The LEGO Technic team has been giving us at least two racing vehicles each year since 2013. These cars have a special pull-back motor that can be winded up and then released for some pretty fast and fun racing action. As these vehicles are made of LEGO Technic elements they are quite sturdy and can take some beating and running into obstacles without falling apart.
In the earlier years, the two models for each year could be rebuilt into a larger combined vehicle. In later years, the models came with alternate building instructions. And in 2020 and 2022 we also got some larger pull-back racer sets. But in general, we have been getting two sets a year for $20 each.
I have been collecting the LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers since the beginning. I find them interesting but not too demanding builds, and when I have friends over, the vehicles are great for playing racing games. If you would like to see all the pull-back racers released through the years, I maintain a Bricklist in the Brickset database titled LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers. As these sets don’t have a specific sub-theme or category, you might find the list helpful.
While the earlier LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers were non-licensed sets, since 2021 LEGO collaborated with various brands. In 2021, 2022, and 2023 LEGO worked with Monster Jam motorsport. I liked these sets as they were based on real-life Monster Jam vehicles with imaginative designs.
This year, we are back to getting only two racers, and while the size and piece count remained the same as in previous sets, the price went up to $27 each. This is likely due to the general rising of prices and also because both sets are licensed. So let’s see if they are still worth it.
I first built the #42166 LEGO Technic NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team Pull-Back Racer because it was more in line with the other racers I built and because I liked the fun color-scheme of orange and black with a touch of dark-turqoise.
Everything was going well until I realized how many stickers this set had! Previous LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers had as little as 3 stickers, mostly about 10 stickers and sometimes a bit more. This allowed quick assembly of the vehicles without much fuss. In contrast, the McLaren came with a whopping 24 stickers.
As stickers are hard to apply nicely, especially on LEGO Technic parts, this added considerable building time. I’m normally able to assemble LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers in less than an hour even when I take my time, but the McLaren took an hour and a half. These sets are recommended for ages 7+ and should be quick assemblies so kids can start racing. Thus, I feel like that extra stickers are a step back from the purpose of these sets.
Another feature I found not so kid-friendly is how wide the final model is. While from side views the vehicle has nice curves, from the top it just looks like a 4×7 inch rectangle. Even with my adult hand, I have a hard time grabbing it from side to side. And when you wind up the motor, you are supposed to be able to hold one of the back wheels with your pinky, which is almost impossible with such a wide body. Overall, this is the widest LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racer to date, and I don’t think it’s a good idea. While I initially liked the look of this vehicle, it ended up being not one of my favorites.
After this bit of disappointment, I began building the #42165 LEGO Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 Pull-Back Racer. This vehicle has even more stickers (26), so I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a longer-than-usual build.
I wasn’t expecting much from this racer as it’s pretty much all black and didn’t look that interesting. However, as I was working on it, I started to appreciate some of the nice detailing and clever techniques. By the end, this turned out to be one of my favorite Formula 1-type racer cars. And not just within the LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racer collection, but in general. It’s only a 9.5-inch long racer, but it has such beautiful curves! It doesn’t even look like a LEGO Technic vehicle! Even the chunky pull-back motor is integrated so seamlessly! I think pictures don’t do it justice. It looks beautiful in real life and is more like a display model than a playset.
Having said that, I don’t think this set is kid-friendly either. Yes, it’s much easier to grab – no problems there – but I can’t imagine any kid will have the patience to or appreciation for carefully aligning 26 stickers. The LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racer collection is known for its playability, and in that regard, both of these sets miss the mark.
Overall, if you are looking for the fun playability of LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers, the earlier models are a better choice (the Monster Jam racers are still readily available). If you’re not a collector of the whole line, I would skip the #42166 LEGO Technic NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team Pull-Back Racer as applying the stickers is too tedious and the final model is too wide to wind up for racing. And if you like to display LEGO racecars but don’t want to spend the money on larger racers, the #42165 LEGO Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 Pull-Back Racer is a beautiful model that you can proudly display. If you would like to check them out, both sets are available at the LEGO Technic section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Do you have any of the LEGO Technic Pull-Back Racers? And how do you like these latest additions? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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I was looking at the F1 Mercedes as an alternative to the larger version, so this is perfect timing. Thanks!
The monster Jam sets turned out better than I expected. I have a couple of them already and plan to pick up the rest. One year they also had ramps and another year break-off front bumpers. Personally, I like the alternate builds or combo builds.
That’s too bad about the stickers. I hate applying them. Especially when they are really tiny or really large. I’m most intrigued about the pullback motor. Is it used for anything else besides these racers?