Formula 1 Racing Teams and Their Watch Sponsors (2026 Update)

The Official Timekeeper of Formula 1: TAG Heuer

Before looking at individual teams, it’s worth mentioning the sport’s official timekeeping partner. TAG Heuer became the official timekeeper of Formula 1 again in 2025 as part of a major partnership between Formula 1 and LVMH, which is the parent company behind TAG Heuer. The brand has a long motorsport heritage and has been involved in Formula 1 since the 1960s.

Today, TAG Heuer branding appears throughout race weekends, from the timing systems to trackside clocks and broadcast graphics. Before that? You know. It was Rolex as the official timekeeper in Formula 1. Since LVMH has some bigger pockets, it’s now TAG Heuer’s turn.

McLaren F1 Team: Richard Mille

McLaren F1 Team fields one of the most exciting driver pairings on the grid with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The team has been extremely competitive in recent seasons and even secured the Constructors’ Championship in 2025, and Lando winning the championship in 2025. We’re really excited about what the 2026 season is about to bring!

Their watch partner Richard Mille perfectly reflects McLaren’s technical philosophy. Both brands are known for pushing the limits of lightweight engineering and advanced materials.

Notable watches from this partnership include:

• RM 50-03 McLaren F1
• RM 65-01 McLaren Split-Seconds Chronograph

Scuderia Ferrari: Richard Mille

Scuderia Ferrari features one of the most famous driver pairings in modern Formula 1: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc as a married man, and Lewis dating one of the Kardashians. Which doesn’t really matter when it comes to racing, but hey. Could’ve mentioned it.

Since 2021, Ferrari’s official watch partner has been Richard Mille, following a long collaboration between Ferrari and Hublot. One of the most talked-about watches from this partnership is the RM UP-01 Ferrari, which briefly held the record as the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. It’s been worn by many celebs, including Pharrell Williams.

Ferrari drivers frequently wear Richard Mille models both on the track and during race weekends. Did you spot them yet?

Oracle Red Bull Racing: TAG Heuer

Oracle Red Bull Racing continues its partnership with TAG Heuer, a collaboration that began in 2016. The team fields Max Verstappen, one of the most dominant drivers of the modern era, alongside young French driver Isack Hadjar.

TAG Heuer often launches racing-inspired watches tied to the team, including limited editions from the TAG Heuer Formula 1 and Carrera collections. We wonder what limited edition TAG will be on the wrist of these two drivers this year.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team: IWC Schaffhausen

Mercedes‑AMG Petronas Formula One Team continues its long-standing partnership with IWC Schaffhausen, which began in 2013. The team fields George Russell alongside highly rated young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Both of these drivers will be competing for the championship this year, which is our guess.

IWC regularly releases “Mercedes-AMG Petronas” special editions, often featuring the team’s signature black and turquoise color scheme.

Popular models seen on the drivers include:

• IWC Big Pilot
• IWC Pilot’s Chronograph
• IWC Ingenieur

Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team: Breitling

Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team is represented by veteran champion Fernando Alonso and Canadian driver Lance Stroll. Shall we guess how many cars Lance is about to crash this season? Jokes aside, there’s a new player in town. When it comes to watch sponsors!

In 2026, Breitling became the team’s official watch partner. The collaboration highlights the connection between high-performance automotive engineering and Swiss watchmaking, with models like the Navitimer B01 Chronograph Aston Martin edition drawing inspiration from the brand’s racing heritage.

BWT Alpine F1 Team: H. Moser & Cie.

BWT Alpine F1 Team partners with independent Swiss watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. The team currently fields Pierre Gasly alongside Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. We’re really hoping that Alpine will come back this year with some strong points.

H. Moser is known for its minimalist designs and unconventional marketing, making it one of the more unique partnerships in Formula 1. The collaboration has already produced several limited-edition watches inspired by Alpine’s distinctive blue and pink color scheme.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls: Tudor

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team, which is Red Bull’s sister team, partners with Tudor, Rolex’s sibling brand. The team fields Liam Lawson alongside young British driver Arvid Lindblad.

