F1 The Movie Watches: Brad Pitt's Green IWC Ingenieur and the APXGP Team
F1 The Movie (2025) is the rare racing film where the watch brand is a sponsor inside the story. IWC is the fictional APXGP team's partner, so its logo is on the cars and its watches are on the wrists. This guide covers the watches IWC itself confirms, the ones only one outlet reports, and the points where sources disagree. It also separates the screen watches from the retail editions inspired by them, because the two are not the same thing.
The short answer
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) wears a bespoke IWC Ingenieur built from an SL ref. 1832 , and Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) wears a gold Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 (IW388309). Both are confirmed by IWC's press release. The IWC retail tribute, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 IW328908 , is limited to 1,000 pieces and is not the watch on screen. Watches for Kate McKenna and Ruben Cervantes rest on a single magazine report, and we found no costume-designer statement.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| Sonny Hayes(Brad Pitt) | IWC Ingenieur SL, bespoke prop with green dial; IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 (retail tribute) |
| Joshua Pearce(Damson Idris) | IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41; IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Ceratanium |
| Kate McKenna(Kerry Condon) | IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36; IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 |
| Ruben Cervantes(Javier Bardem) | IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar |
| APXGP team (various characters)(Ensemble) | IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph APXGP; IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APXGP |
| Everyone else, including Peter Banning, Kaspar Smolinski and Bernadette Pearce(Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, Sarah Niles) | No documented watch |
| Watches in the story | Hayes's father's Ingenieur; The Rolex 24 at Daytona winner's watch |
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. 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.
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt)
IWC's press release (April 1, 2025) says the Ingenieur Automatic 40 is based on a bespoke prop watch worn by Hayes, built from an Ingenieur SL ref. 1832 in a collaboration between IWC and Cloister Watch Company. Revolution (June 26, 2025) and Watches Off 5th add that Pitt supplied his own 1976 Gerald Genta-designed SL and asked for it to be about half as thick. Those details come from retail and trade coverage, not from IWC's release, so we mark them as reported.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Ingenieur SL, bespoke prop with green dial | Built from SL ref. 1832 | Confirmed | IWC press release, April 1, 2025. IMWDb also lists it with IWC and Revolution as sources. aBlogtoWatch describes it as a 1970s SL customized by Cloister, and does not call it one-off | Not for sale |
| IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 (retail tribute) | IW328908 | Confirmed | Limited to 1,000 pieces, 40 mm steel, calibre 32111, 120-hour reserve, 10 bar. IWC says it is based on the prop. IMWDb flags it as not shown in the film | CHF 13,200, about $15,000 at launch (March 31, 2025); US $12,900 listed by one retailer (checked October 25, 2026, availability not verified) |
Two conflicting claims are worth stating. Revolution says IWC made two converted pieces as backups and that the movement was unchanged, while Tempus says Pitt asked for a thinner case and a custom green dial. Neither is in IWC's release. A separate note: Watches Off 5th lists a vintage Patek Philippe 2526 on Pitt at the June 16, 2025 premiere. That is a premiere outfit from a single retailer page, not an on-screen watch.
Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris)
Pearce is the rookie, and IWC ties him to its gold Pilot's chronograph in black and gold, the APXGP livery. IWC's release, IMWDb and Revolution agree on the reference.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 | IW388309 | Confirmed | 18k 5N gold case, black lacquered dial, black ceramic tachymeter bezel, black rubber strap. IWC press release, April 1, 2025 | Not confirmed. We found no fetched price |
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Ceratanium | Not stated | Uncertain | Tempus (July 3, 2025) lists this for Pearce, plus a Performance Chronograph 41 “AMG”. IWC and IMWDb list only IW388309, so we do not treat Tempus's version as established | — |
Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon)
McKenna is APXGP's technical director. IWC names no watch for her. Tempus reports two, and IMWDb rates the evidence medium to low.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 | Not stated | Reported | Tempus (July 3, 2025): steel, black dial, soft-iron inner case. IMWDb: medium confidence, source Tempus only | Not found |
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 | Not stated; several versions exist | Reported | Tempus says she wears it throughout. IMWDb: low to medium, family level only | Not found |
Condon was photographed in an Ingenieur Automatic 35 (IW324906) at IWC's Miami event on May 1, 2025. That is an event watch, not a film watch, and it should not be mixed up with the Pilot's models above.
Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem)
Cervantes owns the struggling APXGP team. The only documented watch is a blue-dial perpetual calendar.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar | Not stated | Reported | Tempus (July 3, 2025): steel case, blue dial, blue calfskin strap. IMWDb: medium, source Tempus only. Watches Off 5th lists an Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 on Bardem, but at the premiere | Not found |
APXGP team (various characters) (Ensemble)
IWC says its Pilot's Watches are worn by various characters and serve as official team watches, with branding on cars, suits, helmets and the garage. It does not say which character wears which. Revolution reports roughly 100 IWC watches went to the costume department, so more IWC pieces may appear than anyone has catalogued.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph APXGP | IW378009 | Confirmed | 43 mm steel, black dial, tinted sapphire caseback with gold APXGP logo, calibre 69385, 10 bar. Released with the film (IWC, April 1, 2025). Günther Steiner wore it at the Miami event | Not confirmed |
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APXGP | IW388116 | Confirmed | 41 mm version of the same design (IWC, April 1, 2025) | $7,500 at one retailer (checked October 25, 2026); IWC pricing not confirmed |
Revolution calls IW388309 the 41 mm APXGP model. IWC's own release lists IW388116 as the 41 mm APXGP and IW388309 as the gold Performance Chronograph, so we follow IWC.
