Cars & motorsport
Industry News: Girard-Perregaux Is Now The Official Watch Partner For Aston Martin And The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team
Just in time for the start of the 2021 F1 season, Girard-Perregaux joins forces with Aston Martin.
By Josh Shanks
Contributor
This morning, fresh news out of the UK, British carmaker Aston Martin announced its partnership with Girard-Perregaux. As the Official Watch Partner of Aston Martin, the brands will be joining forces not just for road cars but for the recently rebranded Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team.
Starting at the 2021 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix (March 26-28), Girard-Perregaux branding will be present on Lance Stroll’s and Sebastian Vettel's cars. The four-time F1 Champion Vettel is no stranger to the world of watch partnerships, previously having been with Red Bull Racing (TAG Heuer) and Scuderia Ferrari (formerly Hublot).
The Executives’ Take
Girard-Perregaux’s Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pruniaux said in a press release: “2021 is an important year for both Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin. We are celebrating an astonishing 230 years of watchmaking, whilst Aston Martin celebrates its return to Formula One as a works team for the first time in over 60 years. We have much to celebrate, so uniting our worlds to create something special is the perfect way to acknowledge and appreciate these milestones.”
Tobias Moers, Aston Martin Lagonda’s Chief Executive Officer, remarked: “The real beauty of partnerships such as this one is that, although we share very similar core values, the two brands can learn a great deal from one another. Girard-Perregaux is a prolific innovator in the use of materials and new technology. We both create highly desirable luxury products that are beautifully designed, deliver a powerful performance, and exhibit flawless execution.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal, added: “We at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team are thrilled to be announcing a partnership with Girard-Perregaux today. Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux share so many brand touchpoints – a rich history, a glorious heritage, and a relentless devotion to the pursuit of premium quality combined with high technology. On the racetrack, time, too, is of the essence. Formula One™️ and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, in particular, will prove themselves to be respectively a fantastic platform and a brilliant partner for Girard-Perregaux, whose timepieces lead the way in terms of quality and desirability.”
What’s Next
Formerly racing under the Racing Point F1 banner, the newly renamed Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team didn’t have a watch partner entering the 2021 season. But all that has changed with today’s announcement.
While the details are vague at the moment, according to the press release, the brands both “embrace continuous improvement and pursue superior performance.” This likely means both brands will be working together to bring forward material innovation, a particular Girard-Perregaux skill. On the F1 front, Aston Martin's F1 team will have Mercedes-built engines, so it is quite possible to think the team can best its 4th place finish in the 2020 F1 World Championship standings.
The brands have teased limited-edition timepieces to come later in 2021. So stay tuned to Watchonista for more on this emerging partnership.
(Images © Girard-Perregaux)
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