Keeping Time on Senna’s Complicated Relationship with Tag Heuer in Netflix’s “Senna”

“As far as we’re concerned, we’re the only (watch) brand that can talk about motorsport,” TAG Heuer’s Nicolas Biebuke told me. As the brand’s Heritage Director, Biebuk oversees one of the most extensive archives in horology. But today, the topic is not just Formula 1 or TAG Heuer’s decades-long relationship with motorsport; This is Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian racing legend, widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, is the subject of a new six-episode Netflix miniseries that dramatizes his tragically short life and enduring legacy. For TAG Heuer, Senna is not just an ambassador – his partnership is woven into the fabric of the brand. So when the production team behind “Senna” asked BBuke to lend authentic ’80s creations to the show, he was more than happy to oblige.

“We sent 28 watches,” says Biebuke, “including several two-tone S/EL chronograph models, which Senna loved for actor Gabriel Lyon to wear.” The collaboration deepened even more when the team worked on the show Revealed an important – fictional – storyline, which centered on Senna’s father gifting him an old gold chronograph. “They approached us and said, ‘We want to use this as a major plot point. Want to include. what would you suggest? Maybe something valuable?” he recalled. Biebuk, who has created watches for blockbuster movies like “Barbie” and “Ferrari,” landed on a solid gold, pre-Carrera piece from 1955, which resembled a watch worn by Senna’s father. “Over the years I have acquired a lot of things specifically for such purposes,” he explains, referring to the 3500-strong collection managed at the company’s Switzerland headquarters. “So it’s great to see it in use.”

To coincide with the series’ premiere last month, TAG Heuer released a limited edition Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna watch. The late driver’s nieces, Bianca and Lalalli, are still heavily involved in the partnership, more than 30 years after their uncle passed away. “They’re not just sitting back and letting us do what we want. They want to sit at the table and be part of that conversation – it’s fantastic,” Bibuyuk told me. “This is one of the most important partnerships we’ve put together.”

In fact, Senna remains TAG Heuer’s longest-serving ambassador. This relationship began in 1988 when he joined McLaren, a team deeply associated with the watchmaker. “It was a match made in heaven,” says Bibuke. “This was the beginning of the MP4/4 (era) that would go on to become one of the most beautiful Formula 1 cars of all time. Senna had this magnetism from the beginning: not only is he an icon in South and Central America, but He is also worshiped in Japan. That guy’s level of talent and ability obviously resonated very well with TAG at the time (because) it was the beginning of our very prestigious campaign ‘Don’t Crack Under Pressure.’ From It was right before. ‘Success is a mind game.’

There was also a “duality” in Senna, says Biebuke, highlighting some of the characteristics that made him more than just a sports hero on the track. “I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with his family this year and on the other side of the Force (away from the track) he was extremely charitable, he was very giving. He was a man of great conviction, a man of great faith and had a really strong sense of justice. It’s really important that… if we can help share these ideals, and maybe embrace them a little more closely throughout the business, it helps us build something better overall.

As it turns out, Senna’s generosity probably extended to his wristwear. When I asked Biebuke if the athlete was known to share watches, he laughed and said, “I’m 99.9% sure.” He added, “We have all these photos of him with his briefcase open on his plane, and there are three watches inside. So I guess he was just giving them out left, right and centre. He was always keen to represent the brand in the best possible way and was really professional and dedicated to us.”

When Senna moved on Williams in 1993, TAG Heuer broke protocol to maintain its relationship with him. “That was so important to us that we decided to do an individual direct deal, which is, actually, very unusual in the world of Formula 1 sponsorship, especially for watch brands,” says Biebuke. The collaboration resulted in the first limited-edition Senna watch, which was released posthumously in 1994, following the tragic accident at Imola earlier that year. Since then, TAG Heuer has created 29 watches inspired by the motorsport legend across 19 collections, ensuring that his legacy lives on not only in the F1 history books, but also on the wrists of those who embody the spirit of the legend. want to give.