Everyone else, including Peter Banning, Kaspar Smolinski and Bernadette Pearce (Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, Sarah Niles)
No source we found documents a watch for these characters, and we did not verify a costume-designer account.
The watches that matter in the story
Two watch beats are reported in the plot. We have not seen the film frame by frame, so both rest on outlet descriptions.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | In the story | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes's father's Ingenieur | SL-based prop, see above | Reported | Tempus and Watches Off 5th describe it as a keepsake from Sonny's father, also a racing driver. A third piece, ramp.space, says the same. IWC's own release confirms the prop watch but does not describe the plot | Not for sale |
| The Rolex 24 at Daytona winner's watch | Model never named | Reported | Hayes co-drives to a class win and walks away from the winner's Rolex, saying he already has a watch (Watches Off 5th), which Tempus frames as choosing his father's watch. Single-source plot detail | Not applicable |
The Rolex is never identified by model, and we do not guess one.
Why IWC, and where the real F1 fits in
IWC says it is an official sponsor of the fictional APXGP team. In the real sport it has been Official Engineering Partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team since 2013, according to A Timely Perspective (March 31, 2025). Lewis Hamilton, a Mercedes driver at the time of filming, is a producer on the film. IWC's Miami event release (May 2, 2025) also records Toto Wolff in a Big Pilot's Shock Absorber XPL (IW356201) and George Russell in a one-off black ceramic Ingenieur Automatic 42. Those are real-F1 watches, not film props. For the current grid, see F1 drivers' watches 2026.
The sport's official timekeeper is a different brand. TAG Heuer replaced Rolex, announced January 6, 2025, on a 10-year LVMH deal, according to TimesLive. Wikipedia's article on the film does not mention TAG Heuer, and we found no TAG Heuer watch tied to the film, so this page does not claim one. See TAG Heuer's history. A sequel was reportedly greenlit in February 2026 (Wikipedia, single source), so the watch story may continue.
Other racing-film watch guides: Rush, Le Mans, Ford v Ferrari, and the drivers Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher. The Ingenieur's own story is in our Ingenieur 50th anniversary report and our IWC history.
Get the look for less
Watches you can actually buy that connect to the film. These are the retail editions, not the screen watches, and availability was not verified.
| Watch | Why it fits | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|
| IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40, IW328908 | IWC's tribute to Hayes's green-dial prop; limited to 1,000 | $12,900 listed at one retailer (October 25, 2026) |
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APXGP, IW388116 | The black-and-gold team chronograph in steel | $7,500 at one retailer (October 25, 2026) |
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “The IW328908 is the watch Brad Pitt wears on screen.” IWC says it is based on the prop, and IMWDb marks it as not shown in the film.
- “IW388309 is the 41 mm APXGP chronograph.” That is a Revolution error. IWC lists IW388116 as the 41 mm APXGP, and IW388309 as the gold Performance Chronograph.
- “Kerry Condon wore the Ingenieur 35 in the film.” IWC's release places it on her at the Miami event, not on screen.
- “Every premiere watch was in the movie.” Premiere watches, such as the Patek on Pitt, are red-carpet choices from a retailer page, not screen watches.
- “TAG Heuer has a role in the film.” We found none. TAG Heuer is the real F1 timekeeper only.
Sources
IWC press releases (April 1, 2025 and May 2, 2025), IMWDb, Revolution, Tempus, aBlogtoWatch, A Timely Perspective, Watches Off 5th, ramp.space, TimesLive and Wikipedia. We found no coverage from Hodinkee, Fratello or Monochrome and no costume-designer statement. Several outlets could not be read (Men’s Journal, loupe.watch). Prices were retrieved on October 25, 2026 unless dated otherwise. Watch the film for the final word on which watches are on which wrist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch does Brad Pitt wear in F1 The Movie?
A bespoke IWC Ingenieur built from an SL ref. 1832 with a green dial, per IWC's press release. It is not for sale.
What watch does Damson Idris wear in F1?
IWC says Joshua Pearce wears the Pilot's Watch Performance Chronograph 41 in 18k 5N gold, ref. IW388309. Tempus lists a different Pilot's model, which we mark uncertain.
Can I buy Brad Pitt's F1 watch?
Not the prop. IWC made the Ingenieur Automatic 40 IW328908, limited to 1,000 pieces, as a tribute. It launched at CHF 13,200 on March 31, 2025.
Is IWC the watch brand of the F1 movie?
Yes. IWC is the fictional APXGP team's sponsor. TAG Heuer is the real sport's official timekeeper, and we found no link to the film.
Who designed the costumes in F1 The Movie?
We could not confirm a costume designer from the sources we fetched, so we do not name one.
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