Ayrton Senna’s name has evoked both awe and enigma for Formula 1 fans of every era. The Brazilian, whom some consider the greatest F1 racer of all time and is still the youngest ever to win three world championships, met an untimely death at the age of 34 after crashing in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. However, his legacy has lived on in both the racing world and the realm of style. Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer, for whom Senna became an ambassador starting in the late ‘80s, has dedicated several timepieces to the icon in the past and has now unveiled a new automatic chronograph in his honor.
The new 44mm Senna version of the Formula 1 Special Edition chronograph is powered by TAG’s Calibre 16 automatic movement, which has a power reserve of 42 hours. Sporting the Senna brand’s signature “S,” the sunray-brushed dial has three chronograph subdials for hours, minutes, and running seconds, along with a date aperture at the 3 o’clock position. Like TAG’s other F1 editions, the ceramic fixed bezel tachymeter goes up to 400km/h to represent the speed that no racer has ever reached in the sport’s history.
Going along with past Senna releases, this watch sports the same very ’90s-looking S/EL bracelet that the racer used to wear on his own wrist, which comes in brushed steel and features unusually-shaped links. The red accents on the timepiece also reference the original watch that Senna wore back in the day and do well to complement the dominant anthracite and black tones of the dial and bezel. Water-resistant down to 200m, the steel caseback is also etched with Senna’s likeness.
TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 x Senna watch is currently available at the watchmaker’s online store for $3,550.
