Few luxury partnerships in sport feel as lived-in as the one between IWC Schaffhausen and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Now in its twelfth season and nearly two decades deep, it’s a relationship that has moved far beyond logos and sponsorship boards. Over time, IWC has become part of the team’s identity—engrained in both the hardware and the human story of Formula 1.
“It’s kind of like an extension to the family,” says Franziska Gsell, Chief Marketing Officer at IWC. “You understand their needs. They understand our needs. You see how the technical people are working, and we get a lot of inspiration from how they push the boundaries.”
That depth of connection has now extended to the big screen. IWC is the official watch partner of F1, the upcoming Apple Original Film directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and starring Brad Pitt. But this isn’t just a brand cameo. This is full immersion.
Precision on Set, Performance on Screen
IWC delivered 120 watches to the film’s production—real pieces, worn by both actors and the fictional APXGP team’s mechanics and engineers. “Like in real life with our team, all the technical people, the mechanics—they’re wearing them,” says Gsell. “Then all the leading actors too.”
Brad Pitt’s character, veteran driver Sonny Hayes, wears a custom IWC inspired by the Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832. The green dial became part of his on-screen persona, echoed in his helmet design and race suit accents. “It’s really beautiful because it’s more personal,” Gsell notes. “This colour—you see it on his helmet as well. His signature colour. A bit more intense for the watch dial.” Pitt was personally involved in developing the piece with IWC’s design team, contributing to its final look and feel—a rare level of input from an actor in a watch collaboration.
The collaboration also pushed the boundaries of film technology. Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, challenged the filmmakers with a simple but telling observation: “There is no Formula One movie really showing the speed of Formula One.” That challenge led to the development of a custom-built camera car—engineered to capture the velocity and realism of an actual F1 race.
“This is not CGI,” says Gsell. “It’s pure engineering and movie-making. And this is what fascinates us. That’s also why there’s a parallel between that and watchmaking.”
The APXGP Collection: From Fiction to Fan Access
To commemorate its involvement, IWC released three new chronographs inspired by the APXGP team featured in the film. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Performance in 18k 5N gold—the same model worn by Damson Idris’s character—is flanked by two stainless steel editions (in 41mm and 43mm). All three bear APXGP team branding and draw their black, white, and gold design language from the fictional car liveries.
“These watches are not just about design—they’re storytelling instruments,” says Gsell. “This is not just a campaign. It’s an embodiment of our brand values: engineering precision, storytelling, performance, legacy.”
Alongside these, IWC also launched a 1,000-piece limited edition Ingenieur Automatic 40 with a green dial, tapping into both the movie’s colour language and collector demand for vibrant dials. “The Ingenieur was a great success, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Gsell. “With the green dial, we’re adding a fresh and energetic look to the line. It’s a colour often associated with motorsport, and this timepiece combines the bold design of the 1970s icon with a refreshing and contemporary colour scheme.”
What Formula 1 Gives Back to Luxury Watchmaking
The timing of this partnership couldn’t be sharper. With the global F1 fandom exploding post-Drive to Survive, IWC’s long-standing presence suddenly feels hyper-relevant. But more importantly, it feels authentic. “Formula One is more popular than ever,” says Gsell. “The partnership is incredibly valuable for us in terms of brand visibility, media reach, and engagement with a global audience. What is more, our shared commitment to innovation and technology means that we have many exciting stories to tell.” From joint engineering sessions at IWC’s Schaffhausen manufacture to design feedback from Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff, the collaboration goes far deeper than a logo on a race suit. “This unique setup creates a truly authentic connection between IWC and the team,” Gsell explains. “It sets us apart from other partnerships.”
In the end, this isn’t just about watches. It’s about IWC understanding where culture, speed, and storytelling intersect—and making sure it’s not just present, but integral. From pit lanes to production sets, and now into theatres around the world, the brand is doing something few others in the luxury space manage to do: evolving with the moment, without ever breaking character.
