Going the distance
The ultimate automotive challenge, showcasing the technological advances of the time. Endurance racing is a fascinating spectacle that captivates audiences worldwide.
Today, Rolex is a partner of the two biggest endurance racing championships: the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), which takes place in Europe, Asia, North and South America, and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which takes place in the United States and Canada.
Reliability over time
The FIA World Endurance Championship comprises a series of races held annually on prestigious racetracks in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America. The number of races can vary from one year to the next (between six and nine).
Since 2016, Rolex has been Official Timekeeper of the WEC, which includes the revered 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
Discover more about 24 Hours of Le Mans
Other races regularly included on the schedule of this championship are: the 6 Hours of São Paulo (Brazil), the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the 6 Hours of Imola (Italy), the 6 Hours of Fuji (Japan) and the 8 Hours of Bahrain (Kingdom of Bahrain).
While the times and rules may differ, each event requires the same tenacity, commitment and mechanical reliability, and each is part of the same quest for excellence, both for the drivers and their technical teams.
Featuring about a dozen races on prestigious tracks in the United States (Indianapolis, Sebring and Laguna Seca, among others) and Canada (Mosport Park), the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship pits the best teams and their crews against each other. The races are contested by four categories of car: two prototypes and two GT classes.
The Triple Crown of endurance racing refers to three of the most important events in the motor sport calendar, all of which Rolex supports as a major partner and Official Timekeeper: the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Winning any of these events is a major feat.
The Rolex 24 At DAYTONA takes place on the spectacular Daytona International Speedway, a “super speedway” that is approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) long and whose banked turns require extreme precision and the utmost concentration.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s oldest and most prestigious endurance race, tests both the physical and mental stamina of drivers with a course known for its difficulty come nightfall. Since 1923, some of motor sport’s greatest names have triumphed here, including record nine-time champion and Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen.
The 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida has a reputation for being one of the most challenging endurance competitions in the world. With its uneven and bumpy surface, Sebring International Raceway is a true test of car reliability. It is here in March that many competitors in the later 24 Hours of Le Mans come to test the mechanical strength of their machines.
