The centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a historic endurance race that celebrates excellence in motor sports, will take place on 10 and 11 June. Rolex has been the Official Watch of this legendary event since 2001.
A CENTURY OF EPIC RACING
Born in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the oldest and most prestigious races in the world and attracts some of the biggest names in motor sport. Both the reliability of the cars and the physical and mental resistance of the drivers are put to the test. Sixty-two crews, each made up of three drivers, compete on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a 13.6 kilometer track in north-west France, at the wheel of racing cars divided into three vehicle categories, Prototypes and Gran Turismo. Victory goes to the team that travels the greatest distance, up to 5,300 kilometers, in the space of twenty-four hours. Rolex has been a partner of the event since 2001 as the Official Watch.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF INNOVATION
Since its first edition, this legendary event has been the ideal ground for testing the many technological advances in motorsports. The experimentation of a new road surface in 1922 - still passable today -, safety, motorization and aerodynamics, but also the exclusive use of 100% renewable biofuel from 2022, are just some of the developments and progress that have marked a century of this legendary endurance race.
TOM KRISTENSEN: “MR. LE MANS”
Tom Kristensen's nickname is more than deserved. Since his debut in 1997, the Danish driver has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times - a record with which he wrote his name into the legend of this historic race. Rolex testimonial since 2010, in 2013 Kristensen was crowned world champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship; ten years later, he will be at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as an ambassador to celebrate the hundredth edition of the legendary race. “When you win at Le Mans, you carry the victory with you forever. I am proud and honored, especially when I think about the history of this race and Rolex's commitment to motor sports. Together they form a perfect duo: both in search of excellence through tenacity, technical innovation and the desire to always push themselves beyond human limits."
THE COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA: A SPECIAL AWARD
Winners in the premier class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans receive an Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona with a special engraving that pays homage to the victory. With its distinctive design that has made it an icon, the Cosmograph Daytona is emblematic of Rolex's knowhow. Equipped with a movement entirely designed and produced by the brand, it stands out for its chronometric precision and its infallible reliability.
