The Key Timepieces of Formula 1 in 2025: Horology Meets the Paddock

Formula 1 is more than a race—it is an arena where engineering excellence, national pride, cutting-edge materials, and global brand narratives meet. And few industries have embraced the sport quite like Swiss watchmaking. With its millisecond-level demands and global fanbase, F1 provides the ideal stage for watch maisons to express their identity.

In 2025, the interplay between horology and motorsport has reached a new high. The 76th edition of the FIA Formula One World Championship began on 16 March in Melbourne, featuring new brand alliances, high-profile driver partnerships, and some of the most technically compelling timepieces released in recent years.

A Changing of the Guard: TAG Heuer Becomes Official Timekeeper

As of this season, TAG Heuer replaces Rolex as the official timekeeper of Formula 1, ending over a decade of Rolex's visibility on starting lights, podiums, and broadcast clocks. The move follows LVMH’s title sponsorship of the series—a landmark partnership reportedly valued at $150 million annually, marking the first time a luxury conglomerate of this scale has fully integrated timing and brand presence across F1.

For TAG Heuer, this represents both a return and an evolution. The brand’s roots in motorsport run deep: from Jack Heuer’s sponsorship of Scuderia Ferrari in the 1970s, to McLaren’s domination in the 1980s and 1990s, and today, its close association with Red Bull Racing.

As Red Bull’s official watch partner, TAG Heuer provides technical support, marketing presence, and limited-edition chronographs—especially within its Formula 1 and Monaco lines. Expect to see updated models tied to key races and championship moments.

Tudor Black Bay Ceramic Blue: Serious Chronometry for RB

Tudor’s partnership with the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team (formerly AlphaTauri) aligns a young, aggressive team with a watch brand that thrives on performance and reliability. The Black Bay Ceramic “Blue” debuted in 2024 as a team-exclusive and was later released to the public.

Certified by METAS, the MT5602-1U movement ensures COSC-level accuracy, magnetic resistance up to 15,000 gauss, and is tested in multiple positions and temperatures. This certification, often associated with Omega, represents a rare accolade in Tudor’s catalogue.

A 41mm matte black ceramic case, blue dial, and hybrid leather–rubber strap give the piece a contemporary aesthetic rooted in tool-watch functionality. It’s a launch that balances F1 glamour with everyday wearability.

Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari: Mechanical Extremes

The RM UP-01 Ferrari is not just a watch—it’s a provocation. Developed in partnership with Ferrari and unveiled in 2022, the piece is officially the thinnest mechanical watch in the world, measuring just 1.75mm in total thickness.

This was achieved by eliminating the traditional stacked architecture of movement and case, instead creating a monobloc plate where the calibre and caseback are one. The result: an ultra-flat, shock-resistant watch with a 50-hour power reserve, housed in grade 5 titanium and weighing only 30 grams.

Seen on the wrists of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the RM UP-01 is emblematic of Richard Mille’s uncompromising approach to innovation. Alongside Ferrari, McLaren Racing also enjoys a partnership with the brand, ensuring its presence across multiple paddocks.

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton for Alpine

Independent maison H. Moser & Cie, often known for its minimalist dials and conceptual watchmaking, has gone in a different direction for its Alpine Motorsports partnership. The Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition is an assertively technical watch, combining architectural openness with tourbillon prestige.

Inside the 42.3mm stainless steel case, the HMC 811 calibre features a cylindrical hairspring tourbillon—a nod to traditional marine chronometers and a rare sight in modern wristwatches. With a power reserve of 74 hours and sapphire dial bridges, the timepiece merges form and function with mechanical transparency.

It is limited to 100 pieces worldwide, retailing for CHF 89,000, and continues Moser’s effort to balance haute horlogerie with contemporary relevance.

IWC and Mercedes-AMG Petronas: Functionality in the Pitlane

A fixture on the grid since 2013, IWC Schaffhausen’s partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas has produced some of the most recognisable racing-themed watches of the past decade. This includes various versions of the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 in team livery, worn by mechanics and drivers alike.

The 2023 Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Edition, for example, featured a grade 5 titanium case, Ceratanium pushers, and an IWC-manufactured calibre 69385. As the team looks to reclaim dominance in 2025, new releases may further embrace carbon fibre, lightweight alloys, and sustainable strap options.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute x Aston Martin: Carbon Sophistication

Girard-Perregaux’s alliance with Aston Martin continues to evolve, with the Laureato Absolute Chronograph Aston Martin Edition standing out as a high-performance design piece.

Constructed from a carbon-titanium matrix derived from F1 manufacturing processes, the watch offers both visual dynamism and reduced weight. The green dial accents, cross-hatching pattern, and racing-style rubber strap are directly inspired by Aston Martin’s design codes.

Inside ticks the GP03300-1058 calibre with a 46-hour power reserve and column-wheel chronograph functionality. This is a watch built for both the garage and the grandstand.

Bianchet x Maserati MSG Racing: From Formula E to F1 Glimpses

Although its official partnership remains in Formula E, Bianchet is slowly making inroads into the broader motorsport conversation. The Flying Tourbillon Grande Date models—crafted from carbon-titanium composite or carbon with titanium dust—are performance-oriented from every angle.

The manual-winding skeleton calibre boasts shock resistance to 5000G, 90-hour autonomy, and a barrel-shaped case measuring 43 x 51mm. Only 21 pieces of each version are available. These are high-concept watches, designed with the same structural rigour as the cars they nod to.

Notably, a Bianchet was recently spotted on the wrist of Esteban Ocon, suggesting a potential expansion of brand presence into Formula 1 circles.

Timing in the Paddock: Why It Matters

Watch partnerships in F1 are more than just logo placements. Official timekeepers like TAG Heuer provide the timing infrastructure for qualifying laps, pit stop analysis, and race telemetry—data that must be accurate to the thousandth of a second.

Meanwhile, team partnerships align the design language of watches with the colours, materials, and identity of each constructor. From the military precision of IWC to the ultra-luxury experimentation of Richard Mille, the grid is now as much a showcase for horology as it is for horsepower.

Final Lap

As F1 deepens its global footprint and welcomes a new generation of fans, watch brands continue to evolve alongside it—technically, aesthetically, and commercially. Whether on the wrist of a world champion or a race engineer, the watches of the 2025 season reaffirm one truth:

In Formula 1, every second is measured—and every detail matters.