Ayrton Senna's Watches: TAG Heuer S/el, Formula 1 and 6000
Ayrton Senna (1960-1994) is the driver most closely tied to TAG Heuer, and his best-known watch is the brand's S/el Ana-Digi chronograph, reference S25.706C , worn at McLaren from 1989 to 1993. The picture is more layered than the brand story suggests. He also wore a Formula 1, at least one 6000, a handful of Casio and Seiko watches before TAG Heuer, and gave away a Rolex Daytona that has become an auction lot. This guide separates what is documented from what is a later tribute.
The short answer
Senna's most documented watch is the TAG Heuer S/el S25.706C , backed by TAG Heuer's own account, photos and a 2007 Bonhams sale. The Formula 1 ref. 472.513 at Suzuka in 1991 is also confirmed. The exact reference of his TAG Heuer 6000 is disputed between TAG Heuer and a photo-based analysis, and the pre-TAG Heuer watches rest on one author's photo matching. The Rolex Daytona auctioned in 2019 was a gift to Angelo Parrilla, and we found no evidence that Senna wore a Rolex himself. Every Senna-branded TAG Heuer released since 1994 is a tribute, not a watch he wore.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| The TAG Heuer years(McLaren, 1989 to 1994) | TAG Heuer S/el Ana-Digi chronograph (steel and gold plate, cream dial, brown leather strap); TAG Heuer S/el (anthracite dial, bracelet or brown strap); TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph (37 mm, grey dial, red accents, red strap); TAG Heuer Series 2000 automatic chronograph (37 mm, ETA 2892); TAG Heuer S/el all-steel automatic; TAG Heuer 6000 (two-tone, white dial); Custom TAG Heuer 6000 prototype (light grey dial, red S at 9, bracelet) |
| Before TAG Heuer(Toleman, Lotus and early McLaren, 1984 to 1988) | Casio TS-1000; Seiko Speed Master (Giugiaro Design); Longines Conquest Titanium Moonphase; Casio Databank; Seiko Racing Master |
| Gifts and auctions(Documented lots) | Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (18k yellow gold) |
| Watches in the story | TAG Heuer 6000 Senna Limited Edition; TAG Heuer Link Senna (2001 to 2004); TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Senna and Formula 1 Senna (2015); TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Senna (43 mm, blackened steel, quartz); TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna (44 mm titanium, Calibre TH20-09); TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna |
How we label the evidence
Confirmed means a costume designer, prop department, the brand or the show itself said so, or multiple reputable outlets agree and cite a source. Reported means a single reputable outlet or database reports it. Community-identified means fans identified it from screenshots in a cited community thread, which we flag as unverified. We leave out other fan speculation, and where sources disagree we say so. All prices are in US dollars and are indicative; check current listings before buying.
The TAG Heuer years (McLaren, 1989 to 1994)
TAG Heuer's partnership with McLaren gave Senna a constant supply of watches, and the brand's own magazine, a detailed photo-based guide and an auction record agree on several of them. TAG Heuer says the partnership officially began in 1988, but photo analysis shows no TAG Heuer on his wrist that year, so we date the watches from 1989.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where you see it | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG Heuer S/el Ana-Digi chronograph (steel and gold plate, cream dial, brown leather strap) | S25.706C | Confirmed | Worn from the Monaco Grand Prix in May 1989 to the end of 1993, including his Monaco win and the wet Donington race of 1993. ETA 251.251 quartz with a 1/100 second chronograph. Given to McLaren test-team mechanic Ron Pellat at the end of 1993, reportedly after a joking bet over the title. One outlet says it was swapped for a Casio rather than given, so that detail is uncertain | Bonhams, Monaco, May 21, 2007: EUR 55,200 incl. premium (about $69,000 per other coverage; premium basis not confirmed). Also reported as sold at Bonhams in 2004 |
| TAG Heuer S/el (anthracite dial, bracelet or brown strap) | S25.206 | Reported | TAG Heuer says he alternated between the two S/el colourways. A photo-based guide places it from the 1989 Hungarian GP to 1992, including Suzuka 1990. The strap and reference are assumed from photos; no underside photo shows the reference | Not found |
| TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph (37 mm, grey dial, red accents, red strap) | 472.513 | Confirmed | Documented at the 1991 Japanese GP, where he took his third title. It was a McLaren crew team watch, and the photo guide says it was his only F1 race in it | Not found |
| TAG Heuer Series 2000 automatic chronograph (37 mm, ETA 2892) | 165.806 | Reported | First worn in 1989. The photo guide says only one or two races, starting with the Brazilian GP | Not found |
| TAG Heuer S/el all-steel automatic | S89.206 (WG5110) | Community-identified | Identified by a fan author from photos: first worn at the 1992 Canadian GP for five consecutive races | Not found |
| TAG Heuer 6000 (two-tone, white dial) | WH5151 or WH1151 (disputed) | Uncertain | The 6000 model is confirmed as worn in his final seasons. TAG Heuer's magazine gives the automatic WH5151; the photo guide argues from Monza 1992, Monza 1993 and 1994 images that the quartz WH1151 is the one he raced in, and that the WH5151 was a personal watch given to a business partner. We cannot settle it | A WH5151 was shown at Collector Studio, Toronto, c. 2011 with an asking price of about $50,000. This is an ask, not a recorded sale |
| Custom TAG Heuer 6000 prototype (light grey dial, red S at 9, bracelet) | Prototype | Reported | Reportedly worn in February 1994 and two days before the San Marino GP. Now in the TAG Heuer Museum, returned in January 2024. It led to the 6000 Senna edition. Not for sale | Not for sale |
Worth knowing: TAG Heuer and Senna reached an agreement on a Senna 6000 on April 29, 1994, two days before Imola. Work paused after his death and resumed in October 1994, with CHF 500 per watch sold going to the Senna Foundation, according to a fan-run archive.
