Time In Motion

More than a mere watchmaker, TAG Heuer’s motoring credentials are burnished with its links to a storied marque and a Formula 1 powerhouse. Christy Yoong gets a look behind the scenes at Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing.

Here’s food for thought: since its founding in 1913, Aston Martin has made only around 85,000 cars, which averages to about 800 a year. That this sounds like a suspiciously lower number is probably due to how pervasive the marque actually is. Apart from its obvious connection with James Bond – Aston Martins have appeared in 12 Bond movies, beginning with the DB5 in 1964’s Goldfinger – the brand also has a long and storied connection with motor racing that started with the French GP in 1923. Coupled with its commitment to flair and luxury, it is little wonder that Aston Martin is held in such reverence in the pinnacle of the global motoring industry.

It was, therefore, not surprising that I was giddy with excitement when we approached the gates to Aston Martin’s headquarters and main production site in Gaydon, Warwickshire, about two hours north-west of London. We’re here courtesy of TAG Heuer, the Official Partner, Official Watch Partner and Official Connected Watch Partner of Aston Martin and Aston Martin Racing. The partnership, which began in 2018, feels like a perfect fit, especially considering the deep roots the two brands share in the automotive and, especially, racing worlds.

While TAG Heuer is – among others – a founding partner and Official Timekeeper of the FIA Formula E Championship, Official Timekeeper of the legendary Carrera Panamericana, Official Partner and Official Watch of the Automobile Club de Monaco and the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, Grand Turismo Sports and the Endurance World Championship, it is also indelibly linked to figures like the late racing great Ayrton Senna, three-time Formula 1 World Champion, as well as the actor Steve McQueen, who memorably wore a TAG Heuer crest on his racing suit and a square-dial TAG Heuer Monaco on his wrist in the 1971 film, Le Mans.