The Ayrton Senna x TAG Heuer Appreciation Thread

mattp
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
That Esquire article about TAG's return to F1 has a number of minor mistakes in it. Which is why I wonder if they might've confused which of Senna's personal watches is now in the TH Archive.

However, the caption was very specific to his S25.706C which was last auctioned in 2007. If it was never auctioned again, and TH does indeed now own it, it means it likely changed hands via a private sale. Which raises the question of why wasn't it auctioned? Because I would think the watch today would go for a lot more than $69,000 USD.

Whatever the case, I still have doubts. Would be good if someone who visited very recently can confirm, like @Jeff Stein, @abcoro, @plibou, or @SteveP, who attended the 2024 Collectors Summit.
I was told 2.5 years ago that there were plans to expand the museum and make it accessible to the public. Hopefully this will actually happen. Would be nice.
 
mattp
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A former racing driver friend has doubts about the helmet. According to him, Senna rode with Shoei helmets during his McLaren period. This is a Bell. He also used it, but in a Williams.
IMG_8996.webp
 
mattp
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Sorry, gentlemen. A bit off topic. Later we'll talk about the underwear he wore..🥱
 
Mspeedster
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mattp mattp
A former racing driver friend has doubts about the helmet. According to him, Senna rode with Shoei helmets during his McLaren period. This is a Bell. He also used it, but in a Williams.
IMG_8996.webp
Good catch! I believe your friend is right. In 1993, the year Senna's helmet had the TAG Heuer logo on it, his helmet was indeed Shoei. Which doesn't have vents on the bottom front by "Nacional" or the oval (vents?) on the front top by the "Marlboro".
Senna helmet 1993.webp Senna helmet 93.webp

Senna's Bell helmet worn in 1994 does.
Senna helmet 94.webp
So, the one at the TH Museum is likely a replica helmet, painted to look like his '93 helmet design but using his '94 Bell helmet style.

But in addition to Shoei, Senna did wear Bell and Rheos while at McLaren too. In 1988 he wore this Bell helmet for example, you can see "Bell" on the back of the lower stripe.
1988 Senna Bell helmet.webp

Also, the "Rheos" logo is on his '91 helmet.
1991 Senna Rheos helmet.webp
 
Mspeedster
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In Senna's final battle with archrival Prost, at the Elf Masters Karting event (Dec '93), he also displayed the TAG Heuer logo on his helmet. 😀
gettyimages-2182599525-612x612.webp gettyimages-2182599162-612x612.webp

I actually just ordered this special 30 years Legacy version of the helmet. Half painted in yellow like his original and the other half in pearl white like his racing suit. Which is why I also happened to be studying his helmets when you brought up this topic @mattp! 👍😉
Senna 30 helmet.webp
 
Mspeedster
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
That Esquire article about TAG's return to F1 has a number of minor mistakes in it. Which is why I wonder if they might've confused which of Senna's personal watches is now in the TH Archive.

However, the caption was very specific to his S25.706C which was last auctioned in 2007. If it was never auctioned again, and TH does indeed now own it, it means it likely changed hands via a private sale. Which raises the question of why wasn't it auctioned? Because I would think the watch today would go for a lot more than $69,000 USD.

Whatever the case, I still have doubts. Would be good if someone who visited very recently can confirm, like @Jeff Stein, @abcoro, @plibou, or @SteveP, who attended the 2024 Collectors Summit.
Nicholas Biebuyck (TH Heritage Director) very kindly gave me an answer on this.

He thinks Esquire might be confusing Ayrton's prototype 6000 Senna Edition, which is in the TH Museum, with his S/EL. However, the answer isn't so simple. Apparently, Senna had many TAG Heuers and gifted several to different members of McLaren.

Nicholas believes one of the S/ELs in their archive might be traceable to Ayrton. But he doesn't have clear provenance on the watch and it may not be the one that was auctioned by Bonhams.

(Sorry for the duplicate post. I thought I should update things here, as this is where the question originated. In addition to the discussion response in the Senna S/EL Watch Spotter's thread.)
Edited:
 
Hawk
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
My French is non-existent, but Google Translate to the rescue.

Cool that you got one! I assume it's black like Senna's, please share a pic. 😀

I found this instruction sheet, does it help?
Seiko A781 instructions.webp
 
Hawk
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many thanks, the watch is not actually here, it is at my bank
 
Hawk
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
My French is non-existent, but Google Translate to the rescue.

Cool that you got one! I assume it's black like Senna's, please share a pic. 😀

I found this instruction sheet, does it help?
Seiko A781 instructions.webp
The problem is for enter the lenght of the track...
 
Mspeedster
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HoltzPlatz HoltzPlatz
Very cool with the cars, which I'm sure you supplied! Right?
Thank you! Yes, not only supplied but built as plastic model kits (1/20th scale by Tamiya).

The #12 Mclaren MP4/4 I made last year. The #12 Lotus 99T I made around 1988 and is amazingly still in good shape.
 
Albert-AMG
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Mspeedster Mspeedster
My Funko Senna Pops arrived! 😀
They look great with the model cars! 😍

Mine arrives in March… European sellers receive it later 😬
Doodle_2025-01-26T10_19_16Z.webp
 
Mspeedster
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For those that have watched Netflix Senna, Niki Lauda and Ayrton Senna are shown to have a good relationship. I believe this to have been true IRL. I have read that Lauda was one of the drivers that Senna respected and modelled his mental toughness after.

Lauda in this video says Senna is the one he likes.
While Senna in this video displays his affection for Lauda.
The F1 legends of Heuer ::psy::and TAG Heuer!!! ::psy::
da4ff415e3e3a9b91d7f0e55869955ae.webp
 
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