Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer has unveiled two new special-edition chronographs in its Formula 1 collection, honouring the legacy of Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna. The timepieces, made available in time for the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix, mix racing-inspired design, motorsport-adjacent materials and craftsmanship that reflects the spirit of speed, precision and national pride of my motherland Brazil.
Back in 1988 Senna joined the top-tier of Formula 1, and around the same time TAG Heuer’s bond with racing shifted into full gear. Over the decades, Senna became the face of precision and courage on track and off it. For us Brazilians, Senna is an icon of national skill, ambition and a knack for pushing boundaries. Which is why when TAG Heuer launches “Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna” editions, they are hardly ever just fancy watches: they always use that opportunity to tell a story we know all too well while also bringing new tech to the table.
This couple of new offerings comprises of a 44mm automatic chronograph and a 43mm quartz chronograph. The former is crafted in Grade 2 titanium with black DLC-coating and a sand-blasted finish. The fixed tachymeter bezel in forged carbon, which has Senna’s “S” logo engraved to it, circles the black sun-ray finish dial that has racing-inspired accents.
The yellow lacquered central seconds hand brings colour that is followed by the running seconds subdial at 9, but it is nothing compared to the colours found on the 12-hour counter at 6, which mimics the colour scheme used on Senna’s famous racing helmet. The yellow motif continues onto the rubber strap, with contrast provided by the black steel pin buckle.
Inside, you get the Calibre 16 automatic movement (Valjoux/ETA 7750 architecture) operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and 42-hour power reserve. The caseback is screw-down, made of titanium, and is engraved with Senna’s helmet visor imagery
The quartz model moves to stainless steel, for both the 43mm case and the bracelet, which has the distinctive “S”-shaped links, the same style favoured by Senna during his career. The dial has a black sun-ray brushed texture with yellow, green, blue accents at 6 o’clock sub-dial, and is flanked by a black aluminium tachymeter bezel with the Senna logo.
For its beating heart, TAG offers a Swiss quartz chronograph, with functions that include hours, minutes, seconds, date, 1/10th second counter and 30-minute counter. Water resistance clocks at 200m.
This new collection was announced in conjunction with the São Paulo Grand Prix 2025 and will be available immediately in TAG Heuer boutiques and authorised retailers worldwide. The 43mm edition is limited to 3,000 pieces, while the 44 mm model is presented as a special edition without a stated global cap. Prices are in the US$ 5,850 and US$ 2,700 ballpark, respectively.
For gadget fans, the appeal is two-fold: you get racing heritage, but also tangible tech value, with good finishing, advanced materials, and a look that echoes automotive instrumentation. The S/EL-bracelet version, on the other hand, is a friendlier size for everyday wear while still nodding to Senna’s era. If you’re in the habit of tracking lap times (or just live with the thought of doing so), the tachymeter bezel and chronograph registers feel appropriate.
With these two timepieces, TAG Heuer once again combines motorsport heritage, Brazilian national pride and watchmaking precision, delivering chronographs that resonate with fans of speed, design and technological performance. The legacy of Senna lives on even after all these years, and with TAG Heuer being back so close to F1 as their official timekeeper, this was just a matter of time – pun intended.