Tudor has been expanding its motorsport presence in recent years, using Formula 1 to promote sporty chronograph models such as the Black Bay Chrono. We’ve seen some carbon pieces already, some crazy dials on Black Bay Ceramics, so what’s happening in 2026? We’re curious.

Teams Without a Dedicated Watch Sponsor

Several teams on the 2026 grid currently do not have an official watch partnership. Since there are some new teams on the grid, it’s going to be a very interesting season.

The teams without a watch sponsor (just yet):

Atlassian Williams Racing

We’ve got a soft spot for this team and their drivers. Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon are incredibly capable drivers, the team has made some serious progress last year, so I’m really hoping they will deliver some points in 2026. But, they’ll have to do it without a dedicated watch sponsor.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team

With Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman as their drivers, hopefully we can expect some serious racing this season. 2025 did not disappoint for Haas, so we are very curious what’s happening in the 2026 season. Will they be in the mid section this year?

Audi F1 Team

A brand new team in Formula 1 in 2026: Audi F1 racing. With experienced driver Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, it will be fun watching these guys on and off track. No watch sponsor just yet, but that will probably change within 2027 as they might score some points this year!

Cadillac F1 Team

Another new team, and two amazing drivers: Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas. Fun to watch off track, but will they deliver some serious results on track as well? We can’t wait to find out. We’re excited!

Why Watch Brands Love Formula 1

Formula 1 is one of the most powerful marketing platforms in sport, with a global audience reaching hundreds of millions every season. One of the dreams for us as well: being able to sponsor a racing team in the future. We’ll see what happens.

For luxury watch brands, the sport offers several advantages:

• global exposure
• association with precision engineering
• access to high-net-worth audiences
• opportunities for limited-edition collaborations

Because both industries revolve around precision, performance, and innovation, the partnership between watchmaking and Formula 1 feels entirely natural.

FAQ: Formula 1 Teams and Their Watch Sponsors

Who is the official timekeeper of Formula 1 in 2026?

The official timekeeper of Formula 1 in 2026 is TAG Heuer. The Swiss watch brand returned to the role in 2025 as part of a major partnership between Formula 1 and luxury group LVMH. Before TAG Heuer, Rolex held the position of official timekeeper from 2013 until 2024.

Which watch brands sponsor Formula 1 teams?

Several luxury watch brands currently sponsor Formula 1 teams. As of the 2026 season, the main partnerships include:

• Richard Mille – McLaren and Ferrari
• TAG Heuer – Red Bull Racing
• IWC Schaffhausen – Mercedes-AMG Petronas
• Breitling – Aston Martin
• H. Moser & Cie. – Alpine
• Tudor – Visa Cash App Racing Bulls

These collaborations often include limited-edition watches, driver endorsements, and branding on the race cars.

Which Formula 1 teams do not have a watch sponsor?

Not every team currently has a dedicated watch partner. In the 2026 Formula 1 season, the teams without an official watch sponsor include:

• Atlassian Williams Racing
• MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
• Audi F1 Team
• Cadillac F1 Team

However, drivers from these teams may still wear watches through personal sponsorship deals.

Why do watch brands sponsor Formula 1 teams?

Luxury watch brands sponsor Formula 1 teams because both industries share similar values: precision, engineering, performance, and innovation.

Formula 1 also offers global exposure, with hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. For watch brands, this makes the sport an ideal platform to showcase high-performance timepieces and reach affluent audiences.

Which Formula 1 team is partnered with Richard Mille?

Richard Mille currently partners with McLaren F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari. The brand is known for producing extremely technical and lightweight watches, making the collaboration with Formula 1 teams a natural fit.

Do Formula 1 drivers wear their team’s watch sponsor?

In many cases, yes. Drivers often wear watches from their team’s official partner during race weekends, media appearances, and promotional events.

However, some drivers may also have personal watch sponsorships, meaning they could wear different brands outside official team activities.