February 4, 2004 - The LEGO Company today announced a three year co-operation with Ferrari to develop a range of toys that will bring Ferrari fans closer to the F1 and GT action. The global deal will see the two companies combine their knowledge of the world of F1 and the construction toy industry starting with the launch of a range of LEGO Ferrari Formula 1 products in 2004.

The products will mainly be sold under the LEGO RACERS name, the LEGO Company's product line covering all kinds of racing vehicles from small non-powered cars to powerful radio controlled models and the LEGO Company's pre-school range will also develop Ferrari play materials for younger children.

In 2004, the deal will focus on Ferrari's F1 platform with the launch of four LEGO RACERS products in April - and two LEGO pre-school products in June. The range provides the full F1 experience, whether it's in the design shop, in the pit stop or in the driver's seat. Children and adults alike will be able to construct, customize, race, rebuild and display models that are true to the original Ferrari design and will provide a unique opportunity to understand the workings of the Ferrari F1 racing team and their world class cars. The LEGO Ferrari range is the only provider of licensed Ferrari toys, where children and enthusiasts can become either the designer, the engineer or the driver of the Ferrari F1 team.

Besides launching the Ferrari F1 cars and pit stop products, 2004 will also see the launch of a Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello mini figure set, putting both drivers on the winners' podium. LEGO mini-figures are iconic and highly collectible and can be combined with some of the other new LEGO Ferrari products, to create your own Ferrari dream team. The immortalisation of Schumacher and Barrichello as LEGO mini figures is only the second time real people have been captured in this way � following last year's launch of the NBA All Stars Collection under the LEGO Sports franchise.

In 2005-6, LEGO Company and Ferrari will continue their co-operation by extending the LEGO Ferrari range to other well-known and admired models from Ferrari. CEO and owner of LEGO Company, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, said of the deal, "Driving a Ferrari in a Formula One race is a dream practically every boy shares with his father. For most of us this dream never becomes a reality. Our only opportunity is to watch the race and admire the cars and the drivers on TV or, if you are lucky, watch the race live on the race track. With the new LEGO Ferrari sets father and son will be able to play and repeat Formula One races while learning how small technical adjustments make all the difference in the world."

Alberto Crippa, General Manager, Licensing and Merchandising, Ferrari added, "The LEGO Company is the perfect partner to convey the true Ferrari spirit in these toys, since both companies share the same values like design, innovation, quality, competition and not least customization. We've had a lot of fun developing a comprehensive and compelling range together and it's also a thrill and an honour to see a real life-size Ferrari F1 car brought to life in LEGO bricks."

A life-size replica based on Ferrari's latest F1 car, built with 146,000 LEGO bricks was revealed to mark today's announcement in Nuremberg. It took a team of 14 professional LEGO MasterBuilders, 800 hours to build and comes with a cockpit strong enough to hold a real racing driver, as well as authentic Bridgestone tyres used by Ferrari in their official car.