Indian racing driver Kush Maini was seen wearing the Rotoris Astonia Sports Chronograph during the opening race weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Melbourne, marking the first time an Indian watch brand has appeared on the Formula 1 grid.
The appearance took place at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, where Maini was photographed wearing the Phantom Black version of the chronograph during the race weekend.
Rotoris, an Indian watch brand that launched globally earlier this year, says its designs draw inspiration from motorsport timing and precision engineering. The Astonia chronograph reflects this approach through features typically associated with racing instruments.
The watch worn by Maini features a 42 mm matte black stainless steel case, a tachymetre bezel, sapphire crystal glass, and an FKM rubber strap. It is powered by the brand’s Q-MATIC technology, built around the Seiko TMI VK63 meca-quartz movement, which combines quartz timekeeping accuracy with a sweeping chronograph hand and pushers commonly found in mechanical chronographs.
Speaking about wearing the watch during the race weekend, Maini said, “I connect with Astonia not just because of the aesthetics but a deeper connection. Time doesn’t define me. I define the time I have. Always moving, always building. I am Kush Maini, and I’m always becoming more.”
Prerna Gupta, co-founder and chief business officer at Rotoris, said the appearance connects the brand’s design philosophy with the racing environment that inspired the watch.
“When we designed the Astonia, it was born from racing instruments. The tachymetre. The chronograph pushers. The precision of split-second measurement. Seeing it on the wrist of a racing driver at a Formula 1 circuit, at the opening race of the season, is a moment that brings the philosophy full circle. What makes this partnership meaningful is that Kush represents exactly what Rotoris stands for. A decade of discipline, climbing through every tier of motorsport, earning each step forward. For a young Indian watch brand to appear on the Formula 1 grid in its first year, on the wrist of one of India’s most promising racing drivers, signals something larger. It shows that Indian design and engineering can stand confidently on the global stage,” she said.
Maini currently competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with ART Grand Prix. He is part of the Alpine Academy and serves as a test and reserve driver for the BWT Alpine Formula One Team. He is also a reserve driver for Mahindra Racing in Formula E.
Rotoris was founded by Aakash Anand, Prerna Gupta, Anant Narula and Kunal Kapania. The company has raised USD 3 million in seed funding from investors including Nikhil Kamath, Vivek Oberoi, Tanmay Bhatt, 100 Unicorns and Venture Catalysts.
The brand launched in February 2026 with 2,100 numbered watches released through invitation-only access.
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