Iconic Dragon Ball Z F1 merch to be auctioned off - and it could be yours

A unique piece of F1 merchandise is going up for auction

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Accredited motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 5 March 2026 22:42

You have the chance to secure an incredible piece of F1 merchandise after an iconic item of Dragon Ball Z memorabilia has been put up for auction.

The piece of merch takes us back to 1990 and McLaren's partnership with Japanese manufacturer Honda, who, with the help of the legendary Ayrton Senna, were responsible for surge of Japanese interest in motorsport.

For the 1990 season, Japanese publishers Shūeisha sponsored McLaren-Honda's MP4/5B, who were also behind legendary manga series Dragon Ball.

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What emerged from this sponsorship deal was a unique piece of merchandise, a Dragon Ball flag featuring characters Goku, Bulma, Master Roshi, Kid Goku and Krillin, alongside a manga version of Gerhard Berger in the 1990 McLaren.

1990 McLaren Dragon Ball Z flag up for auction

Not only is the flag a piece of F1 history, but is also signed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, whose own love of cars and motorcycles translated into his work.

Shūeisha’s sponsorship of McLaren also resulted in a two-volume manga called 'GP Boy' and a two-volume manga about Senna. Toriyama travelled to Hockenheim for the 1990 German Grand Prix where he met Senna in person, and used the experience to create the Battleman series.

While Shūeisha’s sponsorship of McLaren ended in 1992, the flag remains as an emblem of a bygone F1 era, but only a small number of the designs were produced making them exceptionally rare.

This version of the Dragon Ball flag is extra special, being signed and personally gifted to Ekrem Sami, the former Head of Marketing at McLaren.

The merchandise has a guide price of between £5,000 - £10,000, with bidding now open on the F1 Authentics website.

F1 Authentics says it will auction off a @McLarenF1-Dragon Ball Z flag from the 1990s that was originally gifted to a former marketer at McLaren and is said to be signed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama.

➡️ Japanese publisher @SHUEISHA_PR became a sponsor of McLaren in '89. pic.twitter.com/aLuEQ9yydm
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) March 4, 2026