Cygames has announced that its horse-girl racing game Umamusume: Pretty Derby is the first founding partner of the 2027 FIA Formula 1 Lenovo Japanese Grand Prix, and that it has bought the naming rights to Suzuka Circuit’s 130R corner, which will be known as “Umamusume 130R”.
According to a release, the 2027 race runs at Suzuka Circuit from April 9th to 11th, as round four of the Formula 1 World Championship. The release says the event draws more than 300,000 spectators every year. Tickets go on sale on November 15th at 11am Japan Standard Time (JST), which is November 14th at 6pm Pacific Standard Time (PST), through the official MobilityStation online store.
Cygames describes founding partners as the highest-tier supporters of the race. They add value to the event through marketing, promotions and new fan experiences, the release says. As part of the deal, Umamusume will open a special booth at the GP Square Fanzone at Suzuka, along with a range of displays. Further details are due at a later date.
What changes at 130R
The 130R is a high-speed corner past the west straight of the circuit. The Umamusume 130R name applies for about one year, starting on November 20th 2026. Promotional material will go up at the corner from the 25th JAF Suzuka Grand Prix, rounds 11 and 12 of the 2026 Japanese Super Formula Championship, held on November 21st and 22nd. The release adds that material will also appear at an unofficial session on November 20th.
One catch: no promotions will be displayed at 130R during the F1 Japanese Grand Prix itself, per the release. Cygames also notes that dates and content may change without notice, and that images and event details are still in development.
About the game
Cygames says the partnership comes from shared themes of competition and camaraderie: in the game, a trainer works alongside an Umamusume trainee to win races, much as an F1 driver works with a team. Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a sports life simulation, set at Tracen Academy, with race and live-concert sequences. The release says it won Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025. It is also available on Steam for PC, and more information is on the official website.
Cygames is a Tokyo-based developer and publisher, which also makes Granblue Fantasy: Relink: Endless Ragnarok, per the release.
The following was sent as a press release to Inven Global.
