With the 2021 System 1 season’s final race happening this weekend, December 10-12, 2021, in Abu Dhabi, and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Max Verstappen (Pink Bull) tied for first place, the warmth is on like by no means earlier than.
IWC ambassador and seven-time System 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton
Whereas their rivalry usually appears to get private, the reality of the matter is that they’re each athletes competing at an extremely excessive degree. It reminds us of the occasions of Niki Lauda vs. James Hunt: two completely different characters, two completely different types, but with the identical objectives.
As a lot as these rivals may not appear to love one another in public, I do assume that there’s a substantial amount of mutual respect amongst them. An incredible automotive doesn’t mechanically make you a world champion, so Hamilton successful the title seven occasions actually didn’t occur by likelihood.
TAG Heuer ambassador Max Verstappen
On the identical time, maintaining with, and even at occasions beating, such a champion additionally says lots about Verstappen’s qualities. Whereas there appears to be no center floor between them or their followers, what they do is what System 1 ought to be all about.
The battle between Hamilton and Verstappen is, in essence, additionally a match between the 2 watch manufacturers that sponsor them: IWC (Hamilton) and TAG Heuer (Verstappen), with each manufacturers benefitting from the battles on the monitor.
Flying excessive and quick
What I like concerning the partnership between Hamilton and IWC is that it appears honest. Whereas Hamilton is financially compensated for being an envoy for the model, it goes past that. He appears to get pleasure from sporting the watches and that makes the connection real. I really feel that that is one thing customers choose up on. They sense whether or not cash is the primary motive to put on a sure watch for a model ambassador or whether or not it’s a mere facet profit to be paid to take action. For Hamilton, it appears to be the latter.
TAG Heuer Monaco Titan
Verstappen lives as much as his repute of being a disruptor: he wears TAG Heuer lots, however has every so often additionally been noticed in personal sporting watches just like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. As this model is kind of far faraway from the TAG Heuer universe, I doubt if it should have a destructive affect. All of the extra so as a result of the TAG Heuer fashions he wears on the monitor are very notable and properly in tune with the racing scene, just like the Monaco Titan he has been sporting recently.
A perpetual ardour
Hamilton appears to have a profound desire for IWC’s pilot’s watches, significantly the Massive Pilot. He has been seen sporting among the extra distinct variations of this watch in recent times, together with the Massive Pilot Perpetual Calendar Boutique Version and the Massive Pilot Perpetual Calendar Prime Gun Version Mojave Desert.
IWC Massive Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Prime Gun Version Mojave Desert
I feel that it has been an excellent transfer for IWC to cater to the distinctive type of Hamilton by making watches particularly for him. It illustrates the intimate relationship the model has with the seven-time System 1 World Champion. An instance of that is the black Massive Pilot Perpetual Calendar in Ceratanium with an identical bracelet and minimalistic dial that the model made for him. It’s a reference to the Black Lives Matter motion, of which Hamilton is a vocal supporter.
Lewis Hamilton sporting the IWC Massive Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ‘Lewis Hamilton’ that he co-designed
Fairly completely different is the restricted version of the identical Massive Pilot Perpetual Calendar that he designed with IWC in 2019. Right here, the black case contrasts with a wealthy, burgundy dial and purple gold particulars complemented by a purple gold crown. It’s a tantalizing creation which may have upset just a few purists, however on the identical time caught the attention of fairly just a few much less conventional potential purchasers.
That is additionally the added benefit that Hamilton brings to IWC: he not solely provides them extra publicity but additionally gives the advantage of stretching the model picture in a extra modern route with out compromising its “DNA” or credibility.
Catering to the plenty
The technique of TAG Heuer has been a unique one. The model tapped proper into the fanbase of Pink Bull and Verstappen by creating particular editions with them based mostly on the System 1 mannequin. Whereas that is TAG Heuer’s entry-level assortment, it has fairly a heritage of its personal.
