Review: 60445 F1 Truck with RB20 & AMR24 F1 Cars
Posted by CapnRex101,
Formula 1 trucks were once a regular feature of the Racers range and even extended to Speed Champions when the theme was introduced as Racers' successor in 2015. Surprisingly, no more have been produced since, until 60445 F1 Truck with RB20 & AMR24 F1 Cars.
I find the vehicle's black and red livery very appealing and the model undoubtedly takes cues from 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck, which is no bad thing because that is an exceptional set. In fact, this design arguably takes better advantage of the truck's substantial size, including lots of functions.
Summary
60445 F1 Truck with RB20 & AMR24 F1 Cars, 1,086 pieces.
£89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 | 8.3p / 9.2c / 9.2c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
This truck looks fantastic and includes plenty of detail, but offers limited play value
- Impressive truck
- Efficient use of space inside
- Excellent racing simulator
- Nice-looking cars, overall
- Relatively few minifigures
- Very little equipment to supplement the cars
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
The drivers in the City Formula 1 range are simpler than their equivalents in Speed Champions sets, lacking the sponsors seen on those minifigures. Nevertheless, most are recognisable by colours alone, including the Red Bull driver, whose dark blue and red attire is quite distinctive. Notably, the red stripes on the sides of the torso should be blue, but presumably it was decided they look better matching the chevrons on the shoulders.
Aston Martin's driver, meanwhile, wears a green racing suit with the Aston Martin branding on their torso and helmet. The design seems relatively bland, but bears a fair resemblance to the drivers' garb during the 2024 season, displaying accurate lime green accents on the shoulders, for instance. Still, the lack of sponsors does leave these figures lacking in detail.
Three crew members are supplied to tend the cars and drive the truck, which is perhaps fewer than expected, compared with the cheaper 60443 F1 Pit Stop & Pit Stop Crew with Ferrari Car and 60444 F1 Garage & Mercedes-AMG & Alpine Cars. However, these characters look superb and wear the same uniforms as minifigures found in those two sets.
One seems dressed for a technical role in the garage, perhaps speaking to the driver over the radio or monitoring a computer, while the others are maintenance crew. All three are equipped with suitable accessories, including a trophy, a wrench and a wheel gun.
The Completed Model
Articulated lorries have appeared in myriad City sets, although 2024 saw the introduction of a fresh format, with the release of 60408 Car Transporter and 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck. This model owes much to both, as the cab resembles that from the Car Transporter and the trailer is markedly similar to the LEGO truck, featuring near-identical building techniques.
The black and red colour scheme is fairly plain, but matches the Formula 1 branding and these colours are distributed beautifully, across the cab and trailer. I love the red border around the wind deflector and the printed 2x4 tiles forming the doors look lovely, even though the doors cannot actually open.
In addition, the radiator makes clever use of a 2x4 masonry brick for texture. The row of clips underneath looks a bit awkward, although these contribute to a function. Personally, I find the lack of door mirrors more perplexing, as the click hinges above the windscreen definitely seem as though they are positioned to attach mirrors, but none are included.
Otherwise, the shape of the tractor unit is attractive and I think it looks good once the trailer is removed as well, not because that reveals some extra mechanical detail behind the cab.
White is a nice colour for the interior, contrasting with the bodywork and again recalling 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck. There is room for two minifigures seated side by side inside, plus a bed behind them. This bed is basic, particularly when compared with that inside the LEGO Delivery Truck, but I am glad the designer has used all the available space.
A printed medical case is stored on the back of the cab, alongside a flexible whip forming the trailer's air line. Again, these features are reminiscent of the aforementioned sets and the 2x4 trailer hitch element introduced last year returns, so the various tractor units and trailers are all compatible and can be connected and disconnected easily.
Also, you can raise the cab to reveal the engine underneath, thanks to those clips integrated with the radiator. Roller skates provide lovely texture for the engine and blue is a great colour choice for these pieces because they stand out clearly, which is important for a relatively small engine like this one.
The transition between the tractor unit and trailer is very sleek, much as we see on real trucks belonging to Formula 1 teams. Fortunately though, the minimal space between sections of the vehicle does not affect its ability to articulate.
Similarly, the trailer is designed with aerodynamic side skirts, leaving its six wheels only partly visible towards the back. This differs from 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck, but the construction of the trailer is otherwise quite familiar, using printed 8x16 tiles on each side. The white decoration on these tiles could be brighter, but the generic Formula 1 car designs look marvellous.
The trailer's landing legs can fold down and it rests on two red Technic ball joints, mirroring the gooseneck ball in front. Once again, this design is almost identical to the LEGO Delivery Truck, but it works perfectly, so there is no need for change.
However, the accessible forward section with steps for minifigure access is a new addition, as 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck only used this space for more storage. The actual steps could be better because they are extremely steep, especially if folded down to the ground, although the use of 1x2 rocker pieces is clever.
