An ultra-rare Formula 1 x Dragon Ball collaboration flag signed by the series’ late creator, Akira Toriyama, has officially sold at auction for £60,000, or nearly US$80,000.
Announced via a press release from Memento Exclusives, the 1990 Dragon Ball x McLaren racing flag was officially sold at the F1 Authentics Season Launch Auction for £60,000 (approximately US$79,212). The auction launched on March 5 and included several high-profile pieces of racing history available for collectors to bid on, ranging from a rare signed Dragon Ball flag to race-worn suits worn by Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.
According to the auction results, the Dragon Ball flag fetched the highest price at nearly US$80,000, while Hamilton’s 2011 McLaren race suit sold for £49,500 (approx. US$65,350) and Schumacher’s 2010 Mercedes AMG Petronas race-issued suit reached £15,500 (approx. US$20,460).
Ultra-Rare Dragon Ball x Formula 1 Flag Signed by Akira Toriyama Sells for $80,000
Official imagery of the Toriyama signed McClaren F1 x Dragon Ball promotional flag.Image via Memento Exclusives/F1 Authentics
Illustrated and signed in 1990 by Akira Toriyama, the flag is one of a limited number of promotional items produced as part of a collaboration between the publisher of Dragon Ball, Shueisha and the McLaren Formula 1 team. The artwork features several of the franchise’s most recognizable characters, including Goku, Bulma, Master Roshi, Kid Goku and Krillin.
They are positioned alongside the McLaren-Honda MP4/5B, number 28, famously driven by Gerhard Berger. The artwork also includes the Weekly Shonen Jump logo and Japanese text reading “ジャンプ” at the top and “必勝” at the bottom — the latter a phrase commonly used in competitive settings that translates to “certain victory.”
The piece was originally gifted to Ekrem Sami, former Head of Marketing at McLaren, and remained preserved in excellent condition for more than three decades before being sold at auction. Its rarity and direct connection to Toriyama contributed to its status as one of the most sought-after items in the sale.
The flag’s design also reflects a short-lived but notable crossover between Japanese manga and Formula 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During that period, Shueisha sponsored the McLaren team and placed its Weekly Shonen Jump branding on the nose of its race cars. As the magazine’s flagship creator, Toriyama contributed artwork that merged Dragon Ball’s characters with real-world motorsport imagery.
Toriyama’s involvement in the collaboration aligned with his well-documented interest in vehicles and mechanical design, a theme that frequently appeared throughout his work. He also explored motorsport more directly in 1990, with a short manga entry in his Battleman series, inspired by his visit to the German Grand Prix and hismeeting with legendary driver Ayrton Senna.
While the new owner of the flag has not been revealed, they’ve certainly acquired a very special piece of anime and F1 history.
Created by
Akira Toriyama
First Episode Air Date
April 26, 1989