Omega Speedmaster Legend: Michael Schumacher’s Omega Sponsorship

If you've ever watched Formula One races or the series "Drive to Survive," you've already seen Rolex all over the tracks. You've seen IWCs on Lewis Hamilton's wrist, TAG Heuers on Max Verstappen, usually a Monaco if he's winning, and everyone else wearing a Richard Mille. But where's Omega in all this?

Has Omega ever been involved in Formula 1?

Omega is very well known for their involvement with NASA and the moon landings. They've been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, but somehow, we don't see them in Formula One. This is odd, considering it's probably where you see the most advertising in one spot for watch brands outside of something like Watches and Wonders. But it wasn't always like that. In fact, Omega was associated with one of the biggest names in the business.

Omega's Partnership with Michael Schumacher

That name is, of course, the legendary Michael Schumacher, the seven-time world champion. During his epic championship run, he was always seen with an Omega watch on his wrist.

Omega joined forces with Michael Schumacher in 1996 and stayed together until his retirement in 2006. This came right after his first two championships with Benetton, right at the beginning of his career with Ferrari.

The Omega Speedmaster Racing

To commemorate their partnership, Omega released a series of Speedmaster Racing editions in the colors of the teams most associated with Schumacher at the time. They had yellow; blue for Benetton, where he won his two championships; and of course, red for Ferrari, indicating his future. All three of these watches were identical apart from the dial colors and had a very racing look to each of them. They were powered by an ETA 2892 with a Dubois-Depraz module. Through the years, they introduced different versions of these every time he won a championship, similar to what they've done pretty much every year since the moon landings.

Omega watches were found on Michael's wrist throughout his entire tenure at Ferrari. Interestingly, from 1993 up until 2004, Girard-Perregaux was the official sponsor for Ferrari, but on Michael's wrist, you'd always see an Omega. The same carried over when Ferrari transitioned to Panerai - you never saw a Panerai on Michael's wrist either; it was always an Omega. Whether it was on podiums, in interviews, or while lifting those championship trophies, there was always an Omega on Michael's wrist during this time.

The Speedmaster Legend

When Schumacher finished his run of five consecutive championships, making for a total of seven, and when he finished his run with Ferrari in 2006, Omega released the Speedmaster Legend Edition. This was a heavily reworked approach to the Schumacher Edition and commemorated the legend that was the driver himself. Inside, it had the much more advanced Omega caliber 3301, which was based on a Frederique Piguet 1285—a more robust version of the high horology 1185. This reflected Schumacher's growth as a driver. They started with just a modular chronograph based on an ETA and finished commemorating with a much more premium product with a more sophisticated movement inside, still with a racing theme.

This edition was released in three main colorways, though there were a few different editions. The colors were red, to commemorate his association with Ferrari; an inverse Panda version; and an interesting Paul Newman-inspired version with an off-white dial and black sub-dials, almost as a nod to Rolex but also a brag that they were the ones associated with the best driver of the time.

Omega's Future in Formula One

Unfortunately, after Schumacher’s run, Omega fell off the F1 grid. Michael Schumacher retired, and when he came back to Mercedes AMG, he returned with an Audemars Piguet on his wrist. So, who should Omega come back with if they were to re-enter F1?

Aston Martin

One logical option would be a team like Aston Martin Formula One. This would reinforce Omega's Bond connection, which they already heavily play into. It would also create a lot more cross-branding between Aston Martin and James Bond, two brands heavily associated with the franchise. However, Aston Martin signed a new deal with Girard-Perregaux in 2021, making it unlikely they would break that deal soon. Additionally, Fernando Alonso, a key driver, is often seen with a Richard Mille on his wrist, making it hard to change his preference.

Mick Schumacher

Another option is Mick Schumacher, Michael Schumacher's son. Unfortunately, Mick hasn’t been seen on the F1 grid since 2022, after which he was dropped by Hass. He also didn't perform exceptionally well, so it's unclear if that would be a fruitful association. Additionally, while he has found a new home at Mercedes AMG as their reserve driver, Mercedes AMG is sponsored by IWC and ensures their drivers are only seen with IWCs on their wrists.

Sauber/Audi

The last option, and in my view the more likely one, is Sauber. Sauber is largely a backmarker team on a good day, but the changes happening in F1 make this a great partnership opportunity. Audi is set to take over the Sauber team in 2026, and they are currently dropping their Alfa Romeo sponsorship. This is important for a few reasons. Audi will bring significant backing to the team, giving them the potential to succeed. They also currently have Formula One's only Chinese driver, Guanyu Zhou. Omega has a huge presence in Asia and China specifically, so it makes marketing sense for them to associate with the only Chinese F1 driver. With Audi coming in a few years, Omega could get in relatively cheaply and enforce a contract ensuring their drivers always wear Omega watches, similar to what IWC does with Mercedes. This would give Omega a lot more control.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, Omega should come back into F1 because they have a good opportunity to get in with a team where they can establish a strong sponsorship. They could even become a title sponsor in the interim years between Alfa Romeo and Audi, possibly latching onto a project that could yield championships. This is before even considering the technical sharing between the two companies, which could lead to F1-grade materials finding their way into Omega watches. Omega has never shied away from using exotic materials in the past, so this could be a great partnership that allows Omega to take the fight to Rolex on the track.