Formula 1 Turns 75, Watch Brands Race To Victory

Formula 1 racing in North America is finally catching on – as it has already long since done in other parts of the world. This is especially true as F1 celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.  And watch brands that have support the sport are witnessing increased visibility now, as well. From Louis Vuitton to TAG Heuer and a host of other brands that sponsor teams, the race is on to get to Victory Lane.

This year, the LVMH Group steps in with Louis Vuitton as a global partner and TAG Heuer as the Official Timing Partner. TAG Heuer is also a sponsor of Red Bull Racing. Other brands also play roles, like sponsoring teams. For instance, Richard Mille sponsor two teams, McLaren and Ferrari. IWC partners with Mercedes AMG and has a big role in this summer’s blockbuster “F1: The Movie.” Tudor supports Visa Cash App RB, H. Moser & Cie partners with Alpine Motorsports team and Girard-Perregaux still partners with Aston Marting Aramco.

This year, too, to mark the occasion of its 75^th anniversary, Formula 1 has undertaken a remarkable project: breathing new life into its black-and-white past by colorizing footage of its first Grand Prix at Silversone. Grainy reels of Giuseppe “Nino” Farina sawing his wheel through the curves of Silverstone in 1950 now burst with color—the glint of sunlight on metal, the rich red of his Alfa Romeo 158, the earth-toned backdrop of a still-young racetrack culture.

For the watchmakers that have been avid supporters of F1 racing since its early day, the
revival was more than a celebration; it was a marketing renaissance. Archival footage
showed their logos faintly emblazoned on pit walls and jumpsuits, now vivid with 21st-century tech. Suddenly, these historical partnerships felt immediate again, as if the precision of a mechanical chronograph could still be felt in the roar of straight-six engines of yester-year.

Back in 1950, the cars were fast, but the world moved slower. Now, with streaming platforms delivering historic races remastered to audiences for the first time, the velocity of F1’s culture is accelerating—into homes, hearts, and the growing mainstream of American sports fandom.

Now, with the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix coming up on Sunday June 13 to the 15, racing and car fans are sure to see some new graphics from F1, as well as some bold new timepieces. We will keep you informed at Formula 1 has kicked into high gear.

 75 years of Formula1 by the numbers:

• 1,131 Grands Prix
• 787 drivers started a Formula 1 Grand Prix, from 41 countries
• 151 of the 787 drivers have represented the US, 148 from the UK, and 85 from Italy.
• 34 different F1 Drivers’ Champions
• 115 different F1 Grand Prix winners
• 216 podium finishers
• 107 different polesitters
• 77 circuits across 34 countries
• 11 circuits appeared only once on the F1 Calendar (Casablanca, Berlin, Dallas, Donington, Le Mans, Monsanto, Mugello, Pescara, Riverside, Sebring, Zeltweg)
  

  H. Moser & Cie joins forces with Alpine Motorsports, and we expect to witness great things at the upcoming Miami F1 races.