Have you ever wanted to own a watch that a celebrity wears?
If you look closely at their wrists, you will notice that many celebrities wear top-notch luxury watches, with "stylish designs" and "luxurious, eye-catching watches."
This time, we will focus on the wrists of " top racers " . What kind of watches have the successive Japanese F1 drivers worn? We will introduce legendary drivers who have competed in the entire F1 season. Please enjoy until the end.
Used by Takuma Sato
[Breitling]
"Chronomat JSP"
"Ref.AB0115111B1A1"
The first person we would like to introduce is Takuma Sato, a member of the Japan Racers Squad sponsored by Breitling.
He is a top racer representing Japan who achieved the feat of becoming the first Asian to win the Indy 500, the world's top three major races, in 2017, and then won it for the second time in 2020.
The watch that Takuma Sato has been wearing since 2017 is a blue-dial Breitling Chronomat.
This is a Japan-only model that features a bezel with rider tabs, which was invented when the first Chronomat was released in 1984. It boasts outstanding visibility with its unique indexes with luminous paint on both sides. The navy alligator strap was selected by Takuma Sato, and combines with the color of the blue dial to create a chic atmosphere.
The "Japan Racers Squad" sponsored by Breitling is a team that conveys " dreams and passion for challenges " to the next generation of children, and Takuma Sato is one of the team members. The watches worn by such admired top racers are in a class of their own.
Used by Kamui Kobayashi
【Tag Heuer】
"Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Chronograph"
"Ref.CBG2A91.FT6173"
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Kamui Kobayashi is known as the fastest Japanese racer and is currently active in various categories both domestically and internationally.
During his time in F1, he became the third Japanese to finish on the podium in third place at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix, and after switching to endurance racing, he set a course record at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, he has achieved top-class achievements, including overall victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021.
Kamui Kobayashi is a fan of TAG Heuer's Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Chronograph.
This model features a carbon fiber bezel and lugs, which are closely related to motorsports, as well as a perforated rubber strap inspired by motor racing. It is equipped with the in-house automatic movement "Heuer 02", which has a power reserve of approximately 80 hours.
Kamui Kobayashi is a brand friend of TAG Heuer, and has captivated not only motorsport fans but also many watch enthusiasts.
As an aside, a new model has been released that pays tribute to Ayrton Senna, TAG Heuer's legendary ambassador.
Going back 30 years, Ayrton Senna became the Formula 1 World Champion for the third time, becoming the youngest person in history to win the title three times. To commemorate this legendary driver, TAG Heuer has announced the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Ayrton Senna Special Edition. This is a must-have item for Ayrton Senna fans.
Used by Shinji Nakano
[Richard Mille]
"Automatic"
"Ref. RM010"
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Shinji Nakano is a former F1 racer who has also competed in the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, achieving the feat of being the first Japanese to compete in all three of the world's major races.
In addition to his work as a racer, he is currently also the vice principal of the Suzuka Racing School and the manager of two teams, TEAM MUGEN, in the Super GT and All Japan Super Formula series.
The watch that Nakano Shinji uses is the Richard Mille RM010 Automatic.
This three-hand model is one of Richard Mille's signature models, and inherits the discontinued RM005, with a larger case. This model incorporates all of the technical knowledge that has been accumulated in design and material selection (titanium bridges, screws, and base plate), as well as the experience gained through the production of previous tourbillon models.
On his Instagram, he is seen casually wearing it while bowling, which is very refreshing, and it's rare to find someone who can pull it off as well as him.
summary
That's all, what do you think?
This time we focused on the wrists of Japan's top racers, but when it comes to the ultimate driver's watch, don't forget the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
Rolex, the official timekeeper of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona, presents the medal to all drivers as a consolation prize upon victory.
This is the black-dial Daytona Ref. 116500LN, which was presented to Toyota when it won the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The case back is engraved with the Rolex logo, the official logo of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and "2018 Winner." The driver's name is not included, which may indicate that the honor belongs not to the driver alone, but to the team and all of his teammates. This truly shows the dignity of a sportsman.
I've gone off on a bit of a tangent, but I hope this article will help you choose your favorite one.
see you!