Tag Archives: alex_bricks

The start of a winning legacy (oh, and a LEGO Lancia Stratos)

I’m a simple man: I see a well-made LEGO rally car, I want to extol its virtues online. Today’s instance comes courtesy of alex_bricks, and it’s a doozy. Italian marque Lancia won no fewer than 10 manufacturers’ titles during their time in the World Rally Championship, making them the most successful car builder. (That’s despite not having competed in the sport for 30 years, by the way!) And this is the car that kick-started that trend: the Lancia Stratos. It’s devoid of sponsor stickers, but all the better to enjoy that iconic brick-built Alitalia livery! Much like Alex’s Monaco Grand Prix dioramas, this build is really elevated by putting the car in its natural habitat, although the Stratos was at its most potent on tarmac rallies. Judging by the logs and muddy-looking road, this looks like the RAC Rally (AKA Wales Rally GB) to me. The drivers have done well to keep the car so clean!

Lancia Stratos

Lancia isn’t the only thing here with a winning pedigree. Our Telegram readers voted Alex’s aforementioned Monaco builds ‘Creation of the Week’ not just once, but twice! Be sure to join the channel to cast your vote this week…

The 1864 Battle of Dybbol won Best Battle Scene at Brickfair, Virginia

Sometimes a LEGO creation can be small and still impressive. But sometimes it can be on such a grand scale, that it takes a team of friends to make it happen. That is the case with this stunning Battle of Dybbol scene built by Hunter Erickson and friends. In the builder’s words; Prussia under Wilhelm I and his foreign minister Otto Von Bismarck sought to unify the German states under one banner through careful diplomacy and war. One example of this was the 8-month-long Second Schleswig War between Prussia and Austria against Denmark. The German Confederation thought it was unacceptable that Denmark sought to further integrate the majority German Duchy of Schleswig into the Danish state in 1863. This was seen as a violation of the London Protocol that ended the First Schleswig War in 1852. War was inevitable and in 1864, Prussia and Austria invaded Denmark. That is the scene depicted here.

The Battle of Dybbol, 1864

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LEGO Creation of the Week (#28): “Nouvelle Chicane, 1988 Monaco Grand Prix” by alex_bricks

Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. You may remember alex_bricks for his awesome Formula-1 Monaco scene, which got the Creation of the Week award back in February. Guess what? Alex does it again with the next part of the iconic racing track! Now it’s the chicane by the water, yet still amazing detailed and exciting!

Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!

May 15th, 1988; a fabulous day for Formula One racing

1988 saw the introduction of Roger Rabbit, the US Stealth Bomber, Prozac, and the first-ever computer virus. LEGO builder Alex_bricks takes us on a journey to a very specific time and place in 1988; that is May 15th at the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren cars dominated the circuit and the rivalry between teammates Alain Prost of France and Ayrton Senna of Brazil was legendary. Senna put on a spectacular performance in qualifying, beating out his teammate by 1.427 seconds, an unheard-of gap for pole position. In the race, despite a commanding gap to Prost, Senna crashed out of the lead with a momentary lapse in judgment, heading into a barrier eleven laps from the end and thus Prost took the lead. The colors and textures of this build are amazing; I can just about hear the roar of the engines. The yacht and crane are nice touches, painstakingly researched by Alex.

Nouvelle Chicane, 1988 Monaco Grand Prix

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LEGO Creation of the Week (#6): “Monaco Grand Prix, 1988” by alex_bricks

Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Last week’s award goes to alex_bricks with his stunning Monaco Grand Prix diorama. Congratulations!

Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!

Some LEGO icons – but not as you know them

As far as motor races go, they don’t come much more iconic than the Monaco Grand Prix, made in LEGO here by alex_bricks. Not content with choosing an iconic circuit, he’s chosen an iconic race as well: the 1988 edition. As a result, one of the most dominant cars in F1 history also makes an appearance in the form of the red-and-white McLaren MP4/4. And driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna, no less. There’s more LEGO icons here than in a LEGO store! While the immersive setting is superb, I’m most impressed by the cars. LEGO F1 cars are sometimes prone to being either oversized relative to minifigures, or looking too bulky. Alex has absolutely nailed the design here though. The sleek noses are expertly crafted with some wedge slopes and angled tiles, which look just perfect at this scale. That the cars are so recognisable without any custom decals is a testament to the quality of this build!

Monaco Grand Prix, 1988