Lewis Hamilton’s first-ever photo shoot outside Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters broke the internet, becoming the most-liked Formula 1 social media post. It surpassed his 2025 teammate Charles Leclerc’s photo from the top step of the podium after winning the 2024 Italian GP at Monza.
Now, Hamilton‘s former partners at Mercedes, IWC, have recreated that iconic photograph with legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus. Klaus, who began working with the Swiss brand at just 23, is now 91 and regarded as a pioneer in the timepiece industry.
Hamilton’s original photo featured him outside Enzo Ferrari’s house, posing with the iconic Ferrari F40 while sporting a Richard Mille watch—Ferrari’s official timepiece partner. In response, Klaus recreated the scene with remarkable precision, standing beside a $74,000 2025 AMG CLE 53 Coupe, wearing an IWC watch.
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While the CLE 53 Coupe isn’t in the same league of historic road cars as the F40, Mercedes has designed it to stand out among its modern rivals in the years to come. The car packs almost 500 BHP, powered by a 3.0L inline-6 turbo engine, delivering a blend of performance and luxury.
IWC flaunts Hamilton’s farewell gift to rival Ferrari’s Richard Mille
That iconic image of Hamilton, taken on his first official day as a Ferrari driver, was as much a welcome as it was a strategic promotion for Richard Mille. Many now associate him with the brand rather than IWC, which had been his go-to watchmaker throughout his time with Mercedes from 2013 to 2024.
Naturally, the Swiss luxury watchmakers wanted to respond in style. They chose to outfit Kurt Klaus with an exquisite Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Oceana, one of IWC’s most sought-after collections today.
The watch features a 41.9mm dial with an automatic winding function and comes in three ceramic case variants: blue, brown, and black. These timepieces typically retail for around $10,000.
What makes this even more intriguing is that IWC had previously selected a watch from this very Top Gun collection—designed for the Top Gun Fighter Weapons School—as a farewell gift for Hamilton, marking the end of his decade-long association with IWC and his Mercedes F1 career.
