Life is an eternal beginning again. 22 years after leaving the fold of F1 as official timekeeper, TAG Heuer replaces Rolex. The watch brand and Formula 1 are a long, multiple love story.
In 1971, Heuer (and not yet TAG Heuer) became the first watchmaker to sponsor an F1 team. And it wasn't just any brand since the brand was affixed to the Scuderia Ferrari single-seaters. As a sponsor, TAG Heuer has achieved 230 victories, more than 500 podiums and 14 drivers' titles and 11 manufacturers' titles.
With Ferrari, Heuer enjoyed great success in motorsport, both in F1 and in endurance. The brand became synonymous with motorsport thanks to McQueen and his film Le Mans, while other watch brands remained with aviation, which was more elitist. The marriage with TAG (Technique d’Avant-Garde) took place in 1985.
TAG Heuer synonymous with Formula 1 and motorsport
As TAG and the Ojjeh family own the McLaren team, TAG Heuer becomes an inseparable partner of the Woking team. The watchmaker will then strengthen his involvement in Formula 1 by becoming from 1992 to 2003 the official timekeeper of the discipline. More anecdotally, TAG Heuer will return to F1 by sponsoring the Renault engine in the Red Bulls.
This is the great return of the Swiss brand. Owned by LVMH since a friendly takeover bid in 1999, Tag Heuer therefore steals the contract from Rolex for a period of 10 years. We are talking about 100 million dollars per year to appear everywhere, on the circuits, on the packaging, on the F1 website, etc.
From 1982 to 1992, the official timekeeper of F1 was Longines. Then it was Tag Heuer until 2003. F1 then experienced a “slump” in its image and the timekeeper became LG until the end of 2012. From 2013 to 2024 we therefore had Rolex which was pushed out.
For LVMH and F1, 2025 will be marked by the return of champagne to the podiums. In fact, Moët & Chandon replaces the Ferrari sparkling wine (which has nothing to do with Scuderia Ferrari) which had replaced Carbon. For Liberty Media, it is the price of an F1 which has regained luster all around the world and is once again attracting generous sponsors.
