TAG Heuer’s ties to Formula 1 go way back to Jo Siffert’s time — 1969 — and have since grown to be uniquely diverse and strong. As the brand returns as Formula 1’s official timing partner, it seemed like a perfect time to look at a whimsical selection of notable moments from their shared history. After all, any fan of the brand or Formula 1 will have iconic car liveries, racing suits, helmets, trackside banners, and broadcast overlays burned into their memory for life, all sporting the Heuer, or later, TAG Heuer crest. Today, TAG Heuer officially declares “WE ARE BACK,” as it returns as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 following a previous stint in this prominent role between 1992 and 2003.
If you are like me, then any major news related to F1 will matter to you deeply. Having watched every single Formula 1 race from the last 30 years (your mileage may vary) as an avid fan of the sport, as well as certain teams, drivers, and tracks, the evolution of the “pinnacle of motorsport” is equally dear, no doubt. Now, imagine if the latest news is linked to F1 and watches, and you’ll soon develop this very real and rather exotic sense of excitement — one that will utterly fail to resonate with those repulsed by “just cars going around in a circle.” Well, neither this TAG Heuer news, nor this article is dedicated to those yet to be drawn in by screaming V12s, howling V10s, raspy V8s, and humming V6s.
Jack Heuer showing a young Niki Lauda Heuer watches.
I tried to find the origins of the phrase “the pinnacle of motorsport” and there does not appear to be a definitive source for it. Still, even as a “fake it till you make it” approach, Formula 1 has, indeed, become a representation of top-tier automotive technology and racecraft, where the difference between glory and failure often comes down to tenths, hundredths, or even thousandths of a second. You may have seen Russell and Verstappen qualify with identical 1:12.000 times in Canada last year, just to mention a more recent example. The point is that Formula 1 is not only about mind-bending physics or racing tactics, but it is also, crucially, about time and its precise measurement.
This is where TAG Heuer came into the picture — not just in 2025, but much, much earlier. Heuer originally developed its Centigraph HL205 for “il Commendatore” (that’s Enzo Ferrari) as “he was absolutely sure that the French were cheating” while timing the Le Mans race on their home turf. This high-tech electronic timing device served Ferrari well in Le Mans and in Formula 1, where Ferrari won the World Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in 1975 with Niki Lauda. Soon after, BRM, McLaren, Surtees, and others also got their Heuer Centigraph timing devices. Heuer remained a partner of Ferrari until 1979, before continuing with McLaren. In 1985, McLaren’s owner, Techniques d’Avant Garde Group acquired Heuer, which thus became TAG Heuer. The new logo was added to the MP4/2C, the stunning red and white McLaren that took Alain Prost to victory in 1986.
The frankly epic TAG Heuer S/EL S25706C from 1991.
In the same year, TAG Heuer launched its Formula 1 collection that lives on to date. In fact, TAG Heuer relaunched various 1980s references together with Kith just last year. In 1988, Ayrton Senna joined McLaren and began wearing TAG Heuer watches from 1989. Senna forged his image as an unforgettable personality both on and off the track, with some iconic photos showing the man and his TAG Heuer S/EL S25706C. Frankly, following the Kith reboot of the 1980s Formula 1, we would not be surprised to see the S/EL or Series 6000 make a return soon, too. Sign us up for the S/EL chronograph in two-tone, on brown leather.
Soon after, in 1993, TAG Heuer became the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 — just a year before the untimely and tragic passing of Senna and Ratzenberger, just a day apart, in Imola. What is sometimes referred to as the “Modern Era” or “Golden Era” of Formula 1 began in 1995 with the introduction of high-revving V10 engines, as well as new safety developments. It was here, during this nearly 20-year period between 1995 and 2013, that Formula 1 underwent its spectacular transformation, where every new year brought yet louder and higher-performing engines, more advanced aerodynamics, various driving aids (though not to everyone’s approval), and greater speed.
TAG Heuer was there during Formula 1’s golden years, with a prominent presence on everyone’s TV screen at home every other moment during qualification and racing, as well as on some of the beautiful racing cars. It was at this time that Mika Häkkinen became world champion in 1998 and 1999, rocking TAG Heuer. In 2006, the V8 era began, and just a year later, a young Lewis Hamilton joined the grid. TAG Heuer, as befits the brand, launched yet another iconic advertising campaign called “What are you made of?” this time with McLaren drivers Räikkönen, Alonso, and Hamilton — as well as Uma Thurman, Maria Sharapova, Brad Pitt, and others. On a personal note, although I had zero interest in watches at the time, I still distinctly remember when and where I first saw a TAG Heuer billboard with Räikkönen.
In 2015, after 30 years of collaboration, TAG Heuer parted ways with McLaren — just as it fatefully switched from Mercedes-Benz to Honda as its engine supplier, but that is a story for another day. In 2016, TAG Heuer joined Red Bull, where it would go on to score 4 World Driver’s Championship titles with Max Verstappen, as well as two consecutive World Constructors’ Championships. The partnership with the Oracle Red Bull F1 team will continue alongside the watchmaker’s new role as the Official Timekeeper for Formula 1.
Today, Formula 1 is one of the most “culturally significant and successful sporting championships in the world,” explains TAG Heuer, with 750 million fans worldwide, and a fanbase that is becoming younger and more diverse with 42% of fans now women and one in three under 35 years old. The 2024 season saw 1.5 billion viewers tune into an epic season, and we can certainly attest to it having been a fantastic dash across a record-breaking 24 races held in 21 different countries. “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” said Antoine Pin, the recently appointed CEO of TAG Heuer.
LVMH becomes F1 Global Partner from 2025 in a historic 10-year deal. Left to right – Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, Greg Maffei, President & CEO, Liberty Media, Bernard Arnault, Chairman & CEO of LVMH Group, and Frédéric Arnault, CEO of LVMH Watches. Source: Formula1.com
We broke the news in October last year that LVMH scored a 10-year sponsorship deal with Liberty Media, the owner of Formula 1, as the sport’s Global Partner, keeping Rolex away for the next decade. TAG Heuer, as the Official Timekeeper, will be accompanied by sister brands Louis Vuitton and Moët & Chandon, though these will most likely be relegated to the podium celebrations and some display advertising — but we are prepared to be surprised.
2025 marks the 75th year of Formula 1, and the beginning of a new era for us watch and F1 enthusiasts as a new-old name is back on the screen with TAG Heuer. We look forward to further relaunched classics like the Kith x Formula 1 of last year, and we do have high hopes for some properly modern F1-themed watch releases, as well. The 2025 Formula 1 season begins with testing in Sakhir, Bahrain between February 26-28, and the first race weekend starts on March 14 in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. You can learn more at the brand’s website.
