Richard Mille and Formula 1: the McLaren and Ferrari references, from the RM 011 to the RM 43-01

Richard Mille has been in Formula 1 since 2004, when Felipe Massa became the brand's first driver partner, and today it is the official watch partner of both McLaren, since 2016, and Ferrari, since 2021. The watches that came out of those relationships are the ones buyers mean when they search for a "Richard Mille F1": the McLaren pieces, from the RM 50-03 tourbillon of 2017 to the RM 11-03 McLaren chronograph of 2018, the RM 40-01 Speedtail of 2021 and the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 of 2024, and the two Ferrari watches, the 1.75 mm RM UP-01 of 2022 and the RM 43-01 split-seconds tourbillon of 2025. This guide explains how the partnerships work, what each reference is, which drivers wear the brand, how the McLaren and Ferrari pieces compare, what they cost on a dated basis in 2026 and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources the racing editions to order; the Richard Mille collection lists the references we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 21, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Why is Richard Mille in Formula 1?

Richard Mille launched his brand in 2001 with the RM 001 tourbillon and a stated ambition to build watches the way racing teams build cars: from the function outward, with materials chosen for weight and strength rather than tradition. Formula 1 was the obvious proving ground. In 2004 the brand signed Felipe Massa, then at Sauber and soon at Ferrari, and built him the RM 006 tourbillon with a carbon nanofibre baseplate, the first watch Massa wore during races. The RM 011 Felipe Massa flyback chronograph followed in 2007 and became the brand's best-known model. Massa's watches survived seasons of racing, including his 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix accident, and the brand used that record to argue that a mechanical tourbillon could live on a driver's wrist. Every partnership since, with Rafael Nadal in tennis, with McLaren and with Ferrari, has followed the same logic: sign the athlete or the team, build a watch to their conditions, then sell a small edition to the public.

Richard Mille McLaren watches: every reference

McLaren signed Richard Mille as official timing partner of the Formula 1 team in late 2016 on a ten-year agreement, and the road-car company followed. The RM 11-03 McLaren is the one most buyers can find; the RM 50-03 and the Speedtail are collector pieces that rarely change hands.

Source: Richard Mille collections lists the current racing editions; the brand's services page covers the warranty and the service programme.

Richard Mille RM 11-03 McLaren: the wearable F1 watch

The RM 11-03 McLaren is the standard RM 11-03 with the McLaren case materials and colours. It is the same movement and the same size as the non-McLaren RM 11-03, so a buyer who wants the chronograph without the racing livery has a cheaper route through the standard editions; the McLaren premium buys the orange Quartz TPT, the intake-shaped pushers and an edition of 500.

Richard Mille Ferrari watches: RM UP-01 and RM 43-01

Ferrari moved from Hublot to Richard Mille in 2021, and the relationship covers the Formula 1 team, the Hypercar programme that won Le Mans with the 499P from 2023, and the road-car design centre. The first watch, the RM UP-01 Ferrari of July 2022, is a 1.75 mm ultra-flat manual-winding watch in titanium, the thinnest mechanical wristwatch at its launch, limited to 150 pieces. The second, the RM 43-01 of early 2025, is a manual-winding tourbillon with a split-seconds chronograph designed with Ferrari's styling centre and made in 150 pieces split between titanium and Carbon TPT cases. Both were announced at seven-figure US dollar prices and allocated to existing clients. Our separate Richard Mille and Ferrari guide goes deeper on each; for a Formula 1 buyer the summary is that the Ferrari pieces are rarer, more extreme and far more expensive than the McLaren watches.

Which Formula 1 drivers wear Richard Mille?

Felipe Massa was the first, from 2004, and his name is on the RM 006 and RM 011. Charles Leclerc has been a partner since 2019 and has his own RM 67-02 Charles Leclerc edition in Ferrari colours. Fernando Alonso wears the brand in the paddock. On the McLaren side, the team's drivers wear Richard Mille under the timing partnership, and the RM 11-03 McLaren was launched with the 2018 driver line-up. Beyond Formula 1 the brand's motorsport partners include Le Mans and the Le Mans Classic, which produced the RM 72-01 and RM 30-01 Le Mans Classic editions in the brand's green and white. The drivers' watches are usually RM 67-02 automatics, the light, thin sports model the brand builds for its athletes, rather than the limited chronographs sold to the public.

McLaren or Ferrari: which Richard Mille F1 watch?

For a watch to wear, the McLaren chronographs are the answer. For the rarest Formula 1 connected pieces the brand has made, the Ferrari watches are, at a multiple of the price.

How much is a Richard Mille F1 watch in 2026?

