Go Time

On the occasion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centennial, Rolex is first off the line and first across it

On June 10 and 11, the historic Circuit de la Sarthe racetrack in France bore witness to an exceptional contest that will forever be etched in the annals of motorsport history - the Centennial 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This celebrated racing series, integral to motoring technology, turned 100 over the course of those two days. The stories and legends that emerged from this race over the years, from the drivers to the machines, have created motorsport history. The recent "Ford vs Ferrari" movie from 2019 highlighted one such momentous event, when the blue oval bested the prancing horse at the 1966 Le Mans, ending Ferrari's winning streak.

First held in 1923, the world's most prestigious endurance race has tested human and technical performance to its limits for its entire run, and will continue to do so. As the Official Timepiece of the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001, Rolex champions this commitment to motoring excellence around the clock, adding to its prestige as part of what made this race and its conquerors titans of motorsports.

THE RACE

Just before 4pm Central European Time, the cars perform their formation lap, led by a Porsche with 75th anniversary livery. As the clock closes in on 4pm, the Le Mans theme, Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra," swells over the speakers, signaling that the race is about to commence. The race director is heard over the pilot's intercoms: "All cars to assume race positions."

"We're about to go racing," says the race commentator, his British composure hiding his excitement. As the classic Zarathustra hit its crescendo, the cars pass by NBA superstar Lebron James, one of the guests of honour, enthusiastically waving the French tricolor, and then they are off! The engines roar as the cars get up to speed, with an early collision between a Porsche and a Toyota not slowing things down.