Back on the Track: Breitling is a partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

The global, multi-year partnership will be accompanied by special editions. The first is the „Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team“, which marks Breitling's return to Formula 1.

„At Aston Martin, presence is just as important as performance in their cars,“ said Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. „Both companies stand for timeless design. Every line, every surface, and every proportion has a function. Nothing is left to chance.“

„Our path to the World Championship demands partners who align with our ambitions,“ says Lawrence Stroll, Chairman of Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. „We are proud to welcome Breitling to the team. We share not only a common heritage but also common values that guide everything we do. The precision, craftsmanship, and technical excellence of Aston Martin Aramco are also actively embraced by Breitling. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to working together.“

Breitling x Aston Martin: Two brands – many similarities

The parallels between the two brands date back to the very beginnings of the automobile. In 1907, Leon Breitling launched the "Vitesse." The name means "speed" in French and referred to the first chronograph capable of measuring speeds up to 250 miles or kilometers per hour. The watch was so precise that it was used by the Swiss police for the first speed checks.

Several years later, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford tested their self-built racing car in a pivotal race in England on a steep, chalky hillside called "Aston Hill". They won the race and kept the name.

Aston Martin finally entered Formula 1 in 1959. At that time, the two drivers, Graham Hill and Jim Clark – both also airline pilots – wore the Breitling Navitimer. This chronograph, with its circular slide rule, was created in 1952 as a wrist-worn cockpit instrument for pilots to calculate speed, time, and fuel consumption. Hill and Clark transferred these features from the skies to the racetrack, making the Navitimer an indispensable companion on the track.

Breitling and Aston Martin alongside 007

Meanwhile, Willy Breitling, the grandson of the company's founder, bid farewell to the frugality of the post-war era with another watch, the "Top Time," a chronograph for a new generation of speed and style enthusiasts. It achieved fame in 1965 with its appearance on Sean Connery's wrist in the film "Thunderball" as the first gadget watch modified by Q in the James Bond series. The same was true for the legendary Aston Martin DB5, which appeared in both "Goldfinger" (1964) and "Thunderball.".

„The paths of Aston Martin and Breitling have crossed at important stages in design and culture,“ explains Adrian Hallmark, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin. „The partnership is a perfect example of excellence, virtuoso design, and performance. These are all elements that the Aston Martin name stands for.“

Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

The first joint timepiece of the partnership brings the "Navitimer" back to the world of motorsport. The limited production run of 1,959 pieces commemorates the year of Aston Martin's first participation in Formula 1.

Many other elements of the timepiece breathe racing history: Aston Martin Racing Green, the lime green accents of the Aston Martin Aramco paintwork, the lightweight 43-millimeter titanium case – a premiere for a „Navitimer“ – and the carbon fiber dial, which is borrowed from the materials in the cockpit of an F1 car.

The structured leather strap is reminiscent of a racing belt, while the improved visibility at night ensures that the watch can be read under all conditions.

The sapphire crystal case back reveals the watch's movement: the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01, a COSC-certified chronometer with a 70-hour power reserve. The matte black rotor, specially developed for this edition, is made of tungsten with a highly durable PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating and bears the Aston Martin Formula One Team logo. The case back is also engraved with "One of 1959" and "Instruments for Drivers".

Back on the Track: Breitling on the AMR26

Since the unveiling of the AMR26 on February 9th as part of the team presentation, the Breitling logo has appeared on the Aston Martin Aramco race cars and team apparel. The partnership will then make its debut on the racetrack at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from March 6th to 8th, 2026.

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