TAG Heuer signs a global partnership with FIA Formula E Championship – with the unveiling of the new electrically powered Formula E car
TAG Heuer, Swiss-based manufacturer of luxury timepieces inspired by sport, has signed on as official timekeeper, official watch and chronograph, and founding partner of the new FIA Formula E Championship.
The agreement was signed at TAG Heuer’s headquarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by Jean-Christophe Babin, former president and CEO of TAG Heuer, and Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings.
An intense passion for automobiles fuelled TAG Heuer’s technical innovation and performance since the earliest days of the brand. TAG Heuer patented the first dashboard chronograph in 1911, signed on as the first ‘non-technical’ partner of a Formula One team with Ferrari in the ’70s, and continued that tradition with McLaren and its drivers from 1985 to the present day.
TAG Heuer has also been deeply involved in sustainable development for years, with solar roofs providing electricity in its Swiss facilities. The brand has an ongoing partnership with Leonardo DiCaprio and Green Cross international’s ecological initiatives. “In 2010, with Tesla, we organized the first-ever world tour in a 100 per cent electric GT car, and in 2011, signed on with the Electric Masters Kart in Paris Bercy. So Formula E is a natural fit,” said Alejandro Agag.
“Without doubt, TAG Heuer is the perfect partner to the FIA Formula E Championship and we are delighted to have a brand of their prestige, excellence and expertise on board for the inaugural season.”
Stephane Linder, new TAG Heuer CEO as of June 1, added: “TAG Heuer draws inspiration from the technology, design, and artistry of professional motor racing to produce the world’s most precise, reliable, and thrilling timepieces. Formula E promotes interest and investment in electric vehicles and sustainable motoring.”
The announcement also saw the unveiling of the first official image of the new-look Formula E car, currently under construction by Spark Racing Technology and featuring a Dallara chassis, Michelin tyres and a powertrain designed and built by TAG Heuer partner McLaren.