British motor racing group McLaren Racing has joined a multi-year partnership with Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega has confirmed.
Designed to focus on every companion as “globally recognised icons of pace”, the pairing will result in “artistic integrations and experiences that fuse the worlds of motorsport and gaming and interact audiences of all ages each on the grid and display”.
The collaboration will proceed via Sonic Crew’s ‘Racing Across the World’ marketing campaign this 12 months, into Sonic’s thirty fifth anniversary this 12 months, in addition to the McLaren F1 group’s 1,000th Grand Prix.
Introducing the most recent member of the papaya household, @Sonic_Hedgehog 🤩🚀#McLaren #Sonic
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) June 26, 2025
Sega is describing the partnership as “a reunion greater than thirty years within the making”, however the occasion it’s referring to wasn’t initially presupposed to contain McLaren.
The 1993 Components One European Grand Prix, held at Donington Park within the UK, was closely sponsored by Sega. Not solely had the race been renamed the XXXVIII Sega European Grand Prix and coated with Sega branding, however Sega had additionally sponsored Williams, making use of Sonic decals to Alain Prost and Damon Hill’s vehicles.
Prost and Hill have been favourites to win the race, but it surely was as a substitute gained by McLaren’s Ayrton Senna, that means it was Senna, and never a Williams driver, who ended up lifting the one-of-a-kind Sonic trophy on the rostrum.
The trophy stays in McLaren’s archives to today, so in a way the newly introduced partnership takes what was an unintentional collaboration greater than three a long time in the past and now makes it official.
Look what we discovered… 👀
Ayrton Senna’s iconic SEGA trophy from *THAT* 1993 #F1 race at Donington! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aCA6se6IFM
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 8, 2023
“The collaboration between Sonic the Hedgehog and McLaren Racing underscores our shared ardour for high-speed motion and racing,” Sega / Atlus vice chairman of brand name advertising Marcella Churchill stated in an announcement.
“Racing is within the DNA of each the Sonic and McLaren manufacturers. It’s the place we started and what drives us ahead. By combining Sonic’s iconic attraction with McLaren, we’re making a partnership that ought to excite followers in every single place. This partnership is about celebrating our shared values, and we are able to’t wait to share this collaboration and the long run activations to come back with followers.”
McLaren Racing chief advertising officer Louise McEwen added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Sonic the Hedgehog to the McLaren Racing household.
“This partnership brings collectively two iconic names in pace, and opens up our group to a wider, youthful international viewers. Sonic is a personality with unimaginable heritage and a passionate fanbase, and we’re very excited to rejoice our partnership at McLaren Racing Dwell: London.”
