Picture this: high-octane Formula 1 thrills colliding with the imaginative world of Lego bricks – a partnership that's sparking joy and controversy in equal measure. But is this just clever branding, or a game-changer for fans young and old? Let's dive in and see how Lego is revving up motorsport engagement like never before.
Lego is fundamentally transforming the way fans interact with motorsport, one brick at a time. Back in 2025, the company launched an exciting collaboration with Formula 1, introducing officially licensed building sets that hit store shelves worldwide, alongside unforgettable interactive experiences at race events. Over the past nearly year, this partnership has ignited fan enthusiasm for both Lego and F1, driving promotional boosts in toy sales and broadening the appeal of both brands to new groups of people who might not have been interested before.
In August of that year, Lego's CEO, Niels Christiansen, highlighted the F1 sets as a key driver behind the company's record-breaking revenue and profits in the first half of 2025. As a privately owned firm, Lego saw a 12% increase in annual sales, reaching 34.6 billion Danish kroner – that's about $5.4 billion in U.S. dollars – for the six-month period.
"It's an incredibly expanding community of supporters," Lego's Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Julia Goldin, shared with CNBC. "Formula 1 is now the leading motorsport in terms of fan following. ... We believed we could connect with that energy and create something truly special." With F1, Lego isn't merely capitalizing on an existing group of fans; it's actively growing that base by welcoming underrepresented audiences into racing culture and attracting fresh customers.
"Lego has a knack for spotting the right trends to jump into, and motorsports have been gaining serious momentum lately," explained James Zahn, editor in chief of The Toy Book. "F1 has evolved into a massive cultural force, drawing in viewers who aren't the usual racing crowd. It crosses generations and diverse interests." And this is the part most people miss – how a simple toy brand is bridging gaps in a traditionally niche sport.
ESPN, the network that broadcast the 2025 F1 season in the United States, shattered viewership records for the races. Owned by Disney, the broadcaster averaged 1.3 million viewers across its channels and online platforms throughout most of the calendar, surpassing the prior high of 1.21 million from 2022 and a mere 554,000 back in 2018 – the start of their deal with F1. Looking ahead, U.S. broadcasting rights for F1 will shift to Apple TV in 2026, building on the success of the Apple-backed film "F1: The Movie," which premiered in theaters that June.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is promoting such a high-stakes sport through toys like Lego setting kids up for unrealistic expectations, or is it harmless fun? Some might argue it glamorizes speed and danger, while others see it as empowering creativity. What do you think – does this partnership blend imagination with adrenaline in a positive way, or does it blur the lines between play and real-world risks?
By expanding its product lineup with carefully crafted F1 car models in Lego form, featuring accurate team colors and designs, the brand has opened doors for new fans to explore the sport. For beginners wondering how this works, imagine piecing together a miniature race car from colorful bricks – it's not just about building; it's about learning the basics of engineering and design in an accessible, hands-on way.
"At the core, we focused on what passions our audience," Goldin elaborated. "When entering a partnership, we ask if we can offer something distinctive that adds genuine value ... We saw a chance to provide experiences they'd cherish." The F1 collection spans Lego's Duplo range for toddlers, standard sets for casual creators, and advanced Technic kits for seasoned builders, ensuring there's something for everyone. As an example, a Duplo set might introduce a young child to the excitement of racing with big, safe bricks, while a Technic model could challenge older kids to replicate the mechanics of a real F1 engine.
Lego also made waves at the actual races, offering live activities like fully functional, full-scale F1 vehicles and even constructing podium trophies from bricks for winners at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. At the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, the top three finishers were whisked to a press area in a giant pink Lego Cadillac – a playful tribute to the Cadillac F1 team debuting in 2026. Actor Terry Crews drove the car, adding a celebrity flair to the event.
With the 2025 season in the rearview, Lego is already gearing up for more innovations. "Lego is one of our ideal collaborators," said Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy, a women's racing series under the F1 umbrella. "As soon as they partnered with Formula 1, I contacted Julia and proposed a joint venture with F1 Academy. There are countless connections between our goals and theirs." F1 Academy kicked off in 2023 to boost female participation in racing, training young women drivers for higher competitions and challenging stereotypes in a male-heavy field.
"We're dismantling outdated notions that motorsport is exclusively for men," Wolff noted, pointing out Lego's own efforts toward diversity in its products. In a fresh development, Lego has become a team sponsor for an F1 Academy car starting in 2026, with 20-year-old Dutch driver Esmee Kosterman at the controls.
Goldin described the F1 Academy tie-in as a natural progression of the racing partnership, "done uniquely by supporting an actual car and its driver." "This highlights and validates women's roles in motorsport, helping parents recognize the possibilities for their kids," she added. Zahn from The Toy Book called the Lego-F1 alliance, especially with F1 Academy, a "match made in heaven." "Female racing fans have existed, but consumer products haven't always included them," he said.
Both Wolff and Goldin emphasized that women are one of F1's fastest-growing fan demographics. "We're aligning with this rising trend and enhancing our partner's value," Goldin explained. "Our data shows we're not only drawing more F1 enthusiasts to Lego, but also converting Lego lovers into F1 fans."
So, as Lego builds on this momentum, we're left pondering: Could this toy giant redefine motorsport for future generations, or is it merely commercializing a sport that's already elite? Does partnering with inclusivity-focused initiatives like F1 Academy truly empower women, or does it risk tokenism? And most intriguingly, might this spark a backlash from traditionalists who prefer racing without the kiddie factor? We'd love to hear your take – agree, disagree, or have your own twist? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
