Nowadays, more and more watchmaking maisons are deciding to align themselves with the world of motorsports.
Whether it’s special editions dedicated to motorsport or partnerships with world-famous drivers, timepieces associated with such figures undoubtedly encapsulate a racing soul, akin to cars speeding at 300 km/h on the track.
Among all the Swiss houses inclined towards this world, one that certainly deserves special mention is the one founded by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Emile: Tissot.
Founded on July 1, 1853, this maison has always stood out for its participation in the world of motorsport, accompanying drivers and international events.
Let’s now discover the entire history of this partnership with the world of motorsport by one of the longest-standing watchmaking houses in Switzerland.
The History of Tissot and Racing Cars
The fantastic story of Tissot, formed by hands and engines, began in a quite singular way.
It all started with a photo sent to the house in 1958 by Swiss driver Harry Zweifel.
Above this photo, where Zweifel was depicted aboard his racing car, the driver, in addition to affixing his autograph, wrote the following phrase:
“My Tissot is by my side in every race.”
This emblematic photo, both for the pilot and for Tissot, represented the launching pad for the brand to decide to start creating watches dedicated to the world of four wheels.
In 1965, after a careful analysis of four-wheel races, the Tissot PR 516 arrived, the first model of the house with strong design references to the world of racing.
To demonstrate this, above the steel bracelet, there were large holes typical of racing car steering wheels.
This aesthetic peculiarity, initially much discussed, was soon followed by some of the most important maisons in the world.
The second characteristic that distinguished this watch was from a technical point of view, as the suspended movement was able to boast strong resistance to axial and lateral shocks.
On the other hand, the choice of the acronym PR for the model’s name meant “Particularly Resistant.”
The success of this first watch dedicated to the world of racing was so high that, in 1968, the legendary rally driver, Henry Bradley, even engraved the model’s name above his personal Ferrari.
The following period, the 1970s, were instead marked by the active participation of the Swiss maison as a sponsor in various international competitions.
In 1973 the brand became the sponsor of the Alpine team within the Monte Carlo Rally.
In this competition, the French car manufacturer, thanks to the iconic “Berlinette,” took home all three podium positions, as well as, in the same year, the World Rally Championship.
The partnership with the French car manufacturer was so successful that Tissot decided to sponsor the Renault Alpine team from 1977 to 1982, both in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in Formula 1.
In 1980, René Arnoux, aboard the RE20 single-seater of the Renault Alpine team, during the Brazilian Grand Prix, conquered the highest step of the podium.
Concurrently with the partnership with the French team, Tissot also began a collaboration with the famous Stuttgart car manufacturer.
In 1974, in fact, the Swiss maison participated in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans as a sponsor of Porsche.
This collaboration, which lasted only one year, resumed in 1995, the year in which Tissot once again sponsored the German car manufacturer, always at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 1970s for the Swiss brand were undoubtedly fiery years from a collaborative point of view with the world of four wheels.
In addition to Rallies, marginal participation in F1, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Swiss house in 1976 decided to definitively enter the world of Formula One, focusing on the young driver and friend of the famous Clay Regazzoni, Loris Kessel.
The young twenty-six-year-old, who raced in five grand prix aboard a white and blue Brabham BT44 with the English RAM team, brought to the track the iconic single-seater with the new “Tissot” logo presented specifically for motor racing.
Even today, Ronnie Kessel, a driver and entrepreneur in the automotive industry as well as the son of the famous Loris, is sponsored by the historic Swiss maison.
Also in 1976, in collaboration with the world-famous designer Nuccio Bertone, the Swiss house, in the wake of the advent of quartz watches, presented a completely unusual timepiece for the time that left the world of enthusiasts open-mouthed.
It was the Tissot Stratos by Bertone, a quartz watch with a digital display characterized by a completely singular and futuristic design.
Inspired by the famous and iconic Lancia Stratos, a pure champion in Rally championships, this watch encapsulated within it all the aesthetic and racing peculiarities akin to the car it was inspired by.
A car that, among other things, is still today the object of desire for many enthusiasts and collectors precisely for having marked an era and the history of automotive.
In 1979, still with Formula One, the collaboration with the Lotus team began, which lasted until 1982.
Above the cars of the team’s drivers, Reutemann and Andretti, the iconic Tissot Quartz logo was applied.
To celebrate this collaboration, the Swiss maison presented the “Tissot F1” collection, whose watches became the official ones of the Lotus Team.
Available in different versions, this watch was immediately a great success even outside the world of racing.
1987 marked the year in which the collaboration with Martini Racing began, from which a watch with an intermediate time chronograph and precision to 1/10 of a second was derived.
Finally, in 1994, Tissot made its return to the fascinating and adrenaline-filled world of F1 as a sponsor of Sauber Mercedes, within which drivers Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Karl Wendlinger, and Andrea De Cesaris raced.
Today, almost 70 years after the start of the collaboration with the world of high-speed four wheels, the racing DNA still lives within many of the collections in production of the historic Swiss brand.
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