A SEGA confirmed a replica of the iconic trophy that Ayrton Senna built in 1993, recreated through complete 3D scanning and printing in highly durable structural polymer. The artifact will be present at the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix, which takes place from November 7th to 9th in Interlagos, as part of the strategic partnership between SEGA and McLaren Racing. The 3-minute, 6-second making-of video, released on November 3 by SEGA, documents each step of the process—from locating the original trophy in Las Vegas to the final finishing of the replica.
The legendary trophy
McLaren located the original trophy in its corporate archives stored in Las Vegas in 2023, when the British team began the 3D documentation protocol for the historic object. A specialized team traveled to Las Vegas with precision scanning equipment, capturing the trophy in its entirety.
According to internal engineering records, the process involved complete three-dimensional capture, converted into a parameterized CAD file for reliable replication. The making-of video released by SEGA documents the journey.
Full three-dimensional scanning
The original trophy—a sculpture featuring Sonic in victory stance, crafted from resin—was subjected to full multispectral 3D scanning in Las Vegas. The process captured the entire geometry of the object, generating a parameterizable file in CAD software that allowed digital visualization at multiple angles, scales and iterations.
The three-dimensional data was validated through multiple scanning passes, ensuring submillimeter accuracy in every detail—from the position of Sonic’s eyes to base textures. The resulting CAD file served as a “digital blueprint” for the next manufacturing phase
Structural polymer printing and finishing
The replica was manufactured from highly durable structural polymer, a specification that guarantees mechanical rigidity and resistance suitable for transportation and repeated public display. The material was deliberately selected to support circulation between multiple locations (Interlagos stand, future activations) without degradation.
Post-processing was carried out manually: cleaning of residues, surface finishing, painting in Sonic-specific blue tones (capturing the original design with chromatic fidelity) and application of UV protection varnish. Every detail was validated against original scan data—ensuring the replica is geometrically equivalent to the historic 1993 trophy, not just visually similar.
The replica will be part of the Sonic Racing stand during the race weekend (November 7th to 9th), functioning as an immersive experience for journalists, influencers and the general public.
The Iconic Race: Donington Park 1993
The trophy that is now digitally recreated was born from one of the most memorable moments in world motorsport. On April 11, 1993, the 1993 European Grand Prix (officially named XXXVIII Sega European Grand Prix due to sponsorship) was held at Donington Park, England—the only occasion on which the circuit hosted an F1 race.
Ayrton Senna started in fourth place and fell to fifth in the first corner. Then occurred what Zak Brown, current CEO of McLaren, described as “the return of the gods”: in an explosive sequence on the first lap, Senna overtook Karl Wendlinger, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill and finally Alain Prost in the last corner—all on a wet track. The “fastest lap in history” (according to motorsport analysts) took just 1 minute and 18 seconds.
The performance in the rain became legendary: Senna not only won, he lapped almost every other driver who completed the race, confirming his singular prowess in adverse conditions. Ironically, SEGA sponsored the race but also Williams—the team where Damon Hill (second) and Alain Prost (third) raced. Senna’s victory for McLaren was, to a certain extent, a counterpoint to Williams’ preponderance at that time.
As a prize, the winner received not only the standard F1 cup, but also the special Sonic trophy. At the time, McLaren’s internal rule determined that trophies won would remain at the team’s headquarters in Woking, under the supervision of Ron Dennis. Senna was one of the most successful drivers in getting permission to take trophies in person; However, the Sonic remained under McLaren’s control throughout the decades.
Source: https://www.hardware.com.br/noticias/sega-replica-trofeu-lendario-senna-sonic-1993/
