TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Calibre 11 Automatic Titan Special Edition – 39mm
Cars & motorsport
TAG Heuer Doubles Down On The Glitz And Glamour For The 78th Monaco Grand Prix
In return for their million-dollar-plus investment, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen brought home top honors in the principality.
By Josh Shanks
Contributor
From team principals to influencers, TAG Heuer was out in force last weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix. For a decade, TAG Heuer has been the official watch of the Monaco Grand Prix. And while the brand is not officially a title sponsor of Formula 1, TAG Heuer and their eponymous Monaco timepiece call Monaco home once a year.
For this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, the first since 2019, TAG Heuer pulled out all the stops. CEO Frédéric Arnault was seen schmoozing with actor Tom Holland in the pit lane. While up in the VIP suite, guests were given complimentary PCR tests and allowed to partake in the revelry of the most glamourous race on F1's calendar.
A Special Watch For A Special Race
TAG Heuer announced a new limited edition Monaco timepiece in advance of the weekend's festivities, the new Monaco Titan Special Edition. Like other brands in the LVMH portfolio, TAG Heuer has been embracing the limited edition trend. This new Monaco sports a Grade 2 titanium case and monochrome colorway.
Powered by the TAG Heuer Calibre 11 automatic movement, this 39mm timepiece boats a silver sunray-brushed dial with two black chronograph counters. Red accents can also be found at the 12 o’clock hour marker and on the central seconds hand.
On the night before the race, TAG Heuer’s invited guests assembled at the Hôtel Hermitage for a private dinner party hosted by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and Frédéric Arnault, CEO of TAG Heuer. At the event, Prince Albert II and Max Verstappen were given two one-of-a-kind Monaco Titan Special Editions with personalized markings.
In a press release, Arnault hinted that Verstappen’s new Monaco might have given the Dutch driver the extra boost needed to win the Monaco Grand Prix, saying, “We are especially delighted that our newest and personalized Monaco Titan seemed to have brought him luck and I hope it continues to do so on Max’s and the team’s quest for the world championship title.”
The good news is that you don’t need to be a Formula 1 driver or Prince to obtain the new Monaco Titan Special Edition. The timepiece is limited to 500 pieces and is priced at $7,900. It's still available on TAG Heuer’s website as of writing.
A Storybook Ending
Of course, with all the buzz on social media, TAG Heuer hoped for a good result for the race.
Monégasque driver and Richard Mille ambassador Charles Leclerc put his Ferrari on the pole. But due to a crash in the last seconds of qualifying, his mechanics had to rebuild his car overnight. Unfortunately, while taking his warmup laps, Leclerc found that his team hadn’t fully assembled his drivetrain, so he retired before the race had even begun.
Leclerc’s failure to start vaulted Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Honda Racing RB16B to the top spot, and after the lights went out on the TAG Heuer timing screen, Verstappen led nearly every one of the 78 laps. He went on to a commanding 8.968-second victory over the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.
At the podium ceremony following the race, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco opened a special Louis Vuitton trunk to reveal the 1st position trophy for the Monaco Grand Prix. The chest was guarded on either side by two presenters wearing, you guessed it, the new Monaco Titan Special Edition. Max Verstappen could also be seen wearing the new TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition on the wrist throughout the celebrations.
Up next for TAG Heuer is the Indianapolis 500, where the brand has been the Official Timekeeper and Scorer since 2004.
Learn more on TAG Heuer's website.
(Photography provided by TAG Heuer)
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