Once again — to the surprise of absolutely nobody — the worlds of motorsport and luxury watchmaking are colliding.
Last Friday, the newly rebranded Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team (RIP AlphaTauri) unveiled the VCARB 01: its de-facto challenger for the upcoming competition season.
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Alongside a host of technical information (which means as much to yours truly as a diatribe about ETACHRON regulators), there was plenty of talk about the new car’s livery; with the predominantly blue and white theme carrying through in the uniforms of drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.
Astute watch spotters instantly clocked that Ricciardo could be seen wearing a Tudor Black Bay in the photo call for the VCARB 01. After a bout of heated speculation, spokespeople from the Rolex sibling brand officially confirmed that the veteran driver’s watch is a unique execution of the Black Bay Ceramic — introduced back in 2021.
Notable for being the first Tudor wristwatch to achieve METAS chronometer certification, the Black Bay Ceramic is a no-brainer choice in the context of Formula 1. Ceramic is a similarly vaunted material in the arena of motorsport, and the simplicity of the foundational Black Bay design lends it to reimagination in team/official partner colours.
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At a technical level, Ricciardo’s pièce unique seems more or less like a reproduction of the existing Black Bay Ceramic, but it’s the aesthetic stuff that has (clearly) gotten internet enthusiasts riled up.
The dial is decorated in the same saturated “Visa Blue” shade that you can see all over the VCARB 01’s frame: with that colour motif recurring through this watch’s hybrid rubber/leather strap.
This driver-edition Black Bay (as nobody is sure to call it) marks the first substantial publicity push by Tudor since it partnered with Visa Cash App RB.
“We’re delighted to welcome Tudor,” said Peter Bayer, CEO of Visa Cash App RB.
“The Swiss watch company has seized the opportunity to move up to the very pinnacle of motorsport. Our team will be challenging the status quo in Formula 1 with a strong identity, unique style and uncompromising quality — just like Tudor watches.”
