The meeting with Peggy Doran, widow of two times grand prix winner Bill, instantly unveiled an insight into grand prix motorcycle racing in the early fifties. She was accompanied by her daughter Jayne and granddaughter Emilie. When Jayne proudly displayed her late father’s Tissot watch on her wrist the pioneering story of both her Father and Tissot was revealed.

A chance meeting with the widow of grand prix rider Bill Doran resulted not only in an amazing family story but also offered an insight into Tissot’s early involvement in a major sporting event that now circumnavigates the globe.

A cherished photograph and a much loved watch are the very proof of Tissot’s affinity with the roots of grand prix motorcycle racing. Nearly four decades before Tissot Swiss Watches revolutionised grand prix timing when they became the official timekeepers of the MotoGP World Championship, the Swiss watchmakers were one of the pioneer sponsors of the fledgling World Championship.

Fifty nine years ago Tissot presented watches to the first three finishers at their home grand prix firing a passion for the Championship that has never died. The engraving on the back of Bills daughter’s Tissot watch also revealed that her father had finished second in the opening round of the 1952 500cc World Championship around the 7.280 kms circuit at Berne in Switzerland.

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