Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMcLaren

McLaren replaces Tag Heuer with Richard Mille

McLaren has announced a ten-year partnership with luxury watchmaking brand Richard Mille.

The deal effectively sees Richard Mille - a company only established in 2001 - replacing Tag Heuer, which left McLaren to join Red Bull at the end of last season as part of a deal which will see the team's Renault power until branded as Tag Heuer.

Richard Mille branding will appear on the MP4-31 this season and McLaren chairman Ron Dennis says the two companies were keen to enter in to a long-term partnership.

“I’ve watched with quiet admiration as Richard and his team have built up the Richard Mille brand over the past 15 years," Dennis said. "To have established himself at the vanguard of the watchmaking world in such a short space of time is an incredible achievement, and a testament to his vision and determination.

“For him to commit Richard Mille to a 10-year partnership with McLaren underlines our shared belief in the value of long-term agreements, and the benefits that can be derived from growing and developing together.

“The two brands share a distinct common DNA: a passion for design, technology and aesthetics, and I’m excited about the great work we can achieve together over the next 10 years.”

Richard Mille has been involved in F1 previously, having backed the late Jules Bianchi.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.