Before TAG Heuer (Toleman, Lotus and early McLaren, 1984 to 1988)
Every watch in this chapter is identified by a single author who matched photos of Senna to specific models. It is careful work, but it is one source, so we label these community-identified, and one match is flagged by the author himself as only about 70 percent certain.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where you see it | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casio TS-1000 | TS-1000 | Community-identified | Photo-matched to 1984, his Toleman season | Not found |
| Seiko Speed Master (Giugiaro Design) | A828-4010 or A828-4019 | Community-identified | 1985 to 1987 at Lotus, with a photo from the 1985 Portuguese GP, his first win | Not found |
| Longines Conquest Titanium Moonphase | 4983 | Uncertain | Late 1987. The author puts his own confidence at about 70 percent | Not found |
| Casio Databank | DBT-70W | Community-identified | 1988, from a German GP photo | Not found |
| Seiko Racing Master | A781 | Community-identified | Late 1988, at Suzuka, where he took his first title | Not found |
Several fan guides repeat the Casio and Seiko list, but they trace back to the same photo analysis rather than independent confirmation.
Gifts and auctions (Documented lots)
One famous lot belongs to the Senna story but not to his wrist. A Rolex Daytona engraved with his name sold in 2019, and a source we read says there is no reputable evidence of him wearing a Rolex himself. It is a gift record, so it is not part of the wear history above.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where you see it | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (18k yellow gold) | 16528 | Confirmed | Given to karting figure Angelo Parrilla and engraved “A Angelo da Ayrton 1978”. The watch is c. 1989 (case back stamped 16500, cal. 4030), so the 1978 date on the engraving does not match the watch. Offered with an autographed picture, an autographed helmet faceguard, a letter from Parrilla confirming the gift, box and papers. This is a gift, not a watch Senna wore | Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: NINE, lot 23, May 11, 2019: CHF 162,500 (estimate CHF 100,000 to 200,000, roughly $101,000 to $201,000). No USD result found |
The Pellat S/el described in the first chapter is the other famous gift, with its own 2007 auction record.
Senna editions: tributes, not watches he wore
TAG Heuer has released Senna-branded watches for three decades. Apart from the 1994 prototype, none of these was worn by him. They are tributes made after his death, listed here so they are not confused with his own watches. Prices are as launched, in the currencies we found, and have not been converted to US dollars.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | In the story | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG Heuer 6000 Senna Limited Edition | 1994 agreement (see note) | Confirmed | The only edition with Senna's own creative involvement per a TAG Heuer account. Release year is disputed: TAG Heuer's guide says 1994, other outlets say 1995 with 1,000 pieces. We say agreed in 1994, released after his death | Not found |
| TAG Heuer Link Senna (2001 to 2004) | CT2115, CT5114 and others | Confirmed | 2001 chronograph (1,991 pieces), 2002 (4,098), 2003 chronometer (4,000) and 2004 (2,004, marking ten years since his death). TAG Heuer's own guide has reference typos for these years | Not found |
| TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Senna and Formula 1 Senna (2015) | CBB2010.BA0906, CBB2080.FT6042, CAZ1012, CAZ1013.BA0883 | Confirmed | Steel and titanium Carreras plus red and yellow Formula 1 versions, followed by yearly Senna editions through 2022 | Not found |
| TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Senna (43 mm, blackened steel, quartz) | 2022 edition | Confirmed | Released in 2022 with a “400” bezel and Senna logo, framed by Motorsport Magazine as thirty years after his third title | GBP 1,900 at launch |
| TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna (44 mm titanium, Calibre TH20-09) | CBU5081.FT6274 | Confirmed | November 2024, limited to 500 pieces | EUR 37,300 at launch |
| TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna | CBZ2081.FT8092 (44 mm) and CAZ101AX.BA0637 (43 mm) | Confirmed | Launched November 4, 2025 and shown at the 2025 Sao Paulo GP. The 43 mm quartz steel is limited to 3,000 pieces | CHF 5,550 (44 mm DLC titanium, Calibre 16) and CHF 2,550 (43 mm) at launch |
We could not verify current resale prices for the S/el or any Senna edition, so none are quoted.
