TURNING JAPANESE

In an iconic blend of Japanese racing heritage and avant-garde culture, TAG Heuer, Team Ikuzawa, and Bamford Watch Department collaborate to create a timepiece that captures the essence of their reverence for motorsport

- KC YAP

TETSU IKUZAWA - THE LEGEND

The legacy of Tetsu Ikuzawa, a racing driver and later famed team owner with an illustrious career defined by pivotal victories, forms the cornerstone of this collaboration. Born the son of an artist, Tetsu entered his first motorcycle race at 15 and while he finished last, he was given the “Fighting Spirit Award” for his perseverance, a fitting way for him to commence his career.

In 1963, he switched from two wheels to four wheels, entering the first Japanese Grand Prix for sports cars at Suzuka having signed with Prince Motor Company to race the Skyline Sport Coupe, and in 1964, he was competing again with the team in a race that would launch the Skyline GT racing legend into the dynasty it is today.

In 1967, Tetsu, having no longer a car to race in, he stopped his contract with Nissan and leased a Porsche 906 from the Japanese importer. Tetsu defied the odds and beat the domestic entries to win the race, instantly making Porsche a household name in Japan and beginning a lifelong relationship between Ikuzawa and the marque.

In the late 1960s, Tetsu competed in Europe, drawn by its motor-racing prominence. Despite a limited knowledge of English, he raced in the British Formula Three Championship in 1966. In 1967, Stirling Moss introduced Tetsu to Brands Hatch-based Motor Racing Stables, and by 1968, he competed for Frank Williams. He then joined Porsche as a works driver, becoming a pioneering Japanese racer at Le Mans and in Formula 2. Tetsu later founded i&i Racing Development, now known as Team Ikuzawa. The team’s iconic red and white livery, featuring a red-crowned crane reflects the family’s artist inclination.

MAI IKUZAWA - THE SCION