Official Timekeepers of Grand Prix Racing: A Historical Overview

In the early decades of Formula 1 and Grand Prix motorcycle racing, timekeeping was a manual and often fragmented process. While some watch brands had established an association with premier class motorsports during these early years, their commercial relationship with racing was still evolving. Historical records indicate that Longines was involved with some sort of official timekeeping role in Grand Prix motorcycle racing as early as the 1950s, while Heuer was among the first brands to form the foundations of modern sponsorships in the 1960s. Michele Dubosc would eventually go on to be recognized as the first professional official timekeeper of F1.

Timeline of Official Grand Prix Timekeepers

Years	Timekeeper	Notes
1950s –?	Longines	Sparse records indicate official timekeeping duties at select events
1974–1979	Heuer	The Heuer Centigraph HL205 quartz timer was used to time multiple cars via the ACIT system
1982–1994	Longines	Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 (1982–1991), possible Official Timekeeper of Grand Prix motorcycle racing (1990–1994)
1992–2003	TAG Heuer	Official Timekeeper of Formula 1
1995–2000	Certina	Official Timekeeper of Grand Prix motorcycle racing
2001–Present	Tissot	Official Timekeeper of MotoGP
2010–2012	Hublot	Official Watchmaker of Formula 1
2013–2024	Rolex	Official Global Partner and the Official Timepiece of Formula 1
2025–Present	TAG Heuer	Official Timekeeper of Formula 1

1982-1994: Longines (F1 and Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing)

According to available records, Longines appears to have maintained some degree of presence across F1 and Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1982 until 1994. Nicolas Chauvy from the Branding and Heritage department has personally confirmed that Longines has served as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 from 1982 until 1991.

As early as 1988, Longines branding has also appeared in two-wheeled Grand Prix racing. Their logo consistently appeared in archive footage of Grand Prix motorcycle racing events from 1990 until 1994, both on billboards lining the circuits as well as a digital logo on TV broadcasts.

A Crash.net article from 2003 stated that the Swatch Group “have provided the timekeeping facilities for the MotoGP World Championship since 1992”, which appears to support the timeline.

1992-2003: TAG Heuer (F1)

After the acquisition by Techniques d’Avant Garde in 1985 and the launch of the Formula 1 line in 1987, the newly rebranded TAG Heuer became the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 in 1992. The role would be retained after LVMH acquired the brand in 1999, and coming to an end in 2003. During that time, TAG Heuer notably began working with Ayrton Senna.

1995-2000: Certina (Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing)

Certina became the Official Timekeeper of Grand Prix motorcycle racing in 1995, a year after Swatch Group stablemate Longines last appeared at events and on TV broadcasts. Retaining the role until 2000, Certina had also sponsored Mick Doohan and Àlex Crivillé. Adrian Bosshard was also sponsored by the brand, and would later become the CEO of Certina.

2001-Present: Tissot (MotoGP)

Tissot is the current Official Timekeeper of MotoGP, a role that the brand has held since 2001 when the premier class grid still consisted of 500cc 2-stroke machinery. MotoGP-branded timepieces have been a part of Tissot’s product lineup since 2003.

2010-2012: Hublot (F1)

After a number of years without an Official Timekeeper role, F1 announced Hublot as the Official Watchmaker of Formula 1 in 2010. Despite lasting only three years, the brand released a number of F1-branded timepieces during their relatively short tenure.

It’s worth noting that Hublot’s role in F1 sits inside a 10-year licensing agreement between F1 and Jacques Lemans to create consumer-friendly watches, which lasted from 2006 until 2015.

2013-2024: Rolex (F1)

Rolex took up the mantle of Global Partner and the Official Timepiece of Formula 1 in 2013, roles that would be retained until the end of 2024. During that time, Rolex branding was prominently displayed at all F1 races. Despite never producing officially licensed watches related to F1, Rolex have begun associations with former drivers Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, and Jenson Button during this time, in addition to longtime ambassador Sir Jackie Stewart.

2025-Present: TAG Heuer (F1)

TAG Heuer made a return as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 at the start of 2025. Parent company LVMH has a 10-year global partnership with the series.