As someone who grew up in a motorsports family, I have known the TAG Heuer name since I was a kid. When I hear the words “racing” and “watches,” TAG Heuer is the first brand that comes to mind; it always has and always will. Heuer has an extensive history in motorsport and various series: Indy, F1, Formula E, Porsche Carerra Cup, the Carrera Panamericana, and more. TAG Heuer is the most prominent watch brand ever to step foot in motorsport, and to be honest, Heuer is motorsport to a large extent. In recent months, Rolex announced they would be stepping away as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, and TAG Heuer will take the helm, and the motorsport journey continues.
1958 Heuer Monte Carlo dashboard First transatlantic jet passenger service started by BOAC, with a New York to London route (Image: timeline.watch)
But with every legacy, there’s a beginning, and I’m providing an extremely condensed version. After decades of Heuer creating onboard instruments and tools for aircraft and automobiles, Jack Heuer, who became the majority shareholder at the age of 28, moved his ideas and innovations to motorsport in 1958 when he participated as a co-driver/navigator in a rally race in his hometown of Bern, Switzerland. His team was in the lead, but a malfunction caused the onboard timer to be off by one minute, causing them to drop and finish 3rd. From this upset, Jack would design a larger, more reliable chronograph for racing.
(Image: monochrome-watches.com)
In the following years, Heuer produced several watches and technical innovations around motorsport: the creations and releases of the iconic Carerra, Autavia and Monaco and would cement their place in motorsport in 1971 with a timing system created for Ferrari’s Formula 1 Team, which F1 would later adopt for tracking lap times during qualifying. Heuer would also assist in designing the technology which allowed teams and drivers to see their car data, showcasing throttle and brake input, turning radius, and many other tools that could help a driver shed those tenths of a second and secure a higher qualifying position.
For decades, Heuer watches have been worn by the world's most significant drivers: Mario Andretti, Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Jochen Rindt, Keke Rosberg, Ayrton Senna and Max Verstappen, to name a few. Heuer is a brand immersed in motorsport, and having such an icon back as the Official Timekeeper of the most prestigious form of racing brings me so much happiness. I like Rolex; don’t get me wrong. Rolex has a motorsport history, specifically in Le Mans, but TAG Heuer is the pinnacle watch brand in the business of fast cars and champions.
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