Building a taxonomy of official watches in Formula 1 and MotoGP can present a surprising number of complications that cause me all sorts of headaches. There is no shortage of cases that can skirt the edge of canon for months on end before a moment of clarity allows me to either lock them in or disqualify them.
So far, the Eberhard & Co. Contograf Dallara chronograph is still giving me headaches.
The description on the brand’s website makes no direct mention of Formula 1, which is likely not an accident. One of the two prerequisites for buying a Contograf Dallara is ownership of a Dallara Stradale, a road-homologated sports car. Calling that a strike against canonical qualifications seems too harsh, but the road car element certainly isn’t helpful.
On the other hand, the second group of eligible buyers consists of staff members of Dallara itself. Not only was the manufacturer once a Grand Prix constructor, but it also had a contemporary connection to the Haas F1 Team that continues to this day. This is compelling, although still not definitive.
A close comparison that comes to mind is Cadola‘s partnership with Cosworth. While Cosworth has also been involved in other racing series, it has more of a Formula 1-specific identity. The fact that Cadola’s marketing leaned into Grand Prix racing themes doesn’t hurt.
And of course there is also Roger Dubuis and Pirelli. The Italian manufacturer has made all sorts of racing and road tires, which on the surface seems way too general. However, a quick look into the partnership’s origins and the construction of its watch straps quickly establishes its Formula 1 identity.