A racing simulator is found inside, with a screen showing the driver's view that unfold from the ceiling. This is an outstanding use of space and I like the stickered screen in front of the driver too, matching the larger screen above. These are the only two stickers included, as designs on the cars and their steering wheels, one of which is used for the simulator, are all printed.
You may have noticed that the simulator seat is raised marginally off the floor, which relates to another function, as the seat can tilt from side to side on rubber Technic beams. While this is a neat feature, I wish you could move the simulator remotely, perhaps with a disguised dial on the exterior.
The flaps on either side of the trailer open exactly like those on 60440 LEGO Delivery Truck, offering easy access to the interior. There is little to see without the cars parked inside, other than a recessed pit towards the front, where you could store the minifigures' accessories.
There is just enough space for both cars inside, sliding snugly between the pillars. Of course, each team has their own trucks in reality and seeing a Red Bull and an Aston Martin together feels a bit strange, although their bright liveries stand out, especially with white pieces framing them against the black bodywork.
I love the red tiles around the edges of the trailer and the door is constructed neatly, using 1x1 half rounded tiles for smooth opening. The ramps to deploy the cars are interesting too, stored in channels under the trailer floor and connected to clips on the outside. The design works well enough, but is not at all realistic, as the cars are usually lowered on lifts to minimise the risk of damage.
A compact lift mechanism would have been a fantastic addition to the model, but favouring the basic ramps makes sense for an 8+ set, which cannot become too complex. Naturally, you can adjust the distance between the ramps and the cars roll up and down them nicely, including over the flaps at the ends.
The design of the City Formula 1 cars is identical across much of the range, with the 4+ 60464 F1 Williams Racing & Haas F1 Race Cars as the only exception. The general shapes are quite effective on the whole, considering the need for simplicity, as some of the smaller sets including identical cars come with a 6+ age recommendation.
Personally, I am not a fan of the Red Bull team, although I cannot deny that the dark blue, red and yellow colour scheme is striking. Given the age recommendation, no Red Bull branding is actually displayed, but its livery is instantly recognisable and translates brilliantly to LEGO form, particularly on the airbox behind the driver.
A printed 2x4 slope adds some detail to the nose and the wheel inserts are printed too, with a yellow pattern shared by the Aston Martin. The side pods make good use of 1x6 wheel arches for shaping around the cockpit, while the cockpit itself includes a decorated steering wheel and the protective halo.
On the other hand, I am not entirely convinced that the halo is safely positioned, around neck height were a minifigure to be thrown forward in a crash! Additionally, the rear wing looks very awkward to me, completely lacking realistic side panels.
All these strengths and weaknesses are identical on the AMR24, other than its colour scheme. As discussed in our review of 76925 Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car & AMR23, the standard LEGO shade of green is far from ideal for Aston Martin Racing, although the only alternative is dark green, which would arguably be even further from the true colour.
This car also has the problem of conflicting with the Sauber in 60474 F1 Grid with VCARB & Sauber Race Cars, given their similar colours. On that basis, maybe dark green should have been used for the Aston Martin, mainly to differentiate the pair more clearly.
Overall
LEGO City trucks greatly improved in 2024 and 60445 F1 Truck with RB20 & AMR24 F1 Cars continues their improvement into 2025. The whole truck looks incredibly sleek and includes all the features I would expect to find, other than some dedicated storage racks for the mechanics' gear, which is only a minor omission.
Otherwise, the racing simulator is nicely designed and the cars look great, particularly the Red Bull, thanks to its distinctive colours. However, there is not as much play value as I would hope for a set costing £89.99, $99.99 or €99.99. This seems like a decent price for such a substantial vehicle, but without adding the likes of 60443 F1 Pit Stop & Pit Stop Crew with Ferrari Car, the scene feels incomplete.
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30 comments on this article
Most new european trucks have small cameras instead of side mirrors, I believe that is what LEGO have done with this model.
I don't want to see your F1 takeover LEGO. Keep it in your Speed Champions
Why are there no seats in the truck? I know that they are not needed anyway as there is also no doors to enter.
I thought the blue driver was Alpine at first, looks like an unlicensed tribute
Batlorry!
Although this looks excellent, I was rather hoping for a Speed Champions version to upgrade 75913!
Bit mixed feelings about this. It sure looks quite impressive, and I'm glad all the exterior decoration is done with prints (even when opacity is once again lacking.....come on Lego, step up your game!). And indeed, I think those hinges are supposed to resemble cameras, which are becoming more common with modern trucks.
