December 2015 saw Tag Heuer become the Official Timekeeper & Official Watch of the Formula 1 Red Bull Racing team. The two brands announced the new name of the 2016 car, "Red Bull Racing - TAG Heuer RB12", with TAG Heuer being included in the team's official name. It is the first time a watchmaker has ever been named directly in the official title of an F1 team.
Last weekend, at the most glamorous of all Formula 1 Grand Prix events – Monaco – and to celebrate its first year of partnership with the most unconventional team in Formula 1, TAG Heuer introduced two special series TAG Heuer Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Team watches.
The steel chronograph bears the team's colours, midnight blue and red, an alliance which naturally alludes to the racing mindset. Adorned with a bezel sporting a tachymeter scale in matte blue aluminium, this piece reflects the DNA of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 collection perfectly.
The watch is available in two versions, one of which has a steel bracelet in keeping with the watch brand's flagship models. This model is also now available with a strap made from technical textile for a sportier look, with red stitching inspired by the seat belts of racing cars. The quartz chronograph movement is accurate to a tenth of a second – an indispensable feature in a motor racing watch – and is displayed on the small counter at 6 o'clock, with the minute counter at 9 o'clock and the current seconds counter at 3 o'clock. The hands are red, matching the team colours and complement the white counters and deep blue case back perfectly. The back of the case is of course engraved with the legendary black and white chequered flag, symbol of Formula 1, as well as the exclusive Red Bull Racing Team logo.
