With the 2021 Formula One season starting on schedule, I check out the watch brands that sponsor each manufacturer. Some of the partnerships are new for this year, whereas some are dyed-in-the-wool. There are even F1 teams without a watch sponsor as the season gets going. But no matter the case, I cover each team and weigh in with my thoughts on whether they are a good fit for the chosen watch brand.Did you check out Episode 6.0 of the Fratello WASP Podcast? If not, open your podcast player of choice, and have a listen as you read along. I made a guest appearance to give a rundown on the first European-originated sport to feature in the series. Previously Rob and Balzs focus on the North American leagues. But as I have a keen interest in F1, I phoned in to break down the exciting inaugural 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix.It was a doozy as well, with equal parts racecraft, strategy, teamwork, crashes, pitstops, and the big talking point; track limits. Check out the podcast for a more in-depth expose on how the race unfolded. As for now, I bring my attention to the watch brands for each team. It’s a longstanding tradition that F1 drivers sport a snazzy watch when roaming the pitlane. Some even venture out on the track with their trusty timepiece. Jack Heuer and racing driver Jo Siffert made advertising Heuer watches a lucrative concept in the sport. - Formula One?official?timekeeperSoon enough, Heuer branding was strewn across many drivers’ racing overalls. Heuer was even prominently on display in the Steve McQueen racing docu-drama?Le Mans (1971). The official timekeeper of Formula One now rests with , but it was not the first to have the honor. Heuer established the process for officiating the timekeeping in the ’70s. Longines then took over in the ’80s, returning to the rebranded TAG Heuer in the ’90s. Hublot took the reigns in the 2000s before took its rightful place as F1’s official timekeeper for the 2013 season.As F1’s official timekeeper, has a set of responsibilities, similar to Omega at the Olympics. does not sponsor a particular team or active driver on the grid. But many retired legends of the sport, such as Jackie Stewart and Mark Webber, feature as ambassadors. As an official timekeeper, has a set of responsibilities, similar to Omega at the Olympics. The equipment needs to be maintained and cross-examined to ensure consistency and accuracy. The most recent race weekend I can recall the timing equipment failing was the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session. A broken cable led to a lengthy delay in discovering who would end up in pole position. Fernando Alonso got the fastest lap, but the calamity highlighted the importance of reliable timing equipment.It's lights out, and away we go2021 has seen some changes in watch sponsors for F1 manufacturers. The below list is compiled in order of each team’s 2020 constructor’s championship standings. There is no favoritism here, but I will divulge my opinion on whether the brand aligns with the team.Mercedes-AMG F1 - IWC Schaffhausen (Since 2013)First up is the most dominant team of the current era of F1. Mercedes-AMG has won every season since 2014 in the hybrid V6 turbo age. Lewis Hamilton has won six championships for the past seven seasons and now ties with the great Michael Schumacher with seven world titles under his belt. The resurgence of Mercedes in Formula One since its re-entry in 2010 has benefited many of its speculative sponsors. IWC has been the watch sponsor since 2013 before Mercedes hit its stride the following year.Initially, IWC’s only exposure was when the drivers were out of the car waving their wrists during interviews. Before long, IWC had the great idea to print a selection of its collection on the racing gloves in the position where the watch would naturally sit. This way, the action on track, especially within the cockpit, always gives the viewers a glimpse of the IWC branding. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Christoph Grainger-Herr (@chrisgraingerherr)