Thing is though: While I can see people buying this for display and just disregard the stuff inside, I see this primarily as a play set. For which the size can be a bit unwieldy, and the price tag would put it out of reach for a lot of kids. Dare I say this would have been a better set if they had kept it a bit smaller, with just room for 1 car (and maybe some small extra stuff like some tools), and priced at, say, €70? As it is now it kinda feels like a compromise between a set aimed at kids and a set aimed at AFOLs, but not quite right for either.
The wheel hubcaps remind me of the identity discs from TRON Legacy.
This is one of the best sets out of all the new F1 sets, in my opinion. Lego did not need to make 5 F1 sets in City, I think this truck, the McLaren car and the pitstop were enough.
^ Then you probably shouldn't go look at what's happening with Speed Champions...
What's with all the F1 lately? I know it has its fans, but the push is really over the top.
@ra226 said:
"^ Then you probably shouldn't go look at what's happening with Speed Champions...
What's with all the F1 lately? I know it has its fans, but the push is really over the top."
I think making all ten teams into Speed Champions was alright.
And whats with the F1 you ask? Lego and F1 did a collaboration.
The only time I would have preferred stickers over printed tiles so I could de-F1 the trailer. Nice truck still. I do like how generic the F1 cars are here as I think they will age better over time than the SC ones.
@Maxbricks14 said:
" @ra226 said:
"^ Then you probably shouldn't go look at what's happening with Speed Champions...
What's with all the F1 lately? I know it has its fans, but the push is really over the top."
I think making all ten teams into Speed Champions was alright.
And whats with the F1 you ask? Lego and F1 did a collaboration."
There was definitely a lucrative licensing deal. As in, F1 may have paid Lego rather than vice versa.
Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo.
@Mister_Jonny said:
"The wheel hubcaps remind me of the identity discs from TRON Legacy."
YES, YES, YES!!! - a bit
(I sincerely hope we gets sets for TRON: Ares when it comes out in October!)
@Maxbricks14 said:
"
I think making all ten teams into Speed Champions was alright.
And whats with the F1 you ask? Lego and F1 did a collaboration."
I just wish it weren't to the exclusion of so much else--literally everything else when it comes to Speed Chanpions. It just feels so disproportional. Now putting Space in all the things, -that- I get!
@xprojected said:
"Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo."
Gotta get those Adult Fans Of F1 from somewhere. AFOFs, as I like to call them.
Besides, Lego is already all into that cringey catering to children. Lego really is a brand for wealthy adults as we all know.
I, too, wish it would ditch all that and just focus on adult sets.
We need truck car transporter for Speed Champions cars! Combine 60408 and 8654 (75913)
Once again - Is this worth that money?
Same story is with previous year Lego truck.
LEGO has gotten more expensive because it has tried more and more to accurately reproduce real objects. It has done so, but at the cost of being a better toy and at greater prices.
The lack of large rearview mirrors, despite the hinges over the windshield, has a explanation, maybe.
Maybe it's because these hinges are the rear view mirrors. I mean rear view cameras, which is very common on trucks, buses nowadays.
And yes, on Lego vehicles, the effect isn't the same. The sensation of lacking details with this and no real opening doors can be disappointing for kids.
@gsom7 said:
"We need truck car transporter for Speed Champions cars! Combine 60408 and 8654 (75913)"
They could even make it affordable and not ridiculously huge by scaling it to the polybag cars.
@Desbug said:
"Batlorry!"
76160
@xprojected said:
"Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo."
"Cringe" aside, is this accurate?
Like, I'm seriously asking. I grew up in NASCAR country (not as in "the southern United States," as in "I can hear the Coca-Cola 600 from my house") and that has inescapably colored my perception of auto racing in general, but in my mind it fits into the same category as basketball for example, where kids might not be the *primary* target audience but it's a pretty normal thing for them to be interested in and there's a lot of merchandise pointed their way.
@xprojected said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @ra226 said:
"^ Then you probably shouldn't go look at what's happening with Speed Champions...
What's with all the F1 lately? I know it has its fans, but the push is really over the top."
I think making all ten teams into Speed Champions was alright.
And whats with the F1 you ask? Lego and F1 did a collaboration."
There was definitely a lucrative licensing deal. As in, F1 may have paid Lego rather than vice versa.
Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo."
I think location might affect perception here. In the UK, and I imagine for most of Europe, F1 is the most mainstream kind of car racing that people will know about. The races are on TV, the winners will be on the TV news. So if you're a kid who's into racing cars, most likely it'll be F1.
Get them while they're still young!
Honestly, I don't have a problem when it's about sports, some nice friendly competition (right, Max and Lando?). I do have a bit of an issue though when it comes to war and conflict based stuff, like Star Wars or Marvel/DC.
But then again, we need to prepare our kids for what's probably the most dangerous, crime-infested hellhole known to mankind: Lego City!
@WizardOfOss said:
"Get them while they're still young!
But then again, we need to prepare our kids for what's probably the most dangerous, crime-infested hellhole known to mankind: Lego City!"
