Ayrton Senna da Silva (March 21, 1960 – May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian three-time Formula One World Champion and widely considered one of the greatest drivers of all time. His world titles came in 1988, 1990, and 1991 while driving for McLaren, and had a career total of 41 wins from 80 podium finishes.
Early F1 Career
Senna’s first season in Formula One was in 1984, racing for Toleman after drawing interest from multiple teams. His first teammate was Johnny Cecotto, the 1975 350cc Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion and one of a small handful of racers to have competed in both two and four-wheeled Grand Prix championships. Senna scored three podium finishes as a rookie, and took his first Formula One win in 1985 with Lotus.
Alain Prost Rivalry and Final Race
The Brazilian legend moved to McLaren in 1988, winning three world titles in the six seasons he was with the team and while locked in a fierce rivalry with fellow multple-time World Champion Alain Prost that defined an era. Senna signed with Williams for the 1994 season after Prost’s retirement, and was killed on lap seven of the San Marino Grand Prix while leading the race.
TAG Heuer
Senna’s association with TAG Heuer began in 1988, but his first limited edition timepiece was not produced until 1994. As such, the TAG Heuer 6000 Senna Limited Edition stands as the only watch that included his involvement. Other Senna edition TAG Heuer models were released over the next decade, with the Brazilian’s image continuing to appear in marketing materials.
Universal Genève
Universal Genève has also partnered with the Ayrton Senna Institute in the 1990s to produce two limited edition timepieces: the Universal Genève Senna 41 and the Universal Genève Senna 65, to commemorate the Brazilian driver’s 41 race wins and 65 pole positions in Formula One, respectively.
Hublot
During its tenure as the Official Watchmaker of Formula One, Hublot has also released the Hublot King Power Ayrton Senna and Hublot King Power Tourbillon Ayrton Senna. Both timepieces were unveiled during the premier of Senna, the 2010 documentary film.
Return of TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer resumed producing Senna special edition watches in 2015, releasing multiple timepieces across both the Carrera and Formula 1 product lines in honor the Brazilian legend.
Lorige
While Lorige did not have an official license, the Lorige AS-01 Flying Central Toubillon is worth a mention. The unique timepiece has a limited edition of just eight, due to the case being constructed from the carbon brake pads off Senna’s 1993 McLaren MP4/8. Additional details pay tribute to the Brazilian, including Senna’s three title-winning years and yellow accents inspired by his helmet.
REC Watches
The REC Watches 98T/4 Limited Edition was announced in 2024, and made from a John Player Special Lotus chassis that was raced in 1986. While this timepiece also does not outright license Senna’s name, the rotor does feature the Brazilian’s racing number 12 from that season.
References
https://magazine.tagheuer.com/en/2022/05/02/the-ultimate-collectors-guide-tag-heuer-senna-special-editions/
https://www.ayrton-senna-dasilva.com/guide-to-the-sennas-watches/
https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/formula-1-watches-p_23897/
https://www.fratellowatches.com/universal-geneve-senna-41-52mondayz-week-41/
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hublot-king-power-ayrton-senna-limited-edition-watches/
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/tag-heuer-ayrton-senna-watch-new-models/
https://www.watchprosite.com/news-central/ayrton-senna-rejoins-the-tag-heuer-ambassador-family–launch-of-special-senna-collection/112.990738.6951458/