Last weekend, a record-breaking number of 325,000 spectators witnessed the race of the century that had drivers and teams competing against the Rolex clock at Circuit de la Sarthe in northwestern France.
This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans marked the 100th anniversary of the world’s oldest and most prestigious endurance motor sport event.
Starting on Saturday afternoon, the centenary edition welcomed the return of renowned manufacturers including Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche to the top Hypercar category.
Ending at 4pm on Sunday, No.51 Ferrari AF Corse driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi claimed victory for the Italian team, who last won the race way back in 1965.
Besides the centenary trophy, the triumphant trio received specially engraved Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watches from Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen.
“My experience of the 24 Hours of Le Mans means I have even more respect for what these drivers and teams have achieved over 24 hours,” said Kristensen.
“Throughout the 24 hours, the Rolex clock is a constant reminder of the importance of each minute and each lap that passes. Nobody is perfect, but for a driver, if you can optimise yourself during that time, you can come as close to perfection as possible.”
As the only driver to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times, Kristensen is an emblematic figure in the world of motor sport and is one of the most successful racing drivers of all time.
Nicknamed “Mr Le Mans”, the Danish racing driver clocked up six consecutive Le Mans victories from 2000 to 2005 and became a Rolex Testimonee in 2010.
“You only realise the magnitude of Le Mans when you reflect on the past 100 years. There have been so many evolutions and revolutions, fantastic triumphs and tribulations, so it is truly mythical in that sense,” he said.
“Ultimately, what brings us to these racetracks has remained the same throughout generations — passion, persistence, performance, perfect lap times and perfect timing.”
Since 1923, drivers and machines have strived for the ultimate performance in this twice-around-the-clock spectacle.
Other Rolex Testimonees who have experienced Le Mans’ adrenaline rush include Sir Jackie Stewart, Mark Webber and Jenson Button.
In 1965, Sir Jackie Stewart drove a revolutionary turbine car in the legendary race.
Fondly known as the Flying Scot, he won his first FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship in 1969, one year after joining the Rolex family. Winning again in 1971, and 1973, he completed a hat trick.
“When it comes to endurance racing, you need all the same qualities as in Formula 1; the right people in the right roles, the very best drivers and cars, combined with a level of experience and attention to detail that motor sport as a whole shares with Rolex. During 24-hour races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 At Daytona, reliability, precision and timing are the key to success,” said Sir Jackie Stewart.
A native of Australia, Webber competed in Formula 1 for 12 seasons and achieved nine Grand Prix wins before switching to endurance racing, taking part in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“Endurance racing is the ultimate test of durability and reliability for man and machine; qualities which are synonymous with Rolex,” he said. “The demands on drivers, teams and cars in 24-hour races are constant and there’s no room for error at any given time — it is a true race against time.”
The 2015 FIA World Endurance Champion noted that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the best fields for manufacturers to test their technology.
“Everyone has the united goal of preparing the car as perfectly as possible so that it has a chance of lasting the whole race. Success shows that a car has proven itself in the toughest environments, against the toughest competitors. Le Mans embodies that transfer of technology, from the track to the street, more than any other event,” said Webber, whose ties with Rolex began in 2017.
One of this year’s groundbreaking cars was NASCAR Garage 56, co-piloted by Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfellar.
“I’ve raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans once before, in 2018, and it blew my mind. Before then, everyone said I should do the race but until you’re part of it, part of a team, competing over the 24 hours, you don’t realise how special it is,” said Button, who’s the 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champion.
“When you finally cross the line, you see everyone’s faces and there’s so much emotion. The fans have stayed through the night, the team have been working for 36 hours and they’ve been through so much — just finishing Le Mans is everything.”
Named Rolex Testimonee last year, the British racing driver was delighted to be back at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
“Returning this year for the 100th anniversary, as part of the Rolex family, was an incredible challenge and a privilege,” said Button.
“What a race — it threw everything at us and came down to the smallest margins. For us to be as competitive as we were is incredible and it’s very emotional for everyone involved.”
