No silverware, just Lego: British GP winners given brick-built trophies as Formula One targets new generation of fans
The trophies are part of a multi-year partnership between Lego and Formula One that has already put drivers in a fleet of 10 brick-built cars for a pre-race parade at the Miami Grand Prix, a moment that went viral.
'How does it feel after 15 years of F1 to get a podium (trophy) that's made out of Lego that you can just pull apart?,' McLaren's runner-up Oscar Piastri asked Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, on the podium for the first time after 239 starts.
'It's just made out of Lego that you can pull apart and probably buy next week,' explained the Australian teasingly.
'I love Lego. It's good. My daughter can play with it too. You've always got to see the bright side,' replied the German. 'But, you know, a bit of silver or gold would have been nice too, but I won't complain.'
Sunday's race marked 75 years of the championship at the Silverstone circuit where it started in 1950 and the winner's gold-adorned Lego trophy, modelled on the real RAC golden trophy, is made of 2,717 bricks.
It weighs more than 2kg and is more than 59cm high and, contrary to Piastri's assertion, cannot be bought as a kit.
The second and third-placed trophies were white with red and blue detailing respectively, while the constructors' was dark blue and gold.
'We wanted to create something very special because it's the 75th anniversary,' Lego's chief product and marketing officer Julia Goldin said.
The blocks are stuck together with glue, and took seven builders 210 hours to create in Denmark.
New audiences
Formula One is reaching out to a new demographic, and particularly a younger audience, with considerable success and has found partners in previously untapped areas.
That includes deals with Mattel's Hot Wheels toy cars, a 2026 collaboration with Disney's Mickey & Friends and Lego announced last year.
Emily Prazer, Formula One's chief commercial officer, rejected any suggestion of the sport 'dumbing down' and said the strategy was to make brands more accessible and reach out to those who may never go to a race.
'Lego puts us in nearly every shopping mall in the world,' she said. 'Disney helps us appeal to the next generation of fans. Hot Wheels and Mattel allow for kids to actually play with the cars at home.'
Goldin said Lego also appealed to more and more adults and had products that were intriguing to people with all kinds of interests.
'The same is happening with F1 and there is a real benefit of how the sport is able to engage different people with different interests and different elements of the sport,' she said.
'We are not just trying to turn the sport into a toy but actually trying to help the fans to experience the best.' — Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Djokovic warns Sinner he's ready to go the distance in Wimbledon semi-final
LONDON, July 10 — Novak Djokovic has warned world number one Jannik Sinner that he is ready to go the distance in their blockbuster Wimbledon semi-final tomorrow. Djokovic beat Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in the quarter-finals yesterday to reach a record 14th men's semi-final at the All England Club. The 38-year-old is bidding to win a record 25th Grand Slam title and a record-equalling eighth men's Wimbledon crown. But Djokovic will have to overcome two huge hurdles to make history, with top seed Sinner lying in wait in the last four before a potential final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz, who has beaten the Serb in the last two Wimbledon finals. Djokovic will be facing Sinner for the 10th time, with the Italian holding a 5-4 edge after four successive wins. Sinner won in straight sets in the French Open semi-finals recently, although Djokovic triumphed in their two meetings on grass at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023. 'I lost in straight sets to Jannik in the semis of Roland Garros. I think I played a solid match. I could have played better, but he was just better player when the moments were important,' Djokovic said. 'So I get another opportunity. For me, this is what counts actually the most. Being in the last stages of Grand Slams and playing against the best player in the world right now. 'Him and Alcaraz are the leaders of the tennis today. I couldn't ask for a bigger challenge, for sure. I look forward to it.' 'It's going to take the best of me' At an age when his contemporaries have largely retired, Djokovic still relishes the chance to prove himself against the next generation, insisting he is in good enough shape to go five sets against Sinner if needed. 'I just try to focus on my recovery right now, getting my body in shape for very physical battle, so I can fight with him for as long as it's necessary,' he said. 'Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him for potentially five sets, because it's going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik.' Djokovic suffered an injury scare when he tumbled in the closing stages of his win over Cobolli, but he is confident of recovering in time to face Sinner. 'It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward. That happens on the grass. I've had quite a few of those throughout my grass court career,' he said. 'Obviously, my body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let's see. 