Just like the old times

A big seller in the ‘80s and ‘90s, TAG Heuer's Formula 1 is back. SIMON DE BURTON reintroduces an old friend

- SIMON DE BURTON

Twenty twenty-five is a renaissance year for TAG Heuer. With parent company LVMH becoming the main sponsor of Formula 1, the driver-orientated watchmaker reprises the role of official timekeeper it held first from 1974-79 and again from 1992-2003.

The job puts the brand front and centre before a new generation of race fans who represent its target demographic - and it's tempting them by releasing a slew of new, car-orientated models throughout the season.

In pole position is a revamp of a watch that was once one of its most successful and affordable designs: the Formula 1. It's difficult to imagine being able to call a product Formula 1 now - but when TAG Heuer named it in 1986 (just after it was acquired by McLaren's then engine supplier Techniques d'Avant Garde) no questions were asked.

The original was an inexpensive, quartz-powered effort in a 35mm steel and plastic case. It was the first watch to wear the now well-recognised TAG Heuer logo - and it sold by the truck-load before being discontinued in 2000.