LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back review

LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back may be the smaller sibling of the much larger 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance, but this pull-back car packs some serious speed.

It’s not often that the LEGO Group will release a number of sets all based on the same source material, but this latest wave of sets has seen not one, not two, not even three, but four different F1 car models. Two of them are Technic sets recreating exactly the same vehicle: the large 1,642-piece beauty that is the stunning 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance and this much smaller version of the same car.

While the larger model is obviously a lot more detailed than this set, 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back still crams in a lot of the features and hallmarks that makes the Mercedes-AMG F1 car instantly recognisable. It’s going to be a shorter build experience, but will it still offer up the same enjoyment, and more importantly thanks to its pull-back feature, will it be a more fun model overall?

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back set details —

Theme: LEGO Technic Set name: 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back Release date: March 1, 2024

Price: £20.99 / €26.99 / $26.99 Pieces: 240 Minifigures: 0

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— Where to buy LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back —

42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back launched March 1, 2024 and is available now at LEGO.com, in LEGO Stores and through third-party retailers.

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back build —

42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back includes four numbered bags that contain 240 pieces. Unlike its larger counterpart and indeed LEGO Icons 10330 McLaren MP4/4 & Ayrton Senna, there are no new slick tyres in this set, which instead opts for regular Technic tyres. This is probably down to the pull-back feature needing more grip. However, just like 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance there is an extensive sticker sheet, with just over 25 stickers needed to decorate the final build.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this model and build will feel like a downsized version of the larger 42171, but you’d be mistaken. Despite its diminutive size, the build is packed full of ingenious techniques and feels very much like its own set, rather than just a pocket-sized version of a larger model.

The set’s USP is the pull-back function, and the pull-back motor is integrated into the build right from the start. The model is literally built around it. It blends into the finished model almost seamlessly, looking more like the F1 car’s V6 engine, rather than the bulky pull-back motor it actually is.

The way some of the curves are achieved using staggered Technic pins that help build up layers and the clever use of angled technic bars is both inspired and very enjoyable to put together. The way the front nose cone attaches to the front of the framework is really, really smart.

There are lots of positives to take from this set and the build, while a little short (to be expected with a set this size), is nonetheless a very enjoyable experience. The final model looks excellent and is a very satisfying size – it fits into the palm of the hand really well and thanks to all the detailing is a really smart, scaled-down recreation of the real-life F1 car.

Once again the black colour scheme makes for a very foreboding yet ultra-cool-looking vehicle and the stickers do add a lot of necessary details, completing the final look. The challenge still remains of applying black stickers to black curved and angled pieces, which is not the most enjoyable part of the build, but the finished result does look accurate and very authentic.

The final look is very close to its larger counterpart but with a completely different build experience, which is actually quite a commendable feat to achieve. It would’ve been a lot easier to simply scale down the parts used and have this model constructed in the same way, but 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back is so much stronger for being its own model.

It’s not perfect: due to its pull-back function the model needs to sit a lot higher than either of the larger LEGO Icons or Technic F1 March 2024 sets, both of which are extremely low to the ground. As a result this smaller model doesn’t quite capture the look of an F1 car 100% perfectly. However, because this is the only one to include a play feature and is subsequently the fastest of the four new F1 models, this small negative can probably be overlooked.

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back price —

42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back is priced comparably to similar-sized models on the market, coming in at £20.99 / $26.99 / €26.99. However, with one eye on the pull-back functionality of this particular model, it could be argued that this set is even better value for money than its contemporaries. 

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back pictures —

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back pros and cons —

42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back is probably one of the most attractive and well-accomplished LEGO Technic models of this size. It captures all the features, design points and elements of the much larger 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance while containing a fraction of the parts. It’s actually a very impressive achievement.

The set may not satisfy the itch of seasoned Technic builders, who will want more time invested into their builds, but for the casual fan or the younger fan this model offers a lot. The pull-back function is fun to mess around with and offers another dimension to the set that some of the other F1 cars released this month don’t. 

Overall, while this set isn’t going to finish top of the podium when looking at all of the four newly-released LEGO Formula 1 sets, it still puts in a respectable performance and might even earn itself a place on the podium.

42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back pros	42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back cons
A really fun play feature	The stickers become laborious after a while
Great colour scheme	Sits relatively high from the ground
A fun and satisfying build experience

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back —

There are easy alternatives to 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back on the market right now, including LEGO Speed Champions 76919 2023 McLaren Formula 1 Car, which offers a similar-sized model at an identical price point, only swapping out Technic for an elaborate LEGO System build. LEGO Technic 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance is based on the same real-life Formula 1 car as 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back, although features a much more involved build and is a far larger model (with a much bigger price tag to boot).

Other Technic models priced around the £20 mark include 42166 NEOM McLaren Extreme E Race Car, or for a mid-scale build at a slightly higher price point there’s the newly-released 42169 NEOM McLaren Formula E Race Car. 

— LEGO Technic 42165 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back FAQs —