Back in the 1990s, Sega's popularity in the UK was so pronounced that it largely overshadowed Nintendo during both the 8 and 16-bit eras, and this dominance was perfectly illustrated by the company's sponsorship of F1's European Grand Prix at Donington Park in 1993.
"It was a 'floating' Grand Prix, and no one else wanted to sponsor it," recalls former Sega UK marketing director Simon Morris. "If you ever watch Asif Kapadia's excellent documentary film Senna or indeed anything to do with F1, you'll know that the opening lap that Ayrton Senna recorded during that race – in which he overtook four drivers in the driving rain – is acclaimed as the best lap ever by fans of the sport," explains Morris. "It's impossible to show that lap without showing Sega branding."
While Senna grabbed the headlines, it's worth noting that the cars being driven (and overtaken) by the Brazilian were sporting additional Sega branding.
Alain Prost and Damon Hill's Williams-Renault FW15C was covered in Sega logos and even had a fake "cutaway" section which showed Sonic's feet where the driver's should be. "We got them to draw Sonic's feet on the side so it would look like he was driving," Morris explains.
It looks like Sega is now paying tribute to that iconic piece of marketing by sponsoring the Subaru Motorsports USA team, which employs Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams as its drivers.
As you can see, the cutaway section is very similar to the one seen on the Williams back in the early '90s.