Formula 1 and Luxury Watches: How is This 2026 Going?

Formula 1 in 2026 has been absolute chaos in the best possible way and honestly the watch spotting around the paddock has become almost as entertaining as the racing itself.
Between dramatic overtakes, safety car madness, surprise podiums, and team radio meltdowns, luxury watch fans have been keeping a close eye on what drivers and team bosses are wearing every single weekend.
All this mixed with a huge "from the bottom to the top" storyline: the rise of the new generation with Kimi Antonelli turning into the breakout star of the year while luxury watch brands continue using Formula 1 as the ultimate flex.

For collectors into pre owned Rolex, Richard Mille investment watches, TAG Heuer racing chronographs, or rare Formula 1 luxury watches, this season has already delivered some serious grail content.

The season kicked off in Australia where the atmosphere felt completely electric.
The Melbourne paddock was packed with drivers arriving in lightweight summer fits and some seriously expensive wristwear.
Max Verstappen was seen wearing the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph CBN2A1A.FC6537 while walking through the paddock before qualifying. The Carrera line has always had deep Formula 1 roots, but lately collectors have been hunting down pre owned TAG Heuer Carrera references because the vintage racing vibe feels cooler than ever right now. 
The Australian Grand Prix also gave fans one of the wildest starts to a season in recent memory with multiple incidents in the opening laps and nonstop drama through the midfield due to the Hybrid's motor changes of this year.

China became one of the biggest talking points of the year because Kimi Antonelli shocked everyone by becoming the youngest Formula 1 Grand Prix winner ever.
The paddock atmosphere completely changed after that race because suddenly everyone realized Formula 1 officially has a new superstar.
Around Mercedes hospitality there was also huge attention on the IWC watches linked to the team. The IWC Big Pilot and Pilot Chronograph collections have become massively popular in the pre owned watch market because they connect directly with Formula 1 engineering culture and modern motorsport style.

Japan at Suzuka felt like old school Formula 1 in the best possible way.
Kimi Antonelli took another massive result there and kept building his championship lead.  Suzuka always brings out serious watch spotting because drivers and executives tend to lean into more understated luxury there.

Miami has probably been the most stylish race weekend so far this season. McLaren turned the city into one giant Formula 1 party with street shows, historic cars, and celebrities everywhere. Lando Norris arrived wearing the Richard Mille RM 67 02 McLaren Edition while McLaren celebrated its approaching 1000th Formula 1 race milestone. Miami always feels like the perfect place for flashy luxury sports watches because every team boss, driver, and celebrity seems to compete for the best wrist shot. Pre owned Rolex Daytona demand always spikes around Miami weekend because Formula 1 fans start searching for the same references they spot around the paddock clubs and yacht parties.

One of the weirdest twists of the season has been the cancellation of both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia because of the conflict in the Gulf region. That completely changed the flow of the championship and made the early season calendar feel unpredictable. It also shifted a lot of luxury brand activations toward Miami and Monaco which ended up making those race weekends even bigger for watch launches and celebrity appearances.

Lewis Hamilton still owns the paddock style conversation almost every weekend. Alongside the Richard Mille RM 67 02 he has also been linked with the RM 43 01 Ferrari Tourbillon during Ferrari appearances this year.
The Richard Mille RM 67 02 Automatic Extra Flatis by now one of the lightest and most recognizable watches in Formula 1. Richard Mille basically owns the modern Formula 1 watch scene because the brand feels engineered like an actual race car.

The resale prices on pre owned Richard Mille Formula 1 linked pieces have stayed completely insane because collectors know these watches are tied forever to this era of the sport. These watches are basically impossible grails for most collectors but Formula 1 visibility keeps pushing demand higher in the pre owned luxury watch market. The crazy thing is that Formula 1 fans now know Richard Mille references almost as well as they know lap times.

Charles Leclerc continues to his white Richard Mille as usual: we saw it also in his own wedding this year, wearing his beloved Richard Mille RM 72‑01 Flyback Chronograph if titanium, even if there are rumors of connections between Rolex and Ferrari. 
 
Rolex Daytona references remain some of the safest luxury sports watches for collectors because demand in the pre owned market never really disappears especially when Formula 1 drivers keep wearing them publicly.

Even team principals are becoming watch influencers now. Toto Wolff keeps leaning into understated IWC pieces while Christian Horner has been associated with Tudor Black Bay Chronograph models that fit the aggressive Red Bull identity perfectly. Formula 1 fans are now freezing Netflix Drive to Survive episodes just to identify watch serials during garage scenes which honestly says everything about how connected the luxury watch world and motorsport culture have become.

Right now Formula 1 is basically the ultimate showcase for modern luxury sports watches. The paddock has turned into a moving exhibition of pre owned Rolex Daytona references, Richard Mille Formula 1 grails, IWC Mercedes AMG Petronas editions, TAG Heuer racing chronographs, and collectible luxury watches tied directly to motorsport history.
In 2026 the overlap between Formula 1 fans and watch collectors has never been bigger and every single race weekend feels like another chapter in that story.