42141 lego technic mclaren formula1 race car 15

We also take a quick look at the contents of the LEGO Technic set today 42141 McLaren Formula 1 Race Car, a box of 1432 pieces which will be available at the retail price of €179.99 from March 1, 2022.

LEGO promises us in the official description of the set: "...Build a detailed replica of the 1 McLaren F2022, with the LEGO® Technic McLaren Formula 1™ Race Car (42141) set for adults...".

We can now say that the manufacturer has engaged a little hastily. Even if we find some elements of the 2022 aerodynamics in the front and rear fins, the LEGO version, which is almost exclusively based on the 2021 version of the vehicle, is far from being a tribute to the 2022 version which was officially unveiled a few days ago. Always in the official description of the product visible on the Shop, we are however assured that "...the designers at LEGO and McLaren Racing have worked closely together to develop their models simultaneously...". The result casts some doubt on the extent of this collaboration.

We understand better now why LEGO chose to unveil its product a few days before the announcement of the MCL36. The comparison between the two would have had no particular interest, except perhaps that of passing the big mention "McLaren Formula 1 Team 2022" present on the packaging for a bad taste joke. The 2022 is probably too much.

Below is the comparison between the LEGO model and the 2022 version (MCL36) on the left and the 2021 version (MCL35) on the right:

[twenty20 img1="56940" img2="56941"]

That being said, fans of the LEGO Technic universe should appreciate getting a Formula 1 in their favorite range, despite the inevitable aesthetic approximations imposed by the inventory of the ecosystem concerned. It should be noted in passing that the inventory of 1432 pieces contains just over 530 diverse and varied pins. This is not a product from the "Luxury" LEGO Technic range like the references 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (2016) 42083 Bugatti Chiron (2018) or 42115 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 (2020), this set is a "standard" model which therefore does not claim to be an ultra-detailed model even if the vehicle measures 65 cm long, 27 cm wide and 13 cm high on arrival.

The assembly is quickly dispatched, the longest being to build the chassis with its V6 engine with moving pistons and its rear differential, its very rigid suspensions with four compressed shock absorbers and installed horizontally and its steering manipulated via the cockpit console flanked by two micro stickers.

No gearbox, but in the end the product does very well without it. The rest of the process is only made up of the integration of very large bodywork elements and the installation of the countless stickers provided. The mention 18+ on the box is not related to the difficulty of assembling the model, it is a simple toy for children and it only concerns the commercial target of the product.

42141 lego technic mclaren formula1 race car 14

We might regret the use of very large panels for the bodywork, but that's the price to pay for having a vehicle without too many slightly empty spaces in different places and the compromise here seems very acceptable to me. I prefer a Formula 1 with lines and curves that are more faithful than a skeleton with beams that are too roughly aligned. This may not be the case for the most fundamentalist fans of the Technic universe, each with their own affinities.

LEGO has chosen to leave part of the engine visible through the bodywork of the vehicle and opinions will undoubtedly be very divided on this point of aesthetic detail: some will see an interest in it with the possibility of taking advantage of the functionality integrated into the engine with its six mobile pistons and others will consider that the fidelity of the overall rendering frankly suffers from this choice. I think that this model being in any case already too far from what it claims to embody, you might as well take advantage of one of the rare technical features of the product.

The vehicle is here mounted in Full Wet, which explains the blue pad printing of the flanges that are too flat and which also allows the reuse of the Tumbler wheels. The process is a little lazy, LEGO could have cracked slick tires stamped on a €180 product under official McLaren license. And different width for front and rear, but I think in this case that was too much to ask anyway.

Three large sheets of stickers are supplied with 66 stickers in total, it was necessary to install all the sponsors on the bodywork of this Formula 1. The sheets are simply thrown into the box, and one of these three sheets was a little damaged in the copy I received.

42141 lego technic mclaren formula1 race car 16

This Formula 1 looks good, no doubt about it. It will be able to sit enthroned on the corner of a shelf, making its little effect and the least observant or the most indulgent fans will undoubtedly find their account there. It's not the McLaren MCL36 as the mention on the product packaging might suggest, but we can always console ourselves by considering this interpretation in the LEGO version as a timeless model, a cross between two versions or a hybrid synthesis between two changes in the regulations governing this sport.

The retail price of the product seems a little high to me for what it actually has to offer, especially for a set from the Technic range that is content with a handful of gears and features. It is not a complex construction machine, the subject necessarily limited the choice of mechanisms and integrated functions. We will wisely wait for Amazon to cut the price of this box, there is no hurry because this Formula 1 is not really the one that will evolve this year on circuits around the world.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at March 8, 2022 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

camaret39 - Comment posted the 25/02/2022 at 20:30
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