteries along with a car battery.
The carmaker also chose not to divulge any performance numbers of the lap time set by Norris. However, judging by the video released by the company, the full-size replica seems to be equipped with a real EV powertrain.
Obviously, the Lego P1 cannot match the performance of the actual hybrid hypercar, which is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 and an electric motor. The hybrid powertrain can churn out 903 horsepower and 723 foot-pounds of torque, which is enough to propel the P1 from zero to 60mph in 2.7 seconds on the way to an electronically limited top speed of 217mph. Nevertheless, the Lego P1 isn’t any less remarkable than the real deal.