The System 1 assortment was launched in 1986, making it the primary fully new watch to hit the market after Methods d’Avant Garde took over Heuer, turning it into TAG Heuer. Whereas significantly cheaper than the opposite choices of the model, it was very a lot in contact with the traits of its time. It mixed daring colours with a definite design, making it immediately recognizable. A quartz motion made it dependable, exact, and simple to deal with, pleasing many customers.
Calling a watch System 1 would possibly sound a bit pretentious for another model, however TAG and Heuer have every earned their deserves on this enviornment. Heuer’s story hardly wants re-telling: its chronographs had already grow to be the favorites of many race automotive drivers for many years and the model was a notable sponsor of Ferrari’s System 1 group within the Nineteen Seventies.
Steve McQueen sporting a TAG Heuer Monaco within the 1971 movie ‘Le Mans’
Then there’s the mythological Steve McQueen, who wore a Monaco within the 1971 film Le Mans.
The historical past of Methods d’Avant Garde, based in 1977 by Akram Ojjeh, is a bit briefer. In 1979 it began sponsoring the Williams System 1 group, which it did till 1981. Then it bought half of McLaren and funded the event of a 1.5-liter turbo engine made by Porsche, with which McLaren received the System 1 World Championships of 1984 and 1985. An attention-grabbing facet word is that TAG was additionally briefly a automotive producer itself, launching its amphibian TAG Croco (standing for “cross nation”) in 1983, of which manufacturing sadly halted after quantity 60.
TAG Heuer System 1 Pink Bull Racing Particular Version
Ever since its introduction, the TAG Heuer System 1 has grow to be one of many pillars within the model’s assortment. TAG Heuer continued to develop the mannequin vary, refreshing its idea with each new era to remain in contact with the traits of the time and its client base. Whereas its value makes it an absolute entry-level look ahead to TAG Heuer, it affords high quality that doesn’t disappoint with a design that stands out.
With the Verstappen particular editions, the motive force’s followers get an opportunity to personal a watch intently related to the world of System 1 and their favourite group and diver.
The winner takes all of it?
Whereas the final race of this yr will decide who could name himself System 1 World Champion 2021, the reality is that there are solely winners right here. Whereas Hamilton or Verstappen may not be happy with ending second, they want one another to grow to be even higher than they already are.
On the identical time, System 1 wants them each as their battles carry the sort of pleasure that does wonders for the recognition of the collection. Their sponsors and companions, like IWC and TAG Heuer, may even be happy as the general protection this season, with a specific give attention to Hamilton and Verstappen, has been priceless.
So this weekend, I’ll make an exception and be double wristing with an IWC on one arm and a TAG Heuer on the opposite. Being Dutch, I might like to see Verstappen win. However most of all, I’m trying ahead to seeing some nice driving to find out who would be the new – or outdated – System 1 World Champion.
Fast Information TAG Heuer System 1 Pink Bull Racing Particular Version
Case: 43 mm, chrome steel with an aluminum bezel, 200-meter water resistance
Motion: quartz, 1/tenth of a second chronograph perform
Features: hours, minutes, seconds; date, chronographPrice: €1,750 / $1,850
Fast Information TAG Heuer Monaco Titan
Case: 39 x 39 mm, sandblasted grade 2 titanium, 100-meter water resistance
Motion: computerized Caliber 11 (based mostly on Sellita SW-300), 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency, 40-hour energy reserve
Features: hours, minutes, seconds; date, chronograph
Limitation: 500 items
Value: €7,450 / $7,900
Fast Information IWC Massive Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Prime Gun Version Mojave Desert
Case: 46.5 x 15.6 mm, ceramic
Motion: computerized Caliber 52615 with Pellaton computerized winding system, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 60-hour energy reserve
Features: hours, minutes, seconds; energy reserve, perpetual calendar with date, day, month, yr, and moon part
Value: $34,000 / 35,000 Swiss francs
Fast Information IWC Massive Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Version Lewis Hamilton
Case: 46.5 x 15.6 mm, ceramic
Motion: computerized Caliber 52615 with Pellaton computerized winding system, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 60-hour energy reserve
Features: hours, minutes, seconds; energy reserve, perpetual calendar with date, day, month, yr, and moon part
Limitation: 100 items
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