When the São Paulo Grand Prix takes place, it is not only speed and adrenaline at the centre — but a piece of motorsport history. TAG Heuer presents two new special editions dedicated to racing legend Ayrton Senna, unveiled in time for the 2025 race. With these models the Swiss brand continues to honour a name that forever changed Formula 1, both on and off the track.
A legacy of precision and passion
The collaboration between TAG Heuer and Ayrton Senna goes back to 1988 — the same year the Brazilian driver took his first world championship title. It was the beginning of one of the watch world’s most iconic partnerships. Senna became an official ambassador in 1993 and wore his beloved TAG Heuer S/EL chronograph with the characteristic S-shaped bracelet. Since then the relationship between the brand and Senna’s family has grown into something larger than racing: through special editions, TAG Heuer contributes to the Instituto Ayrton Senna, a foundation that helps millions of children in Brazil gain access to education and a better future. More than three decades after his passing, Senna continues to inspire — not only drivers, but a whole generation of watch enthusiasts.
Two expressions of a legend
TAG Heuer now launches the Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna 44 mm and the Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna 43 mm — two models that reflect different sides of the legendary driver. The larger version (reference CBZ2081.FT8092) is driven by an automatic Calibre 16 and presents a bold design in Grade 2 titanium with black DLC coating, measuring 44 mm across (14.3 mm thick, 47.3 mm lug-to-lug) with 200 m water resistance. A sunbrushed black dial with yellow accents and details in the Brazilian colours brings to mind Senna’s iconic helmet, with a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock in blue, green and yellow, a 30-minute counter at 12, and small seconds at 9 carrying a yellow “S.” The forged-carbon bezel with the engraved “S” emblem and the laser-engraved caseback showing Senna’s focused gaze through his visor reinforce the sense of speed and determination. The watch is completed by a sporty yellow rubber strap and delivered in a specially designed deep-blue box. The movement, based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750, runs at 4 Hz with a 42-hour power reserve. It is priced at CHF 5,550 (€5,750 / about US$5,850).
The slightly smaller 43 mm model (reference CAZ101AX.BA0637), fitted with a quartz movement, carries clear design cues from Senna’s 1980s aesthetic. The classic S/EL bracelet returns — an icon that combines sportiness with sophisticated comfort, in brushed and polished steel with a folding clasp. At 12.4 mm it is thinner than its automatic sibling. The black dial lights up with yellow, green and red details (running seconds at 3, a 1/10-second counter at 6 in Brazilian-flag tones with a red hand, and a 30-minute totaliser at 9), while the black aluminium tachymeter scale with the SENNA logo marks this out as more than an ordinary Formula 1 model. This version is limited to 3,000 pieces and is, without doubt, a collector’s item for racing fans and watch lovers alike, priced at CHF 2,550 (€2,650 / about US$2,700).
Designed to win — a tribute to the winning spirit
The launch coincides with TAG Heuer’s “Designed to Win” campaign, inspired by Senna’s classic quote: “I’m not designed to come second or third. I’m designed to win.” It is a philosophy that runs through both the brand and the sport — precision under pressure, unshakeable determination, and the will to push the limits. Bianca Senna, Ayrton’s niece and head of the Senna brand, is today deeply involved in the design process for each new model, describing the collaboration as a way to carry Senna’s values of focus, excellence and passion to new generations.
TAG Heuer — leading on and off the track
With these two models TAG Heuer again shows why the brand is so strongly associated with the racing world. From its iconic connection to the Monaco GP and Red Bull Racing to this latest tribute to Ayrton Senna — and its renewed role as official timekeeper of Formula 1 — TAG Heuer continues to define the F1 scene in both design and spirit. For more of the brand’s motorsport story, see our look at the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12.
What are the two TAG Heuer x Senna models?
A 44 mm automatic in black DLC titanium with a forged-carbon bezel (Calibre 16), and a 43 mm quartz in steel with the revived S/EL bracelet, limited to 3,000 pieces.
What do they cost?
The 44 mm automatic is CHF 5,550 (about US$5,850) and the 43 mm quartz is CHF 2,550 (about US$2,700).
Why honour Senna now?
The launch coincides with the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix and TAG Heuer’s “Designed to Win” campaign, marking a partnership that began in 1988.
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