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Formula 1 Watches on the Wrist of Our Favorites Drivers
A joint history between Formula 1 watches and auto racing brings out great improvements to the current race.
Jan 12, 2022
Formula 1 watches and motorsports are inseparable. The two have had a remarkable joint history since the earliest days. Well, it's no surprise as precise mechanical timepieces with tachymeter functions were essential to track the time of the race. Fans of motorsports have also been a fan of racing watches in almost every season.
The practicality and beauty of the mechanical chronographs are definitely the answer to the fans' enthusiasm. And, the recent Formula 1 season in December 2012 keeps up the hype to a greater height. We can't forget the intense rivalry of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the championship position which heats up the game even further.
The sponsorship of giant watch brands and their Formula 1 watches- TAG Heuer, Rolex, Richard Mille, Hublot, Longines, and others- had been in attendance as the official timekeepers for the sport. TAG Heuer, especially, was the first known to be in motorsports. To improve the time tracking, the brand developed Automatic Car Identification Timing or ACIT. The system is proficient to document the times of several cars with the work of micro transmitter technology. It's still in use to the present time.
While Rolex doesn't sponsor one of the racing teams, the brand has been the main sponsor of Formula 1 since 2013. We can't rule out the iconic Paul Newman Rolex Daytona for this occasion. Rolex watches were also on the wrist of many exceptional drivers: Jackie Stewart, Mark Webber, and Nico Rosberg.
If we're talking about the latest season of Formula 1, quite a number of drivers and teams are being sponsored by notable, luxury watch brands. The partnerships reveal various timepieces with styles closely related to the drivers. Here, let's take a closer look at the Formula 1 watches of our favorite drivers.
IWC Schaffhausen: Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas
The driver of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 has been with IWC Schaffhausen as the official sponsor of the team since 2013. The brand produces specially made Formula 1 watches for him, for instance, Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Lewis Hamilton”. The watch comes in stunning burgundy-black color.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, who has the most wins and is the holder of seventh-time Formula 1 world champion, likes to wear many IWC Big Pilot Watches. The watches have been with him inside and outside the race days. In the newest IWC campaign, he wears the Big Pilot’s Top Gun Edition Watch "Mojave Desert" which has a striking sand-colored ceramic case.
As a teammate of Hamilton in Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas was also sponsored by IWC Schaffhausen. The winner of the Austrian Grand Prix in 2020 was seen to wear the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun. The all-black watch with white indices on the dial gives out a minimal, stealth look. The watch is about simplicity and functionality.
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TAG Heuer: Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez
The new champion of Formula 1, Max Verstappen is with the Red Bull Racing Honda team. Under the limelight of his latest win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he was spotted wearing one of TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches, the Monaco Titan. The watch as a chronograph sport is limited to only 500 pieces.
The sporty and contemporary look of the watch matches the new champion perfectly. Made of grade 2 titanium, it sure is tough. Heuer has been with the Red Bull team since 2016. Since the deal was sealed, the brand accommodates the team as the official timekeeper and watch manufacturer.
Another driver on the Red Bull team, Sergio Pérez wears the TAG Heuer Formula One Special Edition. The watch comes in a silvery stainless steel case, a blue dial, and a tachymeter bezel. The bold red mark on the bezel showcases the Red Bull characteristic.
On Pérez's wrist, he also wears the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon. It's one of the special and custom-made Formula 1 watches for him. The sponsorship doesn't stop this year. Heuer announced an extension of the partnership with the team until 2024 as Red Bull's official timekeeper.
Richard Mille: Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Räikkönen, and Mick Schumacher
That’s a lot of names of exceptional drivers of Formula 1. Richard Mille seems to be quick on the uptake to establish a new history with the famous motor racing championship. The brand is the official timekeeper of Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren. It is the only one that supports two Formula 1 teams.
Though it ended the deal with Alfa Romeo and Haas racing teams, we can see its iconic timepieces on the wrist of Kimi Räikkönen and Mick Schumacher. Räikkönen has his own RM model, the 50-04 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph while Schumacher with the RM 11-03 Flyback Chronograph.
Moving to the drivers of Scuderia Ferrari, RM has supported Charles Leclerc for more than a decade. He also wears the RM 67-02 Prototype which attracts attention with the watch's skeletal dial, hands, and movement. Carlos Sainz gets his hand on the RM11-01 Flyback Chronograph Roberto Mancini. These Formula 1 watches are made of Quartz TPT and grade 5 titanium for the case, respectively.
Richard Mille and McLaren share the same value to achieve perfection with their development on Formula 1 watches and cars. The watch brand is proud to announce the making of RM 50-03 with the collaboration with the racing team. The watch is known as the lightest mechanical sports chronograph ever created. Both Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo wear these specifically made watches.
Girard-Perregaux: Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll
Starting the deal in 2021, Girard-Perregaux chose to sponsor Aston Martin. The British sports car manufacturer makes a comeback after more than 60 years of absence in the race. The team with Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll as the drivers began their journey with a classic green livery as the sports car symbol.
To match the tone, Girard-Perregaux also introduces the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition. These Formula 1 watches feature a stainless steel case and bracelet with an impressive crosshatch pattern green dial. It might be seen as a simple one at a quick glance. Yet, the intricate details can entice others, especially when the watches are on the wrist of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll.
That's the list of the twelve of our favorite drivers with their Formula 1 watches. The globally popular watch brands are no doubt sustaining the close relationship between watches and motorsports. It isn't wrong to say that without a proper timekeeping device, we won't know any fastest drivers in the race.
