A fast-paced formula for a wheelie good finish line of cars!
With a focus this year on formula 1, LEGO’s garage of Speed Champions cars has quite the expanse to choose from. With bulks of parts, techniques and a large array of drivers and sponsors, they’ve gone all out. But how do these sets hold up to the price tag? Are they a repetitive build or is each car enjoyable just the same? Well, read on, because our review starts…..NEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!
77242 – LEGO Speed Champions Ferrari SF-24 F1 Race Car
The review of this LEGO Speed Champions F1 model will essentially set the basis for each other car going forward. Each one of the race cars we are taking a look at today are surprisingly different from each other – not a lot, but they are. They all follow a particular trend of design: smooth curves on the front of the chassis, new wheel cover elements and tires, a sleek underside and side body build and the spoiler on the back with a new 2×6 inverted curve element.
For these sets, like most LEGO Speed Champions sets, we can expect an array of sticker elements left right and centre. It truly brings the models to life and encapsulates the cars they are based on – but darn if it isn’t a slog at times. Building these models back to back like we did was probably the worst choice, and I recommend spreading them out a bit.
Onto this particular model!
Heavily amassed with stickers that cover sides and backs of the same elements, this is one of the busiest rides. With a clear red colour palette, LEGO went overtime on the stickered elements to make it feel like a proper sponsored vehicle. We get some fantastic fun parts usage amongst the build too; red spoons as mirrors (new!) and doors used to create the point behind the driver.
There are some surprisingly intense part usage tricks used in the central shaping of the body on this model, whereas the sides stick to an easier brick slope choice. I really like the tire elements on this model too.
Our driver for this set, as well as the other drivers, are all generic. They represent no particular person, but that new helmet mould for 2025 feels right at home.
77243 – LEGO Speed Champions Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Race Car
The Oracle’s use of colours strikes the recognisable brand of Red Bull from a distance – which is great that it conveys in LEGO Form. The transition from black to dark blue is well shaped across the model, and the bright yellow pops well. LEGO have paid particular attention to the colour transition on the sides of the car, allowing a curved shape at the edges that also gives the change from black to dark blue.
This vehicle is also sporting a unique spoiler – a skeleton arm and horn element. A subtle detail, and unique to this particular model too. Love the driver here also, and the dark red and grey helmet really pops.
77244 – LEGO Speed Champions Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 Race Car
Following the above trends of the vehicles, this car takes subtle changes to the space behind the driver and the side elements of the car. Here we get a suped-up space behind the driver, that sits higher than all the other cars. We get a new 1×1 d-tile element here with a print, and just for this car. There are lots of subtle flecks of red that permeate through the model, which really showcases attention to detail.
Although not my favourite car based on colour palette, this is one of the more interesting ones as far as build techniques go.
77245 – LEGO Speed Champions Aston Martin Aramco F1 AMR24 Race Car
The Aston Martin is one of two green cars in our line up. With a large dedication to brick elements behind the wheel and on the sides, there is a lot of technical stuff going on here. Admittedly, there is a lot of effort for little reward, with some of the shaping bring made for what is the tiniest of details. That’s eye for detail, don’t get me wrong, but it feels like a lot.
Our branding on this model is lots of the same on repeat, but the splashback on the spoiler gives us a slight fleck of blue amongst otherwise black and green. Also, the driver is almost 100% green. I’m not a big fan of it, but it’s by design!
77246 – LEGO Speed Champions Visa Cash App RB VCARB 01 F1 Race Car
Filled with sponsors like Cash App and Visa, the RB VCARB reminds more and more that LEGO is consuming my savings. Never the less – one of the brightest cars in the line up, this vehicle stands out from the rest on a shelf. With big splashes of red, white and blue, it’s hard to miss. The big differences in this model here are the side elements and driver’s seat, but admittedly give a simplistic take on the race car line up. It’s accurate to the car, don’t get me wrong – it’s just a bit more basic by design.
77247 – LEGO Speed Champions KICK Sauber F1 Team C44 Race Car
My favourite of the two green vehicles of the line up, we get ourselves lots of clean white and black promotional stickers for this car. With no overwhelming amounts of sponsors on multiple sides, this is the most coherent model of the lot. Not only does it have the least amount of stickers, but it feels right at home in a gamer’s room. KICK, a streaming service, brings a techy-edge that just works.
As for the build, we get ourselves a medieval window and more curves to smooth out the shape. We also get some horn elements to decorate the spoiler – unique here.
77248 – LEGO Speed Champions BWT Alpine F1 Team A524 Race Car
With one of the more basic frames, the BWT makes up for it with unique colours and a striking number of sponsors. With a distinct blue/pink palette, the model is accentuated by the the whites of the logos on the body, but its nicely balanced across the car. I’m not a big fan of stickers that end up close together on adjoining parts, but I’m sure someone would love to try and close that BWT gap. I wish you luck!
77249 – LEGO Speed Champions Williams Racing FW46 F1 Race Car
With a nice strip of blue down the middle and some funky techniques, this vehicle surprised me a bit. The shaping on the edges of the car involve a bit more upside-down techniques than I envisioned, but the final look is great. I’m not a big fan of the dark blue to blue transitional stickers that LEGO have used, but I cannot think of a better way around it. Otherwise, pretty solid.
77250 – LEGO Speed Champions MoneyGram Haas F1 Team VF-24 Race Car
The MoneyGram *Haas* to be one of the best names for a race car, right? Either way, we grapple with out first heavy-black car. We get flecks of red on the front and back, with a dedication to black and white in the middle. The build here isn’t complicated – what’s complicated is the stickers! With small stickers on flat surfaces at the top, it’s pivotal here more than ever that we line these up. Eegh.
77251 – LEGO Speed Champions McLaren F1 Team MCL38 Race Car
Undeniably my favourite of the bunch, the MCL38 is a beautiful hit of colour with excellent balance across the model. Where a lot of the other cars have either too much or little complicated techniques, this is just like the Ferrari – balanced. The branding across this car also doesn’t feel overwhelming, and I love the new 2×2 dish elements with the Chrome Logo on it for the wheels.
I was also surprised by the dash of dark blue in the model, which is a great addition to detail.
Love the driver too!
Verdict
I was legitimately surprised by how different the build experiences of the vehicle were. With each car offering something different to the others, I enjoyed this more than I would like to admit.
The stickers? I will always have an uphill battle with LEGO Speed Champions and stickers, but it makes sense in the end.
There isn’t a particular car that I would say to not go out and get – if you’re collecting, it’s all or nothing anyway! But particular stand outs are the McLaren, the F38 and the Kick Sauber to me.
Thank you for reading
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