With like 3 fire/police stations per 1 hospital and no schools. Unless you go to the Heartlake City suburbs, where everything is wine and roses. Or swine and roses for the Animal Crossing neighborhood.
@WizardOfOss said:
"Get them while they're still young!
Honestly, I don't have a problem when it's about sports, some nice friendly competition (right, Max and Lando?). I do have a bit of an issue though when it comes to war and conflict based stuff, like Star Wars or Marvel/DC.
But then again, we need to prepare our kids for what's probably the most dangerous, crime-infested hellhole known to mankind: Lego City!"
Hey, at least they closed all the roads leading to World City, what with its oppressive surveillance state.
@Andrusi said:
" @xprojected said:
"Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo."
"Cringe" aside, is this accurate?
Like, I'm seriously asking. I grew up in NASCAR country (not as in "the southern United States," as in "I can hear the Coca-Cola 600 from my house") and that has inescapably colored my perception of auto racing in general, but in my mind it fits into the same category as basketball for example, where kids might not be the *primary* target audience but it's a pretty normal thing for them to be interested in and there's a lot of merchandise pointed their way."
I don't think it is accurate at all. For my own anecdote I was an F1 fan from early childhood. My parents even have home video of me naming a bunch of cars from race teams of the day as a 4-year-old in the early 1980s. Growing up I had Matchbox and Hot Wheels F1 cars (y'know? kids toys...) and used to draw pictures of em all the time.
NASCAR is literally my favourite sport by the way, I am super jealous that you're THAT close to Charlotte. Growing up in Australia we never got things like Jeff Gordon bed sheets but I did get to collect Matchbox cars with liveries from Days of Thunder and later on replicas of the real cars. I still have a bunch of them in storage at mum and dad's including a Dale Earnhardt and Derricke Cope pair of Luminas with their Goodwrench and Purolator liveries.
F1 has always been popular also with kids and teens. I had a F1 quartet card game as a kid and several F1 car as a kid - and I have not grown up in a family of car racing fans. But I've grown up 30 km from the F1 circuit in Austria, so we noticed race weekends in my area.
That's still the case.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
" @Andrusi said:
" @xprojected said:
"Still, it's a bit cringe for an IP that caters mostly to wealthy adults to be advertised to 4+ children, not to mention Duplo."
"Cringe" aside, is this accurate?
Like, I'm seriously asking. I grew up in NASCAR country (not as in "the southern United States," as in "I can hear the Coca-Cola 600 from my house") and that has inescapably colored my perception of auto racing in general, but in my mind it fits into the same category as basketball for example, where kids might not be the *primary* target audience but it's a pretty normal thing for them to be interested in and there's a lot of merchandise pointed their way."
I don't think it is accurate at all. For my own anecdote I was an F1 fan from early childhood. My parents even have home video of me naming a bunch of cars from race teams of the day as a 4-year-old in the early 1980s. Growing up I had Matchbox and Hot Wheels F1 cars (y'know? kids toys...) and used to draw pictures of em all the time.
NASCAR is literally my favourite sport by the way, I am super jealous that you're THAT close to Charlotte. Growing up in Australia we never got things like Jeff Gordon bed sheets but I did get to collect Matchbox cars with liveries from Days of Thunder and later on replicas of the real cars. I still have a bunch of them in storage at mum and dad's including a Dale Earnhardt and Derricke Cope pair of Luminas with their Goodwrench and Purolator liveries."
Ironically I'm not big on NASCAR myself, mostly regarding it as that thing that makes traffic get really terrible for a while a few times a year. Want to trade? Purely for the racing reasons, I assure you. I definitely have no other motive for wanting to suddenly live somewhere that's on the opposite side of the world from the US.
It's a good looking truck at first glance, but building this set brings several minor annoyances. Starting with the cars - both are near identical builds, albeit in different colours. Oddly, there's no Red Bull branding at all on the Red Bull car, which strikes me as quite odd, especially when the Aston Martin has the nose emblem and spoiler branding. I would have liked to have had actual F1 drivers represented rather than two non-descript minifigs, one of which is female.
The truck cab was an OK build, although irritating that some parts are not in keeping with the colourscheme of the set (more on that in a moment).
The trailer irritates me. The "simulator" (bags 9/10) was an odd choice, and was incredibly boring to build, and looks out of place. I would have rather had a tool station and spare tyres etc in that area. For me, the biggest annoyance is with all the random coloured parts - yellow, blue, pink, and purple all feature in a build that is predominantly black and red. And what was the point in the brown 2x4 jumper plates!? Why were red 1x4 plates used instead of 1x8 plates? Even more annoying isnthe random dark grey 1x6 plate at the front, and the choice to use dark grey SNOT parts instead of black. I'm also not keen on the white interior showing through the gaps in the large side panels.