One of the world's most famous motor racing events came to an end just over a fortnight ago and, as usual, the superhuman challenge ended with a new winner. Visit 24 hours of Le Mans is the world's most famous endurance car race and has a century-long history: Rolexas is often the case in extreme sports, has been the official partner since 2001.
It is an unparalleled endurance challenge for drivers, organisers, engineers, teams and, of course, the cars competing. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a race against the clock, created specifically to push back the limits of technology and the endurance of the human beings taking part. Held every year on the the legendary Sarthe circuitNear Le Mans, the race lasts twenty-four hours and takes place in front of more than 250,000 spectators.
The aim of the drivers is to complete as many laps as possible as quickly as possible in order to go down in the history of the oldest motor race. Among other prizes, the winner also receives a very special watch. This is a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona engraved especially for the occasion.
For Tom Kristensenthe greatest driver in the history of the sport, with no fewer than nine victories in his career on the French circuit, has described the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a race against the clock, where every second counts. In some ways, to the average unobservant spectator, the structure of the race seems simple enough: just drive for twenty-four hours and, at the end, see who has gone the furthest. But it's the energy, the attitude and the desire to push your limits that makes this competition so unique and special. Rolex, as we mentioned, has been supporting this competition since 2001 and as the legendary Tom Kristensen says, testimonial Rolex and nine times winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :
Winning this race is a legendary event that will be remembered and recounted for posterity. Winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans go down in motor racing history and are remembered by sports fans. In addition to all this, the winners receive a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona specially engraved for them to keep for the rest of their lives. There was also a stand at the event where Rolex experts personalised and applied engravings to models for sale. Spectators could admire the precision work of the master engraver who created personalised inscriptions on Rolex watches.
It all began in 1959 when the Rolex brand became a partner of the American circuit Daytona International Speedway and a few years later, in 1963 to be precise, the name "Daytona" was added to the dial of its emblematic Cosmograph, the watch designed for racing drivers.
Since then, Rolex's support for motor racing has continued to grow, to such an extent that in 2001 the company also became an official partner of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The collaboration with the Danish driver Tom Kristensen, nine times winner of this competition, is of course linked to this.
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans looks like a 'classic' model in the range, with the personalised engraving on the back of the case, as you can see in the photo above.
The 90th edition of the endurance race, which took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans (France) between 11 and 12 June this year, was run as usual in front of more than 250,000 spectators in the stands. The event once again proved to be a competition full of adrenalin and suspense. After a record 380 laps, the two Hypercars from Toyota Gazoo Racing have triumphed.
The two cars dominated the entire race: it was the team of drivers Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley - drivers of the number 8 car - who won the applause of the public after beating the other Toyota with the number 7 by 2'01"222. Third place went to the Glickenhaus 007, while among the LMGTE Pro cars, the number 91 Porsche 911 Rsr-19 came out on top, with the two AF Corse Ferrari 488 Gte Evo cars completing the podium.
As usual, some drivers made history by adding the much-loved trophy to their collection, with a Rolex engraved for the occasion. Switzerland's Sébastien Buemi, at the wheel of the Toyota and four-time champion of the competition, entered the roll of honour of the most successful drivers at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ahead of him, however, remain such competition monsters as the unattainable Tom Kristensen with nine wins, Jacky Ickx with six wins, Derek Bell, Frank Biela and Italian Emanuele Pirro with five wins.
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