by OMG, you guys! The 2025 F1 season brings major news this week. The iconic crown exits, and Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer steps in as Formula 1’s new timekeeper. This partnership gives the grid a fresh vibe while honoring the sport’s rich heritage.
Farewell to the Crown
First, let’s pour one out for Rolex. The iconic “crown” has served as F1’s official timekeeper since 2013, becoming a vital part of race weekends just like the checkered flag itself. Those distinctive green digital clocks and that familiar crown logo timed some of the most dramatic moments in recent F1 history.
Remember when Lando Norris secured that breathtaking pole position in Singapore last year? Or when Oscar Piastri claimed his maiden win at Hungary? Rolex timing captured those McLaren milestone moments. When Norris and Piastri stood on that historic 1-2 podium for McLaren in Miami, Rolex timing recorded their achievement for the history books.
Change always brings mixed emotions, yet Rolex’s contribution to F1 timing deserves major respect. They witnessed Hamilton’s dominance, Verstappen’s rise, McLaren’s resurgence, and all those nail-biting finishes where thousandths of a second determined outcomes. The crown steps aside, but its legacy remains forever etched in F1’s timeline.
A Tale of Two Timekeepers: Rolex vs. TAG Heuer
The shift from Rolex to TAG Heuer brings a complete visual transformation to F1 circuits worldwide. The Rolex clocks featured that iconic green color scheme with minimalist, elegant digital displays. Their understated luxury matched Rolex’s brand identity—refined, prestigious, and traditional.
TAG Heuer’s new trackside clocks bring a totally different energy to the paddock. These bold analog timepieces, with their signature red rotating bezels, scream motorsport heritage. While Rolex clocks emphasize quiet luxury, TAG Heuer’s installations celebrate the raw, mechanical connection between watchmaking and racing.
Rolex timing structures feature clean lines and digital precision, focusing on pure functionality with minimal design flourishes beyond the crown logo. TAG Heuer’s approach embraces the mechanical soul of motorsport with oversized representations of actual Formula 1 watches, complete with luminescent hands and markers.
The Rolex timing experience felt like a prestigious country club—elegant, refined, and understated. TAG Heuer brings the spirit of the pit lane to timing—mechanical, bold, and unapologetically connected to racing’s gritty roots.
TAG Heuer: A True Homecoming
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 clocks making their debut at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix represent a reunion tour we never knew we needed!
TAG Heuer’s connection to F1 extends back decades—before most of us existed. In 1968, they pioneered as the first non-automotive brand with their logo on an F1 car (total trailblazers!). From 1992 to 2003, they held the position of official timekeepers of F1. This partnership marks a legendary comeback story.
The new trackside clocks look absolutely fire—featuring that signature red rotating bezel with bold white numerals at 10-second intervals, instantly recognizable to watch enthusiasts and casual fans alike. The bezel features a textured, gear-like edge that mirrors the knurled finish on their wristwatches. That triangular marker at 12 o’clock serves a crucial purpose as a reference point for quick readability, identical to the actual watches.
The clock faces contain bold, rectangular hour markers filled with luminescent material that glows in low light. The hour and minute hands appear broad and sword-shaped with a luminescent coating, while the seconds hand remains slender with a red tip for contrast. Every detail exists for split-second readability—because in F1, milliseconds matter!
Innovation That Transformed Racing
TAG Heuer brings seven decades of timing innovation that revolutionized motorsport to the track.
In 1911, TAG Heuer created the first dashboard chronograph specifically for cars. In 1916, they developed the Mikrograph, a stopwatch capable of measuring time to one hundredth of a second—truly revolutionary technology for that era!
This weekend’s Australian Grand Prix features custom-engineered clocks inspired by TAG Heuer Formula 1 timepieces. These clocks occupy key locations around the circuit, including timing structures and signage bridges, functioning as integral parts of the track’s infrastructure. Technicians meticulously calibrate each clock, ensuring absolute precision for every lap.
A Partnership Built on Heritage
TAG Heuer stands as motorsport royalty. Their impressive statistics include associations with teams that secured 230 wins, 595 podiums, 11 constructors’ championships, and 14 drivers’ championships. This represents dynasty-level involvement in the sport.
TAG Heuer engineered precision for racing since those early dashboard chronographs. By 1933, they introduced the Autavia (a dashboard counter accurate to 1/5th of a second)—revolutionary technology for its time. The name “Autavia” combines “automobile” and “aviation”—a perfect reflection of its dual purpose.
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch collection launched in 1986 as the brand’s tribute to motorsport. These watches served as actual team equipment during the iconic McLaren era. Mechanics and pit crew wore them while making F1 history!
TAG Heuer maintained a 30-year partnership with McLaren from 1985 to 2015. The TAG Heuer logo adorned McLaren cars driven by icons like Senna, Häkkinen, and Hamilton. Now, as McLaren returns to championship form with Norris and Piastri, TAG Heuer returns to F1’s center stage as well. Pure poetry!
The Business Revolution
TAG Heuer transformed how F1 generates revenue. In 1968, they became the first non-automotive company to have its logo on an F1 car. This move changed everything. Before this moment, only automotive and oil companies sponsored F1 teams.
This decision opened opportunities for all kinds of brands to participate in F1. TAG Heuer’s pioneering move created the sponsor-rich sport we know today, with tech companies, fashion brands, and energy drinks prominently displayed on cars.
In 1971, through their Ferrari partnership, they became the first watch brand to sponsor a Formula 1 team. That same year, they provided Ferrari with a sophisticated timing system for their new Fiorano test track—a first for F1 timing technology.
During its tenure as F1’s Official Timekeeper from 1992 to 2003, TAG Heuer introduced transponder systems that automatically identified cars and recorded lap times. They managed more than 175 Grand Prix events “without a single contested time.” This perfect record stands as a testament to their precision in a sport where milliseconds determine champions.
The Future Begins Now
This partnership extends far beyond new clocks around the track. It represents a massive 10-year deal between Formula 1 and LVMH (TAG Heuer’s parent company) that launches with F1’s 75th anniversary season. Perfect timing!
TAG Heuer will become the first-ever title partner of the Monaco Grand Prix, creating the perfect synergy considering one of their most iconic watches shares its name with the legendary street circuit. The symbolism feels absolutely perfect.
For fans, this means TAG Heuer Monaco clocks throughout the paddock and special branding around Monaco’s iconic circuit. This visual refresh honors the sport’s heritage while advancing its future.
This partnership radiates authenticity. In an era of sometimes random sponsorships, TAG Heuer and F1 share fundamental DNA. Both brands obsess over precision, innovation, and boundary-pushing.
As Stefano Domenicali, F1’s President and CEO, stated: “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.”
For a sport where milliseconds determine champions and timing equals everything, a partner whose entire existence revolves around measuring time with absolute precision makes perfect sense.
The Season Begins
The first race of the 2025 season kicks off this weekend in Australia, showcasing TAG Heuer’s transformation of Formula 1’s visual identity. Those stunning red-bezeled clocks serve as more than timing devices—they embody the racing DNA that defines both brands.
As Rolex exits and TAG Heuer returns, one truth remains constant—in Formula 1, timing means everything, both on and off the track.