Pilot Carlos Sainz spotted wearing a Richard Mille

Carlos Sainz was photographed in the Scuderia Ferrari paddock at Circuit Paul Ricard before the Formula 1 Grand Prix of France, and on his wrist sat a Richard Mille RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph — the rose gold and titanium variant finished with a red Ferrari velcro strap that left absolutely no ambiguity about brand allegiances.

The RM 11-03 sits at the core of Richard Mille's long-standing Ferrari partnership, first formalised with the RM 011 in 2007 and refined through successive generations. The current -03 iteration houses the calibre RMAC3, an automatic flyback chronograph movement built on a grade-5 titanium baseplate and bridges. What separates it from the crowd is a variable-geometry rotor — the winding mass can be adjusted to suit the wearer's activity level, a genuinely practical detail on a watch owned by a racing driver. The complication list is substantial: hours, minutes, running seconds, flyback chronograph, a 60-minute countdown timer at 9 o'clock, 12-hour totalizer, and a paired oversize date and month indicator. Power reserve runs to approximately 55 hours.

The case itself combines an 18k rose gold bezel and caseback with a grade-5 titanium middle section, keeping mass down while maintaining the visual warmth of precious metal. The skeletonised dial exposes the movement architecture fully, a Richard Mille hallmark that doubles as proof of engineering intent rather than decoration. Water resistance is rated to 50 metres — sufficient, given the context.

For collectors, the RM 11-03 Ferrari references carry a specific weight. They are among the more accessible entry points into rose gold Richard Mille territory in terms of availability, yet retain strong secondary-market demand driven by the Ferrari co-branding and the genuine complexity of the RMAC3 movement. The velcro strap, standard on most RM 11-03 deliveries, is a deliberate nod to motorsport practicality and keeps the piece from reading as purely jewellery.

Sainz, then a Scuderia Ferrari driver, wearing the RM 11-03 on race weekend is straightforward brand ambassadorship — Richard Mille and Ferrari have coordinated these appearances deliberately for years. The retail price stands at $137,250, with grey-market values tracking closely given consistent demand for the reference.