TAG Heuer and McLaren Announce Bigger, Stronger Partnership

By Valerie Jack | March 12, 2013

While the watch world is focused on the upcoming Baselworld 2013, the luxury auto world has been busy with the Geneva Motor Show. However, this week the two worlds came together during the 83rd annual car show, when Jean-Christophe Babin, the President and CEO of TAG Heuer, joined Ron Dennis, the Executive Chairman of the McLaren Group, to announce an exclusive new partnership agreement.

Although TAG Heuer was already the official timekeeper of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, the new partnership will extend the two manufactures’ relationship to include McLaren Automotive. The affinity between the two brands is based on a strong technical partnership between the TAG Heuer and McLaren engineers, who have worked together closely on timepieces and on-board timekeeping systems.

Jean-Christophe Babin told us of the new partnership; “At TAG Heuer, we believe in lasting relationships that are built over time. This new agreement extending a partnership that has already lasted 28 years is proof of that. A long adventure, with many successes along the way: 140 victories, 134 pole positions, 373 podiums, 6 car-maker titles, and above all 9 world champions – from Prost to Senna and from Hakkinen to Hamilton – who have proudly worn our colours and chronographs on tracks all over the world. Today we also celebrate common values – performance, precision, prestige and innovation – that have guided us since 1985 and that will continue to unite us.”

As part of the new agreement, TAG Heuer will join McLaren in supporting the ”Young Driver Development Programme”, a foundation which helps identify and grow talented young drivers. On that note, TAG Heuer announced a new partnership with the up-and-coming Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who will join iconic Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button as an ambassador for the Swiss brand.

In celebration of the simultaneous 50th anniversaries of both McLaren and the Carrera watch, as well as to honor the new partnership, the TAG Heuer logo will now be visible on the rear spoiler of McLaren cars, as well as on the drivers’ suits and team apparel.

Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Ron Dennis added; “I am delighted to be able to extend and broaden our longstanding relationship with TAG Heuer. We have shared a successful partnership lasting 28 years, during which time we have achieved world beating success on the track. Excitingly, our relationship will now extend to the road. McLaren Automotive has designed some of the world’s most exciting cars and we share with TAG Heuer an ethos of inspirational design, exemplary quality, high performance and attention to detail – making us natural partners. We are about to enter an exciting new phase in our relationship.”