This post may contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thanks.
The LEGO Group just made motorsport history at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with an announcement that’s set to inspire a new generation of racing fans. The LEGO Speed Champions F1 Academy partnership brings female representation to the track and the toy aisle in a major way, with Dutch driver Esmee Kosterman piloting the new LEGO Racing livery starting in the 2026 F1 Academy season. This isn’t just another racing set—it’s the first time fans can build an F1 Academy car, complete with the distinctive LEGO Racing design that’ll appear on the real grid. The collaboration between LEGO and F1 Academy aims to show young fans, especially girls, that they have a place in motorsport whether as drivers, engineers, or enthusiasts.
Available for pre-order now and hitting shelves March 1st, 2026, the LEGO Speed Champions F1 Academy LEGO Race Car (set 77258) packs 201 pieces of authentic racing detail into an affordable $27.99 USD package. The set features Esmee’s #32 car with intricate aerodynamic elements and that eye-catching checkered livery designed by LEGO’s own creative team, plus a minifigure decked out in LEGO Racing colors. With 75% of surveyed girls saying racing sounds exciting and 52% seeing themselves as future race car drivers, this partnership couldn’t come at a better time for the sport—and for LEGO collectors who value representation in their building experiences.
LEGO® Racing Hits the F1 ACADEMY™ Grid in 2026, With Esmee Kosterman Behind the Wheel, in First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership
- F1 ACADEMY™ will feature a new livery, LEGO® Racing, starting in the 2026 season, with Esmee Kosterman unveiled as the LEGO Racing driver
- The new multi-year partnership between the LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY™ aims to inspire young fans, especially girls
- New research from the LEGO Group confirms that 75% of girls surveyed think racing sounds exciting, while 52% could see themselves as an F1 ACADEMY™ or race car driver one day*
LAS VEGAS & BILLUND, 19 NOVEMBER 2025: Today, in the pitlane of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit at the FORMULA 1 LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2025, the LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY have announced an exciting multi-year partnership to inspire young fans, especially girls, through creative play and representation.
As part of this collaboration, the LEGO Group will be represented on the F1 ACADEMY grid starting with the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season, with LEGO® Racing, piloted by driver Esmee Kosterman at the wheel. Additionally, the LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY revealed their first LEGO set together, now available for pre-order.
In 2026, Kosterman will serve as the premiere driver for LEGO Racing during her first full season in F1 ACADEMY. The 20-year-old Dutch driver has a rich history in the kart racing circuit and became the first woman to win in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup series in 2023, before going on to finish second in the Junior Cup and third in the overall standings. In 2024, Kosterman moved into single seaters with Indian F4 and made her F1 ACADEMY debut as the Wild Card entry at Round 5 of the season in Zandvoort, her home race.
Kosterman’s car features a one-of-a-kind LEGO Racing livery, infusing the high-performance world of F1 ACADEMY with elements of LEGO play. The livery, created by the LEGO Design team, represents both entities through colours and patterns, merged in a playful way bringing the thrill of brick building and racing to life, with a unique checkered pattern.
The stunning, merged livery of the car, the driver and the first product from the partnership were revealed at the Las Vegas event by Susie Wolff, Managing Director at F1 ACADEMY, Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, LEGO designers Beatrice Amoretti and Maria Jędryszek and hosted by Ariana Bravo.
This comes at a time where F1 is attracting new and younger audiences, with 42% of the Formula 1’s fanbase now consisting of women. Recent research by the LEGO Group shows that 87% of girls surveyed would like to see more opportunities for girls in motorsport, 75% think racing sounds exciting, while 52% could see themselves as an F1 ACADEMY™ or race car driver one day. At the same time, 82% of parents surveyed think it’s important for girls to see women represented in motorsport, but 76% think motorsport is often perceived as “more for boys”.
With this new partnership, the LEGO Group and F1 Academy hope to inspire young fans, especially girls to explore their motor racing passions, both on and off the track.
Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, said: “F1 ACADEMY is levelling the playing field in motorsport, giving young female athletes a clear pathway to achieve their dreams in the top tiers of the sport. We can’t wait to see LEGO Racing join the F1 ACADEMY grid and are so excited to have Esmee as our driver. For the first time, fans can hold their favourite F1 ACADEMY LEGO car in their hands, and I’m thrilled that we’re securing female representation in racing toys for young girls. We hope the infusion of LEGO play and creativity to this exciting sport inspires the next generation of young women in motorsport, as well as the female builders of tomorrow, that anything is possible.”
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY, said: “We’re so proud to welcome the LEGO Group as an Official Partner of F1 ACADEMY. This collaboration isn’t just about the possibility of building an F1 Academy LEGO car, it’s about building belief in what’s possible. With our first partnership product, fans will be able to create something that stands for opportunity and representation. We hope every young girl who picks up these bricks sees more than just a model, she sees herself, her potential, and her place in the world of motorsport whether as a fan, engineer, driver or leader. Together, we’re challenging outdated perceptions of who belongs in motorsport and empowering the next generation of young women to build their own paths.”
Esmee Kosterman, Driver for LEGO Racing, said: “To be the first driver for LEGO Racing is such an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to continue my racing journey with F1 ACADEMY. I’ve long been a fan of the LEGO brand, its creativity and what it stands for and to bring it to the track from the 2026 season onwards is incredible. I hope this inspires future generations of female drivers, that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!”
The LEGO Group also unveiled the LEGO Speed Champions F1 ACADEMY™ LEGO Race Car, the 201-piece set allows fans of LEGO Racing to hold their favourite car in their hands, and features intricate aerodynamic details, with the unique colourway and the #32 racing number, as featured on Esmee’s real on-track counterpart.
Additionally, the set is accompanied by a minifigure printed in a LEGO Racing colourway. The set brings F1 ACADEMY to life like never before, bringing the excitement from the track to the living room, reflecting the two brands commitment to championing female talent on and off the track.
As part of the first ever F1 ACADEMY weekend at the FORMULA 1® LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX, the LEGO Group will be presenting the podium finishers of both Race 1 and Race 2, with custom LEGO Botanicals Bouquets in a moment that celebrates what is possible when talent is given the opportunity and platform to thrive. Each bouquet is built out of close to 2,000 LEGO elements and weighs close to 1 kg.
The LEGO Speed Champions F1 ACADEMY™ LEGO Race Car available for pre-order now from LEGO.com and select global retailers, with the set hitting shelves starting 1st March 2026 in LEGO Stores worldwide.
The LEGO Speed Champions F1 Academy set represents more than just another addition to the Speed Champions lineup—it’s a statement about the future of motorsport and who gets to see themselves represented in it. With Esmee Kosterman behind the wheel and LEGO’s creative design bringing the Racing livery to life both on track and in brick form, this partnership is breaking down barriers in the best possible way. At just $27.99 for 201 pieces, set 77258 is an accessible entry point for young builders who might be discovering their passion for racing, engineering, or both. Whether you’re a Speed Champions completist, an F1 Academy fan, or someone who values seeing women represented in motorsport toys, this set deserves a spot on your shelf when it launches March 1st, 2026. Pre-orders are open now at LEGO.com—time to get building.
Consider supporting Brick Brains by purchasing your LEGO from LEGO.com using our affiliate links.
We get a small percentage of the purchase total and it doesn’t change the price you pay.
