Mario C 
TAG Heuer makes their presence felt on the starting grid once more with a new TAG Heuer Formula 1. This new release pays tribute to both the 20-year anniversary of the legendary Oracle Red Bull Racing, and the ongoing partnership between the two spectacular brands.
It’s the end of the year already! Well, it certainly doesn’t feel like it, to be honest. My mind kind of clocked out in July, so I’ve had precious little time to process this month if any at all. TAG Heuer shares a similar sentiment about the year gone by, as they seem to be ignoring any pretences of a relaxation period by revving up yet another release with longstanding partner, Oracle Red Bull Racing.
Since 1976, Red Bull has made significant strides to transform their image. From Krating Daeng, the essential pick-me-up for truck drivers and jet lag, to the ‘cool people doing cool things (that are usually extremely dangerous)’ multinational icon, the rise of the now-culturally inescapable Red Bull brand is something worthy of admiration. No other energy drink brand has ever gone as far as they have to sponsor some of humanity’s greatest sporting feats, and it was only a matter of time before they entered the illustrious world of motorsports. They would do just that in 2004, when they became a sponsor of Formula 1, one of the most televised motorsports of all time. It wouldn’t take long for them to take advantage of the situation, though, as they penned a deal to replace the Jaguar Formula One team, effectively joining the organisation as the year closed.
In the wake of 6 Constructor’s Championships, 8 Driver’s Championships (half of which now belong to the venerable Max Verstappen), 122 race victories and 99 fastest laps, the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team has clearly gone from fledgling to legend. This year, they ring in the 20th anniversary of their union with Formula One, which of course needs an appropriate celebrant for the occasion. Who better to ask, perhaps, than TAG Heuer? The La Chaux-du-Fonds brand likely knows motorsport better than anyone out there: The brand formerly known as Heuer became the first ever non-automotive sponsor in Formula 1 in the early seventies, and even became the official timekeeper of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team in 2016 – the same year as Verstappen.
So while parent company LVMH is busy signing a 10-year deal to sponsor Formula 1, TAG Heuer has set aside appropriate time to properly commemorate the innumerable achievements they shared alongside the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. Of course, the only fitting model for the occasion was the Formula One collection, with TAG Heuer creating a new 3000-piece limited edition run.
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Standing at a 43mm case diameter x 48.5mm lug-to-lug x 11mm thickness, you could be fooled into thinking that this watch is a lot larger than you bargained for. This is half true; The C-shape case DNA still runs true in the Formula One Collection, but you’d be happy to know that the watch wears more true to size than those of a similar width. The quartz chronograph movement – a Ronda-based calibre – remains in this watch, but it’s hardly a pain point considering the entry-level nature of the Formula 1 lineup.
Though the Red Bull Special Edition has long been a mainstay in TAG Heuer’s annual lineup, this celebratory rendition has a few tricks up its sleeve to help differentiate it from its original lineage. The case is now offered in a black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating, dramatically improving all-around scratch resistance, accompanied by a navy strap reminiscent of the Oracle Red Bull Racing uniform colours.
The dial has been significantly updated, with a grained finish that evokes a navy-coloured asphalt, with the Oracle Red Bull Racing logo also making its first-ever appearance on the dial. No other Red Bull Special Edition has ever done this before, so this one is definitely for the hardcore fans. Finally, the case back has been adorned with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s 20th season and team logos – a duo of defining symbols in the world of motorsports that remain of equal importance to TAG Heuer.
Initial Thoughts
Complete with a unique leather travel case and sleek branded box, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph X Oracle Red Bull Racing is a love letter to one of the best modern Formula 1 companies around. Built from the ground up as a tribute to the achievements of Red Bull and TAG Heuer, it’s a purpose-built piece with a sentimental design that can even make McLaren’s Lando Norris happy – I didn’t even know that was possible this season!
Yes, the Oracle Red Bull Racing team still has a long way to go before they can enter the Formula 1 Hall of Fame – Scuderia Ferrari, for example, has 15 Driver’s Championships and 16 Constructor’s Championships to their name. However, they’ve been in the game since the 1950s, and in about a third of the time, Oracle Red Bull Racing is already halfway to matching their resume. In any case, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph X Oracle Red Bull Racing stands as a double-decade victory lap for Oracle Red Bull Racing, celebrating all of their current achievements whilst anticipating how much more of the journey there is left to go. And with Max Verstappen recently collecting his fourth championship in a row, who knows how long until Ferrari starts quaking in their boots? Better start your engines!
Reference: CAZ101AZ.FT8090
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 43mm case diameter x 48.5mm lug-to-lug x 11mm thickness
- Case Material: Black DLC stainless steel
- Dial: Blue with Yellow & Red accents, Red Bull motif
- Movement: Quartz
- Complications: Date, Chronograph with 1/10th sec & 30 min registers
- Water Resistance: 200m (20bar)
- Strap: Blue rubber with black DLC steel pin buckle
