Monaco F1, Watch Unveiled
Monaco Grand Prix Returns: Antonelli Leads F1 Championship as TAG Heuer Unveils Radical Speed 12
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Formula 1 returns to Monaco with the Monaco Grand Prix after Kimi Antonelli’s recent championship win helped strengthen his lead, putting Mercedes in strong form as Ferrari and its home favorite Charles Leclerc look to close the gap. The race week includes free practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and the Grand Prix on Sunday, with viewers able to watch via NOW subscription options. Alongside the on-track build-up, Max Verstappen—who has won Monaco twice already—criticized the circuit’s barrier-filled layout and framed the event as both elaborate and tightly engineered. In parallel, TAG Heuer is using its 10-year partnership with Red Bull to unveil the Monaco Speed 12, a radical reimagining of the classic square Monaco featuring rotating pistons that display time in a V12-like mechanical sequence. The watch uses a Louis Vuitton–developed Spin Time–based movement housed in a titanium case with openwork arches, and it will be limited to just 50 numbered pieces, signaling a major design departure for the line. Verstappen also discussed looking beyond F1 by building a GT3 team, while still prioritizing competitive wins and exploring technical interests such as AI.
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Kimi Antonelli’s last-round win left him 131 points clear at the top—131 ahead of teammate George Russell—with Charles Leclerc sitting third, 66 points behind Antonelli.
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Max Verstappen described Monaco’s constant pre-placed safety work bluntly: “Even when it’s not the race, there are always holes in the ground for where they put the barriers,” adding that “You can see them if you know where to look.” The piece also notes he has won Monaco twice (2021 and 2023).
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TAG Heuer said the Monaco Speed 12 will be officially unveiled at the 2026 Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco, with the mechanism designed so that as the central minute hand completes each revolution, one of the 12 pistons rotates 90 degrees to reveal the current hour on a previously hidden face—“a V12 engine firing sequence” reimagined as a mechanical display.
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Industry pricing/engineering commentary: Europe’s watch site places the Speed 12 at US$87,000 and argues the price is high—“a price that’s 15–20% lower would have been more logical”—while also describing refinements such as a (reported) 40mm titanium case with chamfered edges and a cambered back.
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