'I'm hoping the next 24, 48 hours that the severity of what was happening on the court and what happened is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.' Djokovic hasn't won a Grand Slam since the US Open in 2023. But he has appeared in every Wimbledon final since 2018 and the All England Club grass offers him the best chance to win that elusive 25th title. 'It is and it has always been my greatest goal to do well in Slams. I'm, again, in another great position,' he said. 'Sinner and Alcaraz, we know they're the dominant force right now in the tennis. If I want to at least go step further, I have to beat the number one in the world and eventually play Alcaraz in the final. 'I think game-wise the way I'm feeling the ball when I'm fit and ready, I feel like I can go toe to toe with those guys and even beat them if I'm playing my best.' — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ed Sheeran showcases his own artwork in London gallery
British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has now tried his hand at art, painting colourful Jackson Pollock-esque abstracts. (AFP pic) LONDON : British pop star Ed Sheeran has swapped a microphone for paint brushes, with the fruits of his endeavours to go on display later this week, the London gallery exhibiting his works confirmed Wednesday. The abstract pieces – colourful Jackson Pollock-esque paintings and prints – will be available to buy, with part of the proceeds going to the Ed Sheeran Foundation, which supports musical education in schools. They are also set to be exhibited at Heni art gallery in central London from Friday until Aug 1, with the collection called 'Cosmic Carpark Paintings', the gallery said. Sheeran, 34, behind smash hits like 'Shape of You' and 'Perfect', took to social media earlier this week to share the news, explaining he worked on the paintings last year in between shows. He also shared a video of his painting process at work, showing him splashing large canvases with brightly coloured paint. 'I love painting, more for fun and to give to friends, but this time I was encouraged to do a show of them by @damienhirst and @heni,' he posted on Instagram. 'I paint when I'm not working on a record, just to do something creative with my brain. And it's mostly just splashing colours on canvases, think Jackson Pollock but with colourful house paint.' Sheeran added that did not make him 'an artist' but noted that he loves 'making art' and that 'it makes me feel great, and I love the end result'. Heni, which said Sheeran's 'painting journey' began in 2019 following his record-breaking Divide tour, noted he used one of his earlier creations as the official artwork for his single 'Afterglow' in 2020. The colourful pieces in his debut collection were 'inspired by celestial patterns' and painted in a disused London carpark last year, it added. Singer, songwriter, and performer Sheeran is one of the most listened to artists in the world. He also makes the list of the 40 richest people under 40 in the UK, with a fortune estimated at £370 million, according to the Sunday Times' latest annual wealth rankings of Britons.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Swiatek gets ‘goosebumps' after reaching first Wimbledon semi-final
Former world No 1 Iga Swiatek has gone under the radar at this year's Wimbledon. (AP pic) LONDON : Iga Swiatek said she had 'goosebumps' after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time in her illustrious career with a 6-2, 7-5 win against Russia's Liudmila Samsonova today. The Polish eighth seed will face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva or former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic for a place in Saturday's final. Swiatek has won four titles on the clay at the French Open, as well as the US Open in 2022, but has struggled on the lawns of the All England Club. Her previous best result at Wimbledon was a run to the quarter-finals in 2023. Swiatek dominated the first set against 19th seed Samsonova on Court 1 but was made to battle in the second set before wrapping up victory in one hour and 49 minutes. 'It feels great. Even though I'm in the middle of the tournament I've already got goosebumps after this win. I'm super happy and super proud of myself and I'll keep going,' she said. 'Honestly, I've really enjoyed playing this year and hopefully it's going to last as long as possible. 'For sure I feel like I really worked hard to progress here on this surface.' Swiatek broke twice in the opening set to take a firm grip on the match, benefiting from a flurry of unforced errors from her opponent and winning 100% of her points on first serve. Two double faults from the Russian 19th seed handed Swiatek an early break in the second set and she snuffed out a clutch of break points in the following game to go 3-0 up. The 24-year-old was pegged back as her level dipped and Samsonova pulled level at 4-4. But Swiatek regrouped and broke again to seal the win, finishing off her opponent with a fierce forehand winner. The former world No 1 has gone under the radar at this year's Wimbledon as most of the other top women's seeds have tumbled, though world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still standing. After slipping down the rankings, she is now back in the world's top four having reaching the Bad Homburg final on grass last month. Swiatek, a former Wimbledon junior champion, lost in the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and the French Open this year.
