Words: Alex Woodhall
Richard Mille has announced today that it has inked a 10-year partnership with the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 team. The brand replaces Tag Heuer, McLaren’s partner of 30 years, as the principal watch sponsor of the team.
The Swiss brand, a relative newcomer to the horological arena, started making watches in 2001, but has hastily established a distinguishing aesthetic and formidable reputation – owing to a penchant for innovation, intricacy and elaboration. In contrast, McLaren is celebrating its half century on the Formula 1 grid, boasting a record of 20 world championships and 182 grand prix first place podiums in that time, although has shared a similar forward-facing ethos since its inception.
Richard Mille, chairman and CEO of his eponymous company, said on the partnership:
“As both a passionate aficionado and long-time advocate of international motoring, I’m incredibly pleased and proud to be able to announce our new partnership with McLaren-Honda. In terms of technology, McLaren has no comparison in England… to work with them is a dream.”
Mille himself is personally invested in McLaren, a genuine enthusiast for the marque and a keen collector of its machines; owning an extensive garage of historical McLaren F1 cars, including the M23, the final evolution of which James Hunt drove to the 1976 championship:
“For me, the association with McLaren is so striking, because I still vividly remember, back in 1981, when McLaren was the first constrictor to introduce an all-carbon fibre monocoque to Formula 1. It was a technology that would revolutionise sport. Years later, I was able to adopt the same technical solution, a carbon fibre structure, for the baseplates of our watch movements and cases.”
Ron Dennis, chairman and CEO of McLaren Technology Group, said: “The two brands share a distinct common DNA. A passion for design, technology and aesthetics, and I’m excited about the great work we can achieve together over the next 10 years.”
The partnership will see Richard Mille timepieces wrap the wrists of drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, the Mille name will grace the 2016 Formula 1 car – the new MP4-31 – and an exclusive series of calibres inspired by McLaren, past, present and future will be released throughout the marriage.
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