The countdown to the 2026 Formula One season has begun! To celebrate, we’re introducing you to one of their iconic horological sponsors: Richard Mille.
The 8th of March marks the start of the new Formula One season, and it is shaping up to be a thrilling one! New machinery, new teams and new circuits have all been added to the world’s most popular motorsport, and all eyes are on the 22 drivers competing for this year’s World Drivers’ Championship.
Where our gaze drifts, however, is to their wrists! Formula One races are marquee events on everyone’s calendar, but they are also grand showcases for the watch industry. Formula One and watchmaking have long been intertwined, a cocktail of heritage, innovation and luxury branding.
As the grid lines up, we at Watch Advice are celebrating with The Formula 1® Watch Week. Part history lesson, part watch-spotting, we are introducing the iconic brands that sponsor this remarkable sport. Today, we are shining a light on Richard Mille, one of the watch industry’s newest connections to motorsport.
Richard Mille’s History With Formula One
While Richard Mille’s brand history may be shorter than that of other established watch manufacturers, it has quickly become one of the most sought-after brands in the industry, while also excelling in high horology and exceptional engineering. Richard Mille founded the brand in 2001 with the goal of creating ultra-high-performance timepieces inspired by Formula One engineering and advanced materials science.
From the very beginning, Richard Mille positioned its watches as racing machines for the wrist. These timepieces make use of extremely lightweight materials such as titanium, Carbon TPT, and Quartz TPT, designed to handle extreme shock and real-world performance. With this philosophy in mind, it almost seems like a no-brainer for Richard Mille to become involved in the very foundation on which the brand was built, motorsport.
Richard Mille’s earliest motorsport connection came through Felipe Massa, who became one of the first high-profile athletes to wear a Richard Mille timepiece during races. Massa famously wore Richard Mille watches while driving in Formula One, something that was previously unheard of due to the extreme G forces involved. This concept of watches being built to be worn during competition soon became a defining philosophy for the brand.
What makes Richard Mille timepieces so impressive is not just the materials used, but also the processes involved in their construction. The watches are known for their extremely complex case architecture, often requiring dozens of machining processes and hundreds of individual components to assemble a single case.
Alongside this, many Richard Mille creations feature skeletonised dials, with the movements designed using a suspension-like architecture so that they appear to float within the case. These movements often use spline screws and titanium bridges, which offer not only structural integrity but also improved shock resistance, a key factor when the watch is worn during high-performance sports.
Richard Mille is also one of the few brands currently sponsoring more than one team in Formula One, having partnerships with both the McLaren Mastercard Formula One Team and Scuderia Ferrari.
Richard Mille first partnered with the now-known McLaren Mastercard Formula One Team in 2016, which marked the beginning of one of the most prominent collaborations between watchmaking and Formula One. The partnership between the two powerhouses focuses heavily on shared engineering philosophies, including lightweight construction, the use of advanced materials, and cutting-edge manufacturing processes.
The very first watch created through the Richard Mille x McLaren Mastercard Formula One collaboration was the RM 50-03 McLaren F1, which featured graphene in the movement and case, making it one of the lightest mechanical chronographs ever produced.
Following on from this, Richard Mille has gone on to create several timepieces dedicated not only to Formula One but also to McLaren in particular. Watches like the RM 11-03 and the RM 67-02 editions show that this collaboration goes beyond simple branding, where engineers from both Richard Mille and McLaren work together on materials research and technical development to produce exceptional timepieces.
The Drivers & Their Watches
Driver Profile – Lando Norris
Born in 1999, Lando Norris has quickly become one of the most exciting drivers on the international circuit, with Richard Mille even stating that he “stands on the brink of becoming just the fifth driver in history to reach the 100 race milestone for McLaren.”
Lando’s career started strongly as he became the youngest driver to set pole position at a national meeting, while also being the youngest ever to win the CIK FIA European Karting Championship and the CIK FIA World Championship at just 14 years old. He also went on to win the MSA Formula Championship (British F4) in 2015 during his rookie season, showing immediate pace and racecraft.
Through these early performances, Lando Norris gained recognition worldwide and was eventually awarded British Young Driver of the Year. In 2018, Norris competed in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Carlin, finishing second in the championship behind George Russell, which ultimately secured his path to Formula One. Through these successes, it was hard for the top teams not to look at his performances and see what he could bring to their team.
Norris made his Formula One debut with McLaren, who took the chance on the young rookie following his outstanding junior performances. At just 19 years old, he was one of the youngest drivers on the grid, partnering alongside Carlos Sainz for the McLaren Formula One Team. During the first couple of years, he needed some time to adapt to the car and the higher level of competition, but as the seasons progressed, his confidence and performances continued to grow, eventually securing his first Formula One race win at the Miami Grand Prix in 2024.
Then, as we know, in 2025, Lando Norris secured his first-ever championship thanks to some stellar driving and consistent performances throughout the season. And what a season it was, coming down to the very last race between himself, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri, with only a few points separating them.
Sure, Lady Luck may have played a role, but you still need the skill, consistency, and determination to put yourself in a championship-winning position. And with McLaren delivering one of their strongest cars in over a decade, Lando finally had the opportunity to secure his first title.
With all this attention on the track, it can be easy to forget that Lando is also a serious watch collector. Whether he’s rolling into the paddock or doing post-race media, you’ll almost always find something interesting on his wrist. Being a driver for McLaren means that he has access to some of the best Richard Mill Time pieces the brand could offer, including exclusive Richard Mill editions as seen below!
Richard Mille RM 67-02 Lando Norris Edition
While Lando Norris has been spotted with several Richard Mille timepieces over the past few years (see our Celebrity Watch Spotting article on his collection above!), there is one that is a bit more special than the rest, and that is the RM 67-02 dedicated to him.
