By Special Contributor Kimatni D. Rawlins
Named after legendary Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, the full-scale LEGO McLaren Senna impressed attendees at a prominent showing at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, England. As a LEGO builder myself, I was in awe of this spectacle which represents the second of three McLaren collaborations with the LEGO Group. During my recent visit to the MTC, I learned that you can sit in the 2019 track-focused Hypercar, flash the lights, and start and rev the engine that’s connected to an amplified sound system.
Replicating the brand’s latest LEGO Speed Champions set, the fully interactive build consists of over 468,000 LEGO bricks tied together by a steel structure. It took a 30-person master crew over 2,700 hours to meticulously craft this masterpiece. Additionally, the LEGO variant features specific Pirelli P Zero Color Edition tires with orange sidewall graphics.
All of the project’s bricks were glued in place for structural integrity. The finished Senna weighs slightly more than the actual car at 3,800 pounds, and is proportionally the same size as the actual Senna.
The McLaren LEGO Group partnership began in 2015 with the LEGO Speed Champions McLaren P1 set.
When visiting the MTC to witness the LEGO McLaren Senna, you’ll walk away revering the technical acumen, engineering, and design ethos of McLaren and LEGO.
