A new watchmaker is entering the world of Formula 1 racing. Breitling Replica has just become a partner of Aston Martin Racing, celebrating the occasion with a special version of the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43.
We’re witnessing the first official change in the F1 paddock. Not a sporting change, of course – as there will be plenty of those in the new season – but a purely watch-related one. Girard-Perregaux has stepped down as official timekeeper of the Aston Martin team. He will be replaced by Breitling, led by the dynamic and charismatic Georges Kern. Furthermore, the manufacturer becomes the official watchmaker not only of the F1 team but also of the entire civilian branch of the company. The partnership is for many years, and as a result, the Breitling Replica logo will appear on the British team’s cars (the car’s unveiling for the 2026 season is scheduled for February 9th) and kit.
It’s worth remembering that this isn’t Breitling’s first relationship with F1 and Aston Martin. Its origins date back to 1959 and Aston Martin’s debut in Formula One racing. The two drivers behind the wheel of the cars sporting the distinctive winged logo – Graham Hill and Jim Clark – wore Navitimer models on their wrists.
Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Astron Martin Aramco Formula One Team
While we don’t yet know what Fernando Alosno, Lance Stroll, or the other members of the Aston Martin team will wear on their wrists, we already know the first watch product of the collaboration. Breitling Replica has chosen the iconic Navitimer, wrapping it in a design befitting an advanced sports watch with a racing edge.
The case, measuring a generous 43 mm in diameter (13.69 mm thick, 49.07 mm lug-to-lug), is crafted from lightweight titanium, sealed with sapphire crystals on both sides, and mounted on a black leather strap with green lining and a textured pattern resembling seatbelts.
The black dial, in the classic Navitimer design, features an irregular carbon fiber texture with green luminova inclusions. The chronograph seconds hand is bright green, a color that naturally echoes the colors of the Aston Martin F1. The rest of the design is the aforementioned classic Navitimer style, featuring white subdials with a distinctive snail cut, a massive slide rule, and a date window integrated into the subdial at 6 o’clock.
Powering the watch—though in this case, one might be tempted to call it an “engine”—is the in-house caliber B01. Featuring a column wheel, a 70-hour power reserve, and a COSC chronometer certificate, the movement is topped with a black PVD-coated tungsten rotor embellished with the Aston Martin Aramco Fomula One Team logo.