Context: the TAG Heuer partnership and the gaps in the record
What is solid. The S/el S25.706C is the best documented watch: the brand, an auction house, a family account (the Pellats) and several outlets agree on it. The Phillips Daytona lot page is similarly firm on the gift. The brand's own collector's guide is our source for the Senna editions.
What is thin. The 6000 reference, the pre-TAG Heuer watches and the exact Bonhams premium basis all rest on limited evidence. We could not read the Bonhams lot page, and we did not find direct statements from the Senna family or the Senna brand. See also the TAG Heuer motorsport history for the wider partnership.
The 2007 sale in numbers. Figures differ by outlet: EUR 55,200 including premium, about $69,000, roughly EUR 48,000 hammer in one summary, and a UK magazine's account of just over GBP 10,000 at the first sale and almost GBP 50,000 on resale. We present the euro figure as the cleanest and flag the rest.
Get the look for less
Current watches that carry the Senna link. These are editorial suggestions and tributes, not watches he wore.
| Watch | Why it fits | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|
| TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna, 43 mm steel quartz (CAZ101AX.BA0637) | The most accessible current Senna tribute, 3,000 pieces | CHF 2,550 at launch, November 2025 (no USD price found) |
| TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna, 44 mm DLC titanium (CBZ2081.FT8092) | Calibre 16 automatic tribute in the same range | CHF 5,550 at launch, November 2025 (no USD price found) |
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “Senna wore a Rolex.” The only documented Rolex is a Daytona he gave to Angelo Parrilla. We found no evidence of him wearing one.
- “He wore TAG Heuer from 1988.” The partnership is dated to 1988, but photo analysis shows a Casio and Seiko that year. The first TAG Heuer watch dates to 1989.
- “His 6000 was the WH5151 automatic.” TAG Heuer's magazine says so. A photo-based analysis says the quartz WH1151 is the one he raced in. The record is unsettled.
- “The Rolex engraving says 1978, so he gave it that year.” The engraving reads 1978, but the watch itself is c. 1989, an inconsistency the auction house notes.
- “The first Senna 6000 came out in 1994.” TAG Heuer's guide says 1994, other outlets say 1995. The agreement was in 1994, the release after his death.
- “He clinched his third title at Australia in 1991.” TAG Heuer and the photo guide say Suzuka, Japan. One magazine says Australia. We follow Suzuka.
- “The Pellat S/el was a swap.” Most sources describe a gift at the end of 1993. One magazine says he swapped it for a Casio.
- “Senna editions are watches he wore.” They are tributes made after his death. Only the 1994 prototype was reportedly worn by him.
Sources
TAG Heuer magazine, including its collector's guide to Senna editions; OnTheDash Senna watch guide; ayrton-senna.net; WatchesOff5th; Phillips lot page for the Geneva Watch Auction: NINE; Motorsport Magazine, February 2022; La Cote des Montres and Time+Tide for recent editions. We could not read the Bonhams lot page, Hodinkee, Worn & Wound or Monochrome, and could not load a current Chrono24 price. Prices are as published, in their original currencies where no USD figure exists, and carry their sale dates. This page covers watches only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch is Ayrton Senna most known for?
The TAG Heuer S/el Ana-Digi chronograph, reference S25.706C, worn at McLaren from 1989 to 1993.
What happened to Senna's TAG Heuer S/el?
He gave it to McLaren mechanic Ron Pellat at the end of 1993. It sold at Bonhams in Monaco on May 21, 2007 for EUR 55,200 including premium.
Did Ayrton Senna wear a Rolex?
We found no evidence that he did. A Rolex Daytona 16528 he gave to Angelo Parrilla sold at Phillips on May 11, 2019 for CHF 162,500.
Which TAG Heuer did Senna wear when he won in 1991?
A TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph, reference 472.513, is documented at the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix.
Are the Senna TAG Heuer editions the watches he wore?
No. Apart from a 1994 prototype, they are tributes released after his death.
What watches did Senna wear before TAG Heuer?
A fan author's photo matching points to Casio and Seiko models, but that identification is from a single source.
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