With Connected Calibre E4, TAG Heuer and Oracle Red Bull Racing are back in the driver’s seat

The most successful connection in global motorsport today is being given a new lease of life. Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer has once again collaborated with reigning F1 championship team Oracle Red Bull Racing to introduce the apt, if not unimaginative, TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45MM x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition watch. Combining the La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaker’s remarkable eye for detail with the modern demands of high-octane motorsport, the latest timepiece is part smartwatch, part dedicated driver tool.

The latest watch comes amid a long period of dominance for the two unique brands. Since working together in 2016, TAG Heuer and Oracle Red Bull Racing have claimed a whopping seven Drivers’ Championships, six Constructors’ Championships and an astonishing number of podium finishes, but not all of their success has been achieved on the racetrack.

TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45 mm x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition | Image: provided

In 2022, TAG Heuer introduced the Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Special Edition, a limited-edition watch that paid tribute to its long-standing connection to motorsport. The watch featured a Ronda 5040D quartz chronograph movement and was robust enough to withstand the harshest conditions without compromising on accuracy. Two years later, TAG Heuer has upped the ante.

The new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45MM x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition takes the house’s criminally underrated connected smartwatch and equips it with a range of modern features. The watch comes in a 45-millimeter case made from black DLC grade 2 titanium and makes a bold and cheeky statement, complete with the traditional blue and red color scheme of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. The darker tones of the titanium and the black ceramic bezel accentuate the striking red highlights on the strap and the digital dial itself, which is where TAG Heuer has focused much of its efforts.

Fans of the Connected will find that the watch has the unique ability to customize dial layouts, faces and components to suit the wearer’s needs. This model lets you choose between four specific dials, starting with the main “Season” dial. With this module, the adaptive display shows flags along the bezel, highlighting the current country the team is competing in for the weekend. According to TAG Heuer, this dial will evolve throughout the year, reflecting the finishes of Oracle Red Bull Racing drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.

You can also choose “Asphalt”, which features textured backgrounds inspired by the racetrack, an official TAG Heuer Formula 1 x Red Bull Racing Special Edition dial that references the 2022 mechanical model, or the “RB20” dial, inspired by the name of this year’s Red Bull Racing car.

There’s also a Connected application that provides a comprehensive overview of Oracle Red Bull Racing’s F1 journey throughout the year. When used, you’ll find a countdown to the race, images of the team, post-race updates and the option to receive driver notifications. All of this is delivered directly to the 1.39-inch OLED display via Google’s Wear OS and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100+ chipset.

Impressively, TAG Heuer has ensured that its watch is not only inspired by motorsports, but is also fully functional on a driver’s wrist. According to the watchmaker, the ultra-light caseback features a PPG sensor and, like the case, is made of black DLC grade 2 titanium.

Admittedly, as a smartwatch, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45mm x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition has some drawbacks compared to TAG Heuer’s mechanical alternatives, such as battery life, but for the most part, the new Connected E4 delivers on its promises. It has all the features you’d expect from a top-notch smartwatch, a striking design, and the backing of a watch icon. What more could an F1 fan ask for?

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 45mm x Oracle Red Bull Racing Edition will be available in August 2024. It costs AUD$2,800 and comes with a bi-material leather and rubber strap in blue and red with grey and blue stitching.