As Formula 1 celebrates its 75th Anniversary and the sport’s 10-year partnership with LVMH begins, the luxury watch brand, TAG Heuer, will return to the sport as its Official Timekeeper.
With a rich history in Formula 1 spanning over seven decades, and a shared philosophy between the two iconic brands of precision engineering, cutting edge technology and the latest materials, the partnership embodies luxury, innovation, performance, and speed.
TAG Heuer was the first luxury brand to have its logo appear on a Formula 1 car in 1969, the first to sponsor a team in 1971 and, with 230 wins, 595 podiums, 8,882 points, 11 World Constructors’ Championships, 14 World Drivers’ Championships to its name through its associations with teams, it is one of the most successful brands in history to be associated with Formula 1.
The brand’s relationship with current Formula 1 teams began in 1971 when Ferrari needed a timing system for their new test track, Fiorano in Italy, for which they chose Heuer, as the company was known at the time. The relationship ran until 1979, before Heuer continued with a partnership with McLaren in 1985, which would go on to be one of the longest in Formula 1 history, during which time Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, and Lewis Hamilton all raced for the team. The relationship came to an end after 30 years of collaboration and a year later, in 2016, TAG Heuer partnered with Red Bull.
In recent years under Liberty Media’s ownership, Formula 1 has become one of the most culturally significant and successful sporting championships in the world, with 750 million fans worldwide, more than 90 million followers across social media and a fanbase that is becoming younger and more diverse with 42% of fans now women and 1 in 3 under 35-years-old. The 2024 season saw 1.5 billion viewers tune into an epic season, where the wheel-to-wheel racing went down to the wire in an incredible battle between McLaren and Ferrari for the Constructors’ Championship in Abu Dhabi.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1, said: “I am delighted to welcome TAG Heuer as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 as they start the next stage of their long history in our sport. With their focus on innovation, accuracy and excellence, they are a natural partner, and I am excited to see how our intertwining heritage can tell new stories for the future as we celebrate our 75th year.”
Antoine Pin, CEO of TAG Heuer, said: “In a sport defined by mental resilience, physical strength, strategy, innovation and performance it is only natural for TAG Heuer to be at the very heart of Formula 1 as Official Timekeeper. With decades of history in F1 connecting us to the most successful drivers and teams of all time, we are honoured and privileged to be the name connected to the very thing that defines the winner: time."
"As Formula 1 and their exceptional team continue to build on the amazing work that has been done to create one of the greatest properties in sport, we are excited to be part of the journey and create new stories to enrich TAG Heuer.”
As the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, TAG Heuer will have a significant presence both on and off the track, through trackside branding, Fan Zone and Paddock Club activations and new product ranges that encapsulate the drama and excitement of Formula 1.
