When Goku Met F1: The £60,000 Dragon Ball McLaren Flag That Broke the Internet — and the Auction Records

There are rare. There is one-of-a-kind. And then there is a hand-illustrated, personally signed Dragon Ball Z promotional flag from 1990 that sat quietly in private hands for over three decades before finally facing the hammer. The F1® Authentics 2026 Season Launch Auction, operated by Memento Exclusives, just delivered one of the most extraordinary sales in motorsport memorabilia history — and it wasn’t a race suit or a championship trophy that stole the show.

The Star of the Auction: Dragon Ball Z x McLaren (£60,000)

In 1990, Akira Toriyama — the visionary manga artist behind Dragon Ball — personally illustrated and signed a promotional flag for McLaren F1®. Originally gifted to Ekrem Sami, then Head of Marketing at the McLaren F1® Team, this piece is believed to be one of only a tiny handful in existence anywhere in the world.

What makes it extraordinary isn’t just the provenance. Look at the artwork itself: Goku, Bulma, Master Roshi, Kid Goku, and Krillin are all rendered alongside the iconic McLaren-Honda MP4/5B — the car carrying race number 28, driven by Gerhard Berger. The Weekly Shonen Jump logo sits at the top, while Japanese text at the bottom reads “必勝” — meaning certain victory. It is, in every sense, a perfect cultural crossover between two of the 1990s’ biggest global phenomena.

Preserved in immaculate condition for more than 35 years, it sold for £60,000 — and honestly, that feels like a bargain for what it represents. For fans tracking Formula 1 memorabilia and collectibles, this is the kind of item that comes along once in a generation.

Full 2026 Season Launch Auction Results

Lewis Hamilton’s 2011 Race Suit — £49,500

The second most expensive lot was a deeply personal one for any Hamilton fan. His 2011 McLaren race suit — worn across a fiercely competitive season in which he claimed three Grand Prix victories before finishing fifth in the Drivers’ Championship — fetched £49,500.

What lifts this beyond a standard race suit is context. 2011 was a year of immense resilience for Hamilton. It was a season that tested his character and resolve, yet hinted at the greatness that would follow when he switched to Mercedes and proceeded to rewrite F1 records. Signed by Hamilton himself and mounted in a premium display frame, this isn’t just memorabilia — it’s a portrait of a champion mid-transformation.

Michael Schumacher’s 2010 Comeback Suit — £15,500

Few moments in recent F1 history carried as much emotional weight as Michael Schumacher’s return from retirement in 2010. His Mercedes AMG Petronas race-issued suit from that season, prepared to full competition specifications, sold for £15,500.

It might have been a building year for Mercedes on track — results were modest — but with the benefit of hindsight, every item from that 2010 season represents the opening chapter of what became the most dominant team project in modern F1. Schumacher’s suit from that comeback season isn’t just memorabilia; it’s the foundation stone of a dynasty.

The Ford Cosworth V10 Engine Table — £14,000

Perhaps the most visually striking lot was the Ford Cosworth CR 3.0L V10 engine table, which sold for £14,000. Built around an authentic 90-degree V10 engine — complete with block, cylinder heads, cam cover, and gold insulation foil — and encased in plexiglass, it’s a conversation piece that celebrates the engines powering Stewart, Ford, Jaguar, and Red Bull Racing through one of F1’s most sonically spectacular eras.

It’s simultaneously sculpture, history, and furniture. Remarkable.

What’s Next: The Miami GP Auction

If you missed this auction, the next major opportunity arrives at the Miami GP Auction. F1® Authentics and Memento Exclusives are expected to present another exceptional slate of rare motorsport artefacts, and early registration on the official F1® Authentics platform is strongly recommended — headline items like these do not wait around.

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