Formula 1 and Academy teams, explained ahead of LEGO F1 Collectibles
LEGO 71049 F1 Collectible Race Cars recreates every Formula 1 team in the smallest size so far – as well as two extra cars to round out the series.
71049 F1 Collectible Race Cars marks a departure for the LEGO Collectible Minifigures theme. For the first time, there aren’t minifigures in the blind boxes but brick-built cars. Each one has its own driver helmet and a blank minifigure head but the main focus is on the cars.
There are still 12 in the collection, which includes one for all 10 current Formula 1 teams. That leaves two slots open, however, which the LEGO Group has filled with special liveries for Formula 1 and F1 Academy.
For LEGO fans thinking about collecting the cars but being unsure of what these liveries are, here’s an explanation from the world of motorsports.
Formula 1
Formula 1 is the name of the sport and organisation behind the highest class of international racing for open-wheel, single-seater racing cars. In the case of its collectible car, the livery doesn’t exist in real life but has been imagined in Formula 1’s colour scheme of silver, red, and black. Where most of the other cars have a printed tile on the rear wing with the team logo, the Formula 1 car has the ‘F1’ logo.
F1 Academy
While most people, even if you’re not a big motorsports fan, will have heard of Formula 1, F1 Academy is less well-known. Founded in 2023, F1 Academy is a female-only, Formula 4-level championship founded by Formula 1.
It follows in the footsteps of Formula Women, which began in 2004, and the W Series, which began in 2019. The goal of the F1 Academy is to create a smoother transition from karting to higher levels of motorsport and pave the way for female drivers. Although there is no rule against female Formula 1 drivers, there are none on the current grid and only five have ever competed in a Formula 1 Grand Prix after decades of the sport.
In LEGO form, F1 Academy is represented with magenta, dark purple, and medium azure. The helmet is white with magenta printing, in line with the Academy’s branding.
LEGO 71049 F1 Collectible Race Cars will be available to buy in blind boxes from May 1 online and in LEGO stores. If you want to get ahead of the game, you can pre-order a set of 12 (guaranteed to get you one of every type) or a box of 36 so build up a squad to make your own grid, currently reduced by 15% at Brick Deals. Both will be shipped by May 15.
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