Watch Paparazzi

Pilot Lando Norris spotted wearing Richard Mille

Lando Norris has been photographed wearing the Richard Mille RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph McLaren F1, one of the most technically audacious timepieces ever produced in the brand's history. The sighting is no accident — Norris serves as a Richard Mille ambassador, and this particular reference sits at the absolute apex of that partnership.

The RM 50-03 was unveiled in 2017 as the third chapter in the Richard Mille–McLaren F1 collaboration, following the RM 50-01 and RM 50-02. Its defining innovation is the case material: Graph TPT®, a composite constructed from graphene-infused layers of carbon fiber laid at alternating 45-degree angles and compressed under extreme pressure. The result is a case of extraordinary stiffness and thermal resistance that contributes to the watch's record-breaking total mass of just 38 grams, strap included. No split-seconds tourbillon chronograph has come close to that figure before or since. The movement — caliber RM50-03 — is a manual-winding skeletonized affair housing a tourbillon, a split-seconds chronograph, and a function selector, all engineered to withstand the shock and vibration of an active Formula 1 environment.

For collectors, the RM 50-03 McLaren F1 occupies rare territory. Limited to precisely 75 pieces worldwide, each unit is effectively tied to the McLaren team universe, making provenance and documentation critical at resale. The Graph TPT® material also gives each case a subtly unique surface pattern, reinforcing its one-of-a-kind appeal. Complications of this density — tourbillon plus split-seconds chronograph — are vanishingly rare even among ultra-high horology, and Richard Mille's execution in a case weighing less than a car key elevates the RM 50-03 to legitimate museum territory.

Norris, one of Formula 1's most prominent young talents, has worn Richard Mille pieces consistently throughout his McLaren career, but the RM 50-03 is the most historically significant piece in that rotation. It directly mirrors his professional home — McLaren's papaya orange accents appear subtly throughout the dial architecture — making it a coherent extension of his identity rather than mere sponsorship dressing.

On the secondary market, the RM 50-03 McLaren F1 in Graph TPT® commands prices well into seven figures when examples surface, reflecting both its 75-piece edition size and the near-impossibility of its technical specifications. Official retail was listed at approximately $1,000,000 USD at launch, but grey-market transactions have consistently exceeded that figure, with some auction results pushing toward $1,500,000 and beyond depending on condition and provenance.