Racing Drivers with Royal Oak Offshore Editions

Audemars Piguet ran one of the most focused driver-collaboration programmes in modern watchmaking between 2004 and 2012, producing a run of Royal Oak Offshore limited editions named directly after Formula 1 drivers who were signed as AP ambassadors. These are genuine, factory-produced collaborations, distinct from watches simply worn by current F1 figures without any formal tie to AP. Here's the full run, driver by driver.

Juan Pablo Montoya — The First F1 Ambassador, 2004

AP's first driver edition, and the one that started the programme. The Royal Oak Offshore "Juan Pablo Montoya" Chronograph, ref. 26030PO.OO.D021IN.01, was a 44mm platinum case limited to 100 pieces, with a dial carrying the colours of the Colombian flag and a strap reminiscent of race suit material. Montoya's motorsport pedigree, F1 with Williams and McLaren, plus later NASCAR and IndyCar success, made him a natural first choice for the collaboration.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our full 44mm strap guide to find this reference.

Jarno Trulli — Ref. 26202AU

The Italian F1 driver's namesake Offshore continued the programme into the mid-2000s. Trulli spent over a decade in Formula 1 across several constructors and remains a well regarded figure from that era of the sport.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our 26202AU strap guide.

Rubens Barrichello — Three Editions, 2005 to 2008

Barrichello was honoured with more AP driver editions than any other F1 name in the programme, three versions in total, reflecting his status as one of the sport's most experienced drivers at the time. The earlier version, ref. 26071IK.OO.D002CA.01, was a 42mm titanium case limited to 150 pieces. The final version, "Barrichello III," ref. 26284RO.OO.D002CR.01, arrived in 2008 as a 44mm case combining rose gold, titanium, and ceramic, limited to 257 pieces, and featured a heavily skeletonised dial with broad, sculpted hands similar in style to the earlier Montoya watch.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our full strap guide to find the specific Barrichello reference you own.

Sébastien Buemi — Ref. 26207IO, 2011

The Swiss driver's edition closed out the programme's final years. AP specifically chose Buemi as a hometown ambassador, since he was born and raised in the same Swiss canton as the manufacture itself. The watch is a 42mm grade 5 titanium case with a black Méga Tapisserie dial and a bold yellow outer chapter ring, a direct reference to Buemi's own racing helmet colours, limited to 250 pieces.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our 26207IO strap guide. Yellow is the obvious choice here, matching the watch's own signature colour directly.

Michael Schumacher — Ref. 26568IM, 2012

The final and best known name in the programme. Schumacher, a seven-time F1 World Champion, became an AP ambassador in November 2010 after years with a rival brand, and the first Schumacher-edition Royal Oak Offshores arrived in 2012. This reference was produced in three configurations: steel, ref. 26568IM.OO.A004CA.01, limited to 1,000 pieces; rose gold, limited to 500 pieces; and platinum, limited to just 100 pieces. AP's collaboration with Schumacher continued beyond this into other Royal Oak lines in later years, but this Offshore edition was the driver programme's closing chapter.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our full strap guide to find the specific Schumacher configuration you own.

Singapore Grand Prix — Ref. 26190OS

Not tied to a specific driver, this reference instead marked AP's association with the Singapore Grand Prix itself, extending the brand's motorsport ties beyond individual ambassadors into race-specific editions.

For strap fitment and colour options: see our 26190OS strap guide.

A Note on the Difference Between These and Modern F1 Wearers

It's worth being precise about what these watches actually represent. Every reference above was a genuine AP factory collaboration, produced in a limited run and named directly after the driver as part of a formal ambassadorship. That programme effectively ended after the Schumacher edition in 2012, and AP has not produced a comparable driver-named Offshore since. Some current F1 drivers, Sebastian Vettel among them, have been reported wearing Audemars Piguet watches personally, but that is a matter of personal taste rather than an official AP collaboration or a namesake reference. If a nickname or listing claims a "driver edition" for a watch produced after 2012, it's worth checking that claim carefully rather than assuming it belongs to this programme.

Straps for These References

If you own one of the driver editions above, or any other Royal Oak Offshore, MIDAS makes rubber replacement straps built specifically to fit it, across fourteen colours in both 42mm and 44mm. Every strap is guaranteed to fit your exact reference, ships free, and carries a lifetime warranty. Find your exact model in our 42mm or 44mm strap guide, or browse the 42mm and 44mm collections directly.

FAQ

Which F1 drivers has Audemars Piguet made Royal Oak Offshore editions for?
Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Rubens Barrichello, Sébastien Buemi, and Michael Schumacher all had namesake Royal Oak Offshore limited editions between 2004 and 2012.

Is the AP driver-edition programme still active?
No. The last driver-named Royal Oak Offshore was the Michael Schumacher edition released in 2012. AP has not produced a comparable individually named driver edition since.

Do current F1 drivers wear Audemars Piguet watches?
Some do, including reports of Sebastian Vettel wearing AP pieces, but this reflects personal choice rather than a formal AP ambassadorship or a namesake watch, unlike the 2004 to 2012 driver programme.

Which driver edition is the rarest?
The Montoya edition, limited to just 100 platinum pieces, and the Schumacher platinum edition, also limited to 100, are the scarcest of the group.