Devoid of any complications, the watch goes back to what Richard Mille does best, creating the perfect sports watch. It’s light, resistant and reliable, making it the perfect companion for a high-performance athlete. While it is dedicated to Lando Norris, it has McLaren written all over it, with the bridges of the skeletonised dial and the outer framework in with the hour indices laid out in a vibrant orange. The strap, along with the side crown profile, is also done in orange to complete this bold look.
The 38.7mm x 47.52mm x 7.8mm thick case is made from Carbon TPT®, the perfect material for a Formula One-inspired timepiece. The engine inside matches the impressive exterior, with the in-house CRMA7 self-winding movement being only 3.40mm thick, and offers 50 hours of autonomy with a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH).
Richard Mille RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph McLaren Edition
The RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph McLaren Edition was one of the early jointly commissioned timepieces between Richard Mille and McLaren. Introduced during the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, it is one show-stopping timepiece, fused with high-tech materials and the added flyback chronograph functionality to make a highly technical masterpiece.
As with most of Richard Mille’s high-performance timepieces, the case has been made using Carbon TPT® interlaced with Orange Quartz TPT®, resulting in an extremely resistant and lightweight case. The end aesthetic result is a case that pays tribute to the highly technical machines of Formula One while also showcasing the McLaren colours.
The skeletonised dial features large Arabic numerals, while the sub-counters showcase the 60-minute countdown timer at 9 o’clock, 12-hour totaliser, oversized date, and a month indicator. The RMAC3 movement features a variable-geometry rotor, which allows the winding efficiency to be adjusted depending on the wearer’s activity level.
Driver Profile – Oscar Piastri
Born in 2001 in Melbourne, Australia, Oscar Piastri began his racing career in karting at the age of nine and quickly became one of Australia’s most promising young drivers. He competed across Australia and Europe, winning multiple national titles before eventually making the move abroad to Europe to compete in single-seater racing.
In 2019, Oscar Piastri won the Formula Renault Eurocup with R-ace GP, establishing himself as one of the most exciting young talents in junior motorsport. Then in 2020, he made headlines again by winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship. This was achieved in his rookie season, making him the first driver since Charles Leclerc and George Russell to win the title as a rookie.
Then in 2020, Oscar Piastri once again repeated the previous year’s success by winning the FIA Formula 2 Championship, again in his rookie season. This was an extremely rare achievement that quickly put him on the radar of many Formula One teams.
During his junior career, Piastri was part of the Alpine Academy, where he developed his knowledge and experience under the guidance of the Enstone-based Formula One team. He then went on to serve as the reserve driver for the Alpine Formula One Team in 2022, although he did not get the opportunity to race that season.
While there was controversy surrounding Piastri’s contract with Alpine, he officially made his debut in Formula One in 2023 when McLaren took him on board as the second driver to Lando Norris for the 2023 Formula One season. Oscar Piastri impressed almost immediately with a string of strong performances, which included a sprint race win and multiple podium finishes.
His all-important first victory in Formula One was achieved at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he became the sport’s 115th race winner. Piastri’s second win of that same season in Azerbaijan helped put McLaren at the top of the Constructors’ Championship. Piastri was not about to let up anytime soon, and a string of strong performances ensured that McLaren stayed at the top of the standings, allowing them to win the title for the first time since 1998.
2025 would follow this trend, and even though he missed out on a home victory in Melbourne in the season opener, he managed to secure wins in China, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, vaulting Oscar up to first in the Drivers’ Championship. Through some exceptional driving, he managed to secure several podium finishes, which, along with Lando Norris’ performances, helped McLaren once again secure the Constructors’ Championship.
Piastri is known to be a little more reserved when it comes to his lifestyle compared to some of the other drivers on the grid. That said, it does not mean he does not appreciate a fine timepiece, with a few Richard Mille models making their way onto his wrist from time to time.
Richard Mille RM 67-02 McLaren Edition
The RM 67-02 McLaren Edition was originally introduced as part of Richard Mille’s ultra-light sports watch concept. It was designed to be worn during high-performance situations, while also remaining exceptionally comfortable on the wrist thanks to the materials used, and its ultra-light weight feel. This McLaren Edition represents Richard Mille’s philosophy of combining extreme performance engineering with everyday wearability.
Measuring just 38.7mm by 47.5mm and just 7.8mm thick, the RM 67-02 McLaren Edition weighs just 32 grams, making it one of the lightest watches in Richard Mille’s range. The case is constructed with Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT composites, which are advanced materials known for the exceptional strength, shock resitance and also a lightweight feel. The dial of this RM 67-02 has been customised, with the bridges and outer ‘framework’ being done in orange with hints of yellow, reflecting McLaren Formula 1 team colours.
Richard Mille RM 67-02 Automatic Winding Extra Flat ‘Alexander Zverev’ Edition
Another Richard Mille that Oscar Piastri has been spotted wearing is a variation of the RM 67-02, this time the Automatic Winding Extra Flat ‘Alexander Zverev’ Edition. Unveiled in 2018 as part of a series of athlete-inspired RM 67-02 editions created with Richard Mille ambassadors, this particular model was designed in collaboration with German tennis star Alexander Zverev. He wore the timepiece during the 2018 Madrid Open, showcasing the watch’s extreme build quality and lightweight construction.
The RM 67-02 Automatic Winding Extra Flat ‘Alexander Zverev’ Edition features red and orange accents, which are inspired by the colours of the German flag. This gives the timepiece a bold personality while also serving as a tribute to Zverev and his playing style. While the watch was originally created for the world of tennis, its ultra-lightweight construction and high performance, driven design make it perfectly suited for Formula One drivers like Oscar Piastri.