Formula 1 drivers do not all wear the same watch. The paddock’s watches usually reflect one of three relationships: a championship timekeeper, a team sponsor or a personal driver collaboration. TAG Heuer is Formula 1’s Official Timekeeper from the 2025 season under a 10-year partnership between Formula 1 and LVMH; IWC is linked to Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and George Russell; and Richard Mille has current Ferrari and McLaren associations.
Which watch brands are connected to F1 drivers and teams?
The most useful way to identify an F1 watch is to identify the relationship behind it. A championship-level timekeeper serves Formula 1 as a whole, while a team watch belongs to a constructor partnership and a driver edition is tied to one competitor.
| Brand | F1 relationship | Documented watch or association | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAG Heuer | Formula 1 Official Timekeeper from 2025; 10-year Formula 1–LVMH partnership | Formula 1 Chronograph, including an Oracle Red Bull Racing special edition | Championship timing role and a Red Bull-linked product, not one universal driver watch |
| IWC | Longstanding Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS engineering partner | Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team” | Team-linked watch relationship |
| IWC | George Russell collaboration announced February 5, 2026 | Two limited-edition Pilot’s Watches with a blue-dominant design | Named current driver collaboration |
| Richard Mille | Current-season sponsorship coverage associates the brand with Ferrari and McLaren | Specific models vary by documented team or driver appearance | High-end team presence; an individual model should not be inferred without a dated identification |
| Rolex | Historical Formula 1 timekeeper and ambassador associations | Older Rolex-era relationships | Do not describe Rolex as the current official timekeeper without a season qualifier |
TAG Heuer: Formula 1’s current official timekeeper
Formula 1 announced that TAG Heuer “will return to the sport as its Official Timekeeper in 2025.” The agreement is part of a 10-year partnership with LVMH. In this context, “official timekeeper” describes the championship’s timing relationship: it does not mean every driver wears the same TAG Heuer model.
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph
TAG Heuer’s 2025 Formula 1 Chronograph catalogue lists standard Formula 1 Chronograph models and an Oracle Red Bull Racing special edition. The catalogue says the TAG Heuer–Oracle Red Bull Racing partnership began in 2016 and had produced eight collaborative timepieces by the catalogue’s publication.
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- Dial Color: Black, Case Shape: Round, Dial Glass Material: Sapphire Crystal
- Band Color: Silver, Band Material: Stainless Steel
- Watch Movement Type: SwissQuartz, Watch Display Type: Analog
- Case Material: Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel Bezel
- Warranty type:Manufacturer; 2 Years International Warranty
The Red Bull edition is therefore a documented team-linked product. It is not evidence that every Red Bull driver wears that exact reference during a race.
IWC and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS
IWC’s January 2025 release identifies the brand as a longstanding engineering partner of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and names the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team” as the team watch.
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Why this is a team watch
The black-and-teal team edition connects the watch to Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS branding and partnership activity. Seeing it on team personnel or in paddock coverage establishes a Mercedes relationship, but it does not establish that a driver wears it while driving. Drivers’ gloves, race suits and cockpit conditions also make any claim about an in-race wristwatch a separate question.
George Russell’s IWC Pilot’s Watches
On February 5, 2026, IWC announced two limited-edition Pilot’s Watches made with Mercedes driver George Russell. Both use a blue-dominant design associated with Russell’s racing identity. These are the clearest current examples in the documented material of watches created with a named F1 driver rather than simply with a team.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteBecause they are limited editions, availability and production details should be checked with IWC or an authorised retailer rather than assumed from a current-season photograph.
Where Richard Mille fits in modern F1
Richard Mille is one of the sport’s most visible high-luxury watch names. Coverage of the 2025 season associates the brand with Ferrari and McLaren. That supports describing Richard Mille as a current team-linked F1 presence, but it does not identify a particular model on a particular driver’s wrist.
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- Featuring a Silver-tone Band, Silver-tone Case, Scratch Resistant Sapphire Crystal
- Automatic movement
- Anthracite dial
- Date display
Use a specific driver-and-model claim only when a primary announcement or a dated, reliable image identification names both. “Richard Mille F1 watch” can describe the category; it cannot by itself prove which reference a driver owns or wears.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do F1 drivers wear TAG Heuer or Rolex?
Both names have Formula 1 history, but the current answer is TAG Heuer: it is the official timekeeper from the 2025 season. Rolex references belong to earlier timekeeper periods or individual ambassador relationships unless a newer, dated announcement says otherwise. A driver may still wear a Rolex personally, but that would be an individual choice, not proof of Rolex’s current championship role.
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How to choose an F1 watch
- Decide which relationship matters. Choose a championship watch such as TAG Heuer, a team edition such as IWC’s Mercedes model, or a named driver collaboration such as Russell’s IWC editions.
- Choose the format. Most documented motorsport models here are chronographs, while some driver collaborations may use a broader Pilot’s Watch design rather than a conventional racing chronograph.
- Check whether it is a regular model or limited edition. TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 Chronograph line includes regular models and a Red Bull special edition; Russell’s IWC watches are limited editions.
- Verify the exact reference and date. Team colours and logos can appear across multiple releases. Match the model to an official catalogue, brand announcement or dated image before buying.
- Check regional availability and price. Stock, pricing and retailer listings vary by country and can change; they are not established by the partnership announcements alone.
What “official” does—and does not—mean
- Official timekeeper: a championship-level timing partnership, currently TAG Heuer from 2025.
- Team partner: a constructor relationship, such as IWC with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS or Richard Mille’s documented Ferrari and McLaren associations.
- Driver collaboration: a watch developed with a named driver, such as George Russell’s two IWC limited editions announced in 2026.
- Paddock sighting: visual evidence of a watch at an event, which does not automatically prove the model is worn during a race.
Best F1 watch to buy: a practical shortlist
| Buyer priority | Best documented direction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Current Formula 1 connection | TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph | It sits within the current official-timekeeper relationship from the 2025 season. |
| Mercedes team identity | IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team” | It is the named Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team edition. |
| Named driver connection | George Russell IWC Pilot’s Watch editions | They were announced as collaborations with Russell on February 5, 2026. |
| Ultra-luxury F1 association | Richard Mille models tied to a documented Ferrari or McLaren relationship | They represent the highest-end current team association, but model and price must be verified individually. |
There is no single objectively best F1 watch. The right choice depends on whether you value current championship status, a specific team, a named driver or haute-luxury exclusivity.
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