The late, great Formula 1 champion Aryton Senna will forever be immortalised for his 1988, 1990 and 1991 title-winning seasons in the world’s premier motorsport… but fans will likely have forgotten that the Brazilian driver had an insane watch collection with one interesting TAG Heuer piece.
From the TAG Heuer Carrera, which took its enduring inspiration from the Carrera Panamericana road race in the 1960s, to the Monaco, which earned iconic status for its striking square dial and appearance in Steve McQueen’s 1971 Le Mans movie, TAG Heuer can count itself among some of the few Swiss luxury watch brands that have driven side by side with motorsport throughout its history.
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And Formula 1 is certainly no different; drivers like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo have all benefitted from TAG Heuer’s long-standing tradition of gifting watches to F1 drivers to celebrate significant achievements and milestones. But there was one legendary driver who enjoyed an extremely special relationship with the Swiss brand.
The TAG Heuer S/el holds the distinction of being the first collection to be developed and offered by TAG Heuer after Heuer was picked up by Techniques d’Avant Garde in 1986. It represented the marriage of sports and elegance, ushering in a new era for the brand, and enjoyed a 12-year run in TAG Heuer’s releases.
In 1990, two small digital windows were at 4 and 8 o’clock. The S/el Digital Quartz chronograph offered 1/100th second precision, and when Senna won the 1990 WDC title, the Swiss watchmakers bestowed upon him a unique iteration from this classic collection, renowned for its precision and accuracy.
The story goes that, when Senna was driving for McLaren in Formula 1, a mechanic had joked with the three-time world champion that if he won the 1993 title, they should swap watches.
Although Senna did not win the championship that year, he wore this classic TAG Heuer piece during his winning drive at the Monaco Grand Prix. After the race, Senna returned to the garage and gifted the TAG Heuer S25.706C with a modified brown leather strap to the mechanic. According to the mechanic’s son, Senna did not accept the mechanic’s Casio in return.
