Tooned
McLaren's animated series starring F1 drivers and Professor M.
Tooned is a British animated cartoon series produced by McLaren, featuring animated versions of Formula One drivers Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, and comedian Alexander Armstrong as Professor M. The series originally starred Lewis Hamilton and later included Kevin Magnussen and Sergio Pérez. It aired on Sky Sports F1 before each Formula One race, with episodes lasting a little more than three minutes. The show was created by John Allert, the McLaren Group brand and marketing director, and written, directed, and produced by Chris Waitt, Simon Whalley, and Henry Trotter at visual effects house Framestore.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 3–4 minutes
- Starring
- Alexander Armstrong / Jenson Button / Kevin Magnussen (2014) / Sergio Pérez (2013) / Lewis Hamilton (2012) / Fernando Alonso (2016) / Stoffel Vandoorne (2016) / Murray Walker (2016)
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Network
- Sky Sports F1
- First Aired
- 8 July 2012
- Last Aired
- 22 October 2016
- Num Episodes
- 30
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first season of Tooned aired from the 2012 British Grand Prix onwards, starring Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. The second season aired from the 2013 British Grand Prix onwards, with Sergio Pérez replacing Hamilton after his real-life departure to Mercedes, depicted in the show as a simulator glitch. A third season was announced on 16 May 2014 via McLaren's YouTube channel, with Kevin Magnussen replacing Pérez. A special episode was announced on 19 October 2016 for the 40th anniversary of James Hunt’s championship, featuring Alonso, Button, and Stoffel Vandoorne.
Reader's Guide
Tooned served as a promotional and entertainment vehicle for McLaren, blending real Formula One personalities with animated comedy. Its significance lies in its unique format—short episodes aired before races—and its ability to engage fans with inside jokes about the team and drivers. The series expanded into branded content with Mobil 1, producing two series explaining the history of oil and lubricants. The show's legacy includes its availability on McLaren's YouTube channel and the Sky Sports F1 website, and its DVD release by Abbey Home Media in 2012. The series reflects McLaren's marketing strategy to humanize its drivers and engineering staff through humor and animation.
Did You Know?
- The first season starred Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, airing from the 2012 British Grand Prix.
- Professor M, voiced by Alexander Armstrong, was described as a blend of Steve Jobs and Q.
- The Tooned logo was added to the rear wings of McLaren's MP4-27 and MP4-28 cars from the 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix to the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix.
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