TAG Heuer has extended its sponsorship deal with Red Bull until 2021 but will no longer brand the team’s power units.
TAG Heuer will remain Red Bull’s official timekeeper and official watch partner but will cease to be its official engine naming partner from the 2019 F1 season, when Red Bull switches from Renault to Honda power. The watch manufacturer has held the naming rights for the last three years, during which time its brand has appeared on Red Bull’s engine cover.The new deal will see the two companies launch an official Max Verstappen special edition watch next year.
“Over the past three seasons the TAG Heuer name has become deeply linked with the team’s efforts, through its branding of our power units, and also via the company’s exceptional global visibility,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
“The TAG Heuer name has outstanding heritage in Formula 1, stretching back to the golden age of grand prix racing, and we are proud to play a part in that continuing story.”
TAG Heuer is also an official partner to the Indianapolis 500, the World Touring Car Championship and Formula E. The company has been involved in Formula 1 for over four decades.
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2018 F1 season
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MtlRacer (@mtlracer)
4th December 2018, 17:39
Aston Martin Powered by Honda.
Surely, someone will stick a Civic engine in an old Aston Martin chassis before Melbourne?
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
4th December 2018, 18:40
@mtlracer The New H8-engined DB11, available at a dealer near you.
Shimks (@shimks)
6th December 2018, 13:00
In the late 80s I used to drive a Civic 1.5s. It was an amazing car to drive. So fast and so solid. I really am lucky to be alive. I was such an idiot in it at 19 years old.
Qeki
4th December 2018, 18:36
So does the new special edition clock start to shout to you if it breaks down? :)
[TR]
4th December 2018, 19:41
Alternate headline: Red Bull engines to no longer run like clockwork.
erikje
4th December 2018, 19:43
Does Renault ring any bells?
Renault’s blew up like clockwork ;)
toiago (@toiago)
4th December 2018, 20:46
That’s why Ricciardo left Red Bull. He couldn’t get a special edition watch himself.
Bart
4th December 2018, 22:16
A TAG Heuer Honda package would be an anachronism like a giant cuckoo clock that yells “GP2 engine! GP2 engine!” at the hours.
Coanda (@ming-mong)
4th December 2018, 22:56
Great, I dislike engines re-branded for commercial reasons. I currently like the RBR paint scheme however I think they should alter it heavily to showcase the new Honda union. I was thinking they should keep the current scheme for the front half of the car then fade the rear to Honda red…
Todfod (@todfod)
5th December 2018, 4:19
How does Aston Martin play in to this whole branding saga? Aston Martin Red Bull Honda ?! I thought Honda would disallow Aston Martin branding on the car since Aston isn’t actually a partner.
Maybe Honda will need to foot the bill to get rid of Aston as well… an extra 30 to 40 million quid a year shouldn’t hurt Red Bull too much.
BlackJackFan
5th December 2018, 10:04
“… stretching back to the golden age of grand prix racing…”
Ahem… when was this exactly…?
Dom (@3dom)
5th December 2018, 13:49
The branding was a farce. It’s not like they ever praised their Tag Heuer branded engine for any of their wins, and the only people they were blaming for unreliability were Renault. What was the point?!
Bart
5th December 2018, 21:09
From 2016 onward Red Bull were only using Renault engines because the situation forced them to, it wasn’t their free choice to continue. The re-branding was to stress the point that they were ‘doing time’.
pastaman (@)
5th December 2018, 18:15
@keithcollantine not sure where to put this comment. On a mobile device, it shows me as not logged in on the home page and I get swamped with ads. As soon as I click on an article it shows me as logged in. Has been happening for a couple weeks now.
MaliceCooper
5th December 2018, 18:24
The engine will instead be branded “Unit McPowerFace”