• Retail. Richard Mille quotes prices through boutiques and allocates limited editions to existing clients; none of the McLaren or Ferrari editions is available at retail today. The RM 11-03 McLaren sat in the high US$100,000s at launch in 2018 according to boutique quotes reported at the time; the Ferrari pieces were seven figures.
• Secondary market. The RM 11-03 McLaren has traded above its launch price since 2018 and above the non-McLaren RM 11-03. The RM 50-03 and RM 40-01 rarely appear and ask well into seven figures when they do. The RM 011 Felipe Massa, made in larger numbers over many years, is the affordable entry to the Formula 1 story.
• Bizak catalogue asks. On 21 September 2026 our sourced catalogue listed the RM 11-03 McLaren at US$367,349 and US$371,999 pre-owned, the RM 011 Felipe Massa in rose gold at US$242,550, standard RM 65-01 split-seconds editions from US$292,950 to US$557,999 and the RM UP-01 Ferrari at US$899,999, all sourced to order.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, case and set; our Richard Mille price guide explains how to compare quotes across references.

Is a Richard Mille F1 watch a good investment?

The racing editions have generally outperformed the standard references because the story is clear and the editions are closed. The RM 11-03 McLaren has held a premium over the plain RM 11-03 since launch, and the RM 50-03 and Speedtail have appreciated because there are 75 and 106 of them. The wider Richard Mille market softened from its 2022 peak before steadying, so a buyer paying a full ask in 2026 should expect to hold. Buy the watch you want to wear; if resale matters, ask for a written cash-buy assessment before you commit.

How does the RM 11-03 McLaren wear?

It is a big watch, close to 50 mm long and 16 mm thick, but Carbon TPT is light and the curved caseback follows the wrist, so it sits lower than the numbers suggest. Wrists from about 17 cm carry it well. The orange Quartz TPT is bright in daylight; the black strap tones it down. The crown is a torque-limited design that slips rather than overwinds, the pushers have a firm mechanical action, and the annual calendar needs correcting once a year at the end of February. It is a watch that gets noticed, which is either the point or the problem.

Buying a used Richard Mille F1 edition: what to check

• Edition number and papers. The number on the case should match the warranty card and, ideally, the boutique invoice. Richard Mille does not reissue cards.
• Case materials. Carbon TPT and Quartz TPT show continuous layered stripes through the caseband and bezel. Painted or printed stripes, or a case that is too heavy, are signs of a fake.
• Colour match. The McLaren orange is a specific Quartz TPT; a replaced bezel or caseback in a different shade lowers the price.
• Chronograph function. Test the flyback: with the chronograph running, the lower pusher should reset and restart in one press. The split-seconds on an RM 65-01 should stop one hand and let the other run.
• Strap and clasp. The McLaren editions came with two straps; missing straps or a generic clasp reduce value and are expensive to replace.
• Service history. Richard Mille services its own watches. Ask for the brand's service paperwork and the last date.
• Price against the band. A racing edition offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch.

Quick answers

Which F1 team does Richard Mille sponsor?

Two: McLaren, where Richard Mille has been official timing partner since 2016, and Ferrari, where it became official watch partner in 2021 after Ferrari's decade with Hublot.

What is the Richard Mille McLaren watch?

There are four: the RM 50-03 tourbillon split-seconds chronograph of 2017 (75 pieces), the RM 11-03 McLaren chronograph of 2018 (500), the RM 40-01 Speedtail of 2021 (106) and the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 of 2024 (500).

How much is a Richard Mille RM 11-03 McLaren?

Bizak's sourced catalogue listed pre-owned examples at US$367,349 and US$371,999 on 21 September 2026, sourced to order. Retail was in the high US$100,000s at launch in 2018 and the edition has traded above it since.

Which Richard Mille did Felipe Massa wear?

The RM 006 tourbillon from 2004 and then the RM 011 Felipe Massa flyback chronograph from 2007, the model that made the brand's name in Formula 1.

Is the Ferrari Richard Mille an F1 watch?

The RM UP-01 and RM 43-01 are Ferrari partnership pieces designed with Ferrari's styling centre; the partnership covers the Formula 1 team, but the watches are not racing chronographs. The McLaren editions are the Formula 1 chronographs.

Request a Richard Mille F1 edition sourcing quote

Tell us the reference, case and strap colour, condition and set requirements, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, papers and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: RM 11-03 McLaren, RM 11-03 McLaren black Carbon TPT, RM 011 Felipe Massa, RM UP-01 Ferrari; browse the Richard Mille collection, the chronographs collection, or sell or trade your Richard Mille.

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