The partnership will see the iconic 130R corner of the Suzuka Circuit renamed to the "Umamusume 130R" corner.
Japanese game developer Cygames has announced that Umamusume: Pretty Derby has become a founding partner of the 2027 FIA Formula 1 Lenovo Japanese Grand Prix, which will be held at the Suzuka Circuit from 9 to 11 April, 2027 as the fourth round of the 2027 F1 World Championship.
This marks the first time that the F1 Japanese Grand Prix has had a founding partner, with said partner being a game about horse girls racing no less.
If you haven't heard of Umamusume (which literally means ‘horse girls’ in Japanese), it's a multimedia franchise featuring anime girls based on real-life Japanese racehorses training to become racers and competing in races. Aside from the massively popular flagship gacha game first released in Japan in February 2021 and then globally in June 2025, the Umamusume franchise also includes multiple anime and manga series as well as an animated movie.
With Umamusume becoming a founding partner for the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, Cygames has also acquired the naming rights to Suzuka Circuit's 130R corner and it will be renamed the "Umamusume 130R" corner for approximately one year starting on 20 November.
Located past the west straight of the Suzuka Circuit, the 130R is a high-speed corner that is one of the most iconic parts of the circuit. Umamusume promotional material will be displayed at the Umamusume 130R starting with the 25th JAF Suzuka Grand Prix (rounds 11 and 12 of the 2026 Japanese Super Formula Championship), to be held from 21 to 22 November.
A sample of the promotional material released by Cygames features the Umamusume characters Daring Tact, Win Marilyn, Silence Suzuka, Stay Gold, Efforia, and Titleholder.
However, no promotional material will be displayed at the 130R during the 2027 F1 Japanese Grand Prix itself. But according to the Suzuka Circuit's official website, there will be a “special live music performance” on the main straight following the Japanese Grand Prix's Saturday qualifying session on 10 April, 2027.
In the world of Umamusume, the racers also act like Japanese idols and perform in concerts following their races. Unfortunately, the F1 drivers themselves will not appear in the aforementioned special performance. It's a wasted opportunity for those who want to see the likes of F1 superstar Max Verstappen sing and dance Umapyoi Densetsu.
There will also be a special Umamusume booth at the GP Square Fanzone at Suzuka Circuit, among other initiatives.
“In Umamusume, players assume the role of a trainer and work in tandem with their Umamusume trainee to achieve victory in races. Each racer pursues her goals relentlessly, supported by her trainer, family, and friends. Cygames believes that this pursuit reflects the spirit of F1, where drivers and their teams work together to reach the top. The desire to support these similar themes of competition and camaraderie has led Umamusume to become a founding partner,” Cygames said in a statement.
This isn't the first time that the worlds of Umamusume and motorsports intersected, however, as Umamusume has been the feature sponsor of Japan's Pacific Racing Team competing in the Super GT series since February this year.
