The 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race that celebrates endurance and motor sport excellence, takes place on 15 and 16 June 2024. Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of this legendary event since 2001.

Published on July 29, 2024

Long and proud history of epic racing Created in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest and one of the most prestigious car races in the world. A stern test of the reliability of the machines as well as the physical and mental stamina of the drivers, Le Mans attracts some of the greatest names in motor sport. On the 13.6-kilometre (8.4 miles) Circuit de la Sarthe in north-west France, some 62 cars, each with teams of three drivers, race against each other, divided into two Prototype and one GT Class. The winning team is the one which covers the greatest distance in 24 hours, some 5,300 kilometres (3,293 miles). Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of the race since 2001.

Continuous innovation over the decades Since its inaugural edition, the mythical event has been an ideal testing ground for the many advances in motor sport technologies. The trialling of a new road surface in 1922 (still viable today), improvements to safety, engines and aerodynamics, as well as, since 2022, the requirement for all cars to run on 100 per cent renewable biofuel, are among the notable developments marking a century of progress supported by this legendary endurance race. New automotive manufacturers contesting the top class in 2024 include Alpine, BMW and Lamborghini, emphasizes the importance and relevance of the event for the car industry.

Tom Kristensen: „Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen își binemerită cu adevărat porecla. Cel mai de succes pilot din istoria legendarei curse: din momentul în care a debutat, în 1997, a câștigat-o de nouă ori, un record. Ambasador Rolex din 2010, pilotul danez de curse a fost campion FIA World Endurance champion în 2013. „Ții minte pentru totdeauna o victorie la Le Mans. Mă simt mândru și umil atunci când reflectez la moștenirea adusă de cursă și la implicarea Rolex în sporturile cu motor. Împreună, ele reprezintă combinația perfectă: ambele năzuiesc spre excelență prin stăruință, inovație tehnică și efort uman.”

The Cosmograph Daytona: a singular prize The winners of the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans receive an Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, specially engraved for the occasion. A legendary watch whose characteristic design has become iconic, the Cosmograph Daytona is emblematic of Rolex’s expertise. Equipped with a movement entirely designed and produced by the Rolex manufacture, it stands out by virtue of its chronometric precision as well as its unfailing reliability.