Rolex’s deep connection with motorsport dates back to the 1930s, when Sir Malcolm Campbell set multiple world land speed records on Daytona Beach while wearing a Rolex Oyster on his wrist. The British racing legend became the first driver to break the 300mph (483km/h) barrier in his famed Bluebird, cementing Rolex’s enduring presence in racing.
By the 1950s and 1960s, Rolex had expanded its involvement, supporting drivers and events that tested the limits of man and machine. Sir Jackie Stewart, a three-time Formula 1 World Champion, became the first Rolex Testimonee in motorsport in 1968.
Over the decades, Rolex has established itself as the ultimate timekeeper in endurance racing and classic car gatherings. Whether on the high banks of Daytona, the gruelling straights of Le Mans, or the nostalgic circuits of Goodwood and Monterey, it continues to honour champions past, present, and future, upholding its legacy of precision, passion, and performance.
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
The 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona, held in January, once again opened the global endurance racing season. Since 1992, Rolex has been its Title Sponsor, awarding winners a specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, one of endurance racing’s most coveted prizes.
This year, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s 7 Porsche 963 claimed victory for the second consecutive year, marking Porsche’s 20th win at the event. With 61 competitors braving bitterly cold nights and high winds, the final sprint to the finish showcased endurance racing at its finest.
In 2025, Rolex also became the Official Timepiece of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). Five-time overall winner of the event and IMSA Hall of Fame driver Scott Pruett reflected: “I am so thrilled about the partnership between Rolex and IMSA. It is very personal to me; I spent my career racing in IMSA championships, including the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and striving for a Rolex timepiece at the speedway. Rolex and IMSA share a commitment to the legacy of racing and have been steadfast leaders in driving motorsport forward.”
24 HOURS OF LE MANS
Rolex has been Official Timepiece of Le Mans since 2001, reinforcing its commitment to endurance racing’s most gruelling test. The 101st edition in 2024 saw Ferrari’s #50 AF Corse 499P emerge victorious after an epic battle with Porsche and Toyota.
Reflecting on Rolex’s long-term support of Le Mans, Rolex Testimonee and race participant Jenson Button explained: “In motorsport, time is of the essence. Whether looking at lap times, counting down the hours or preparing for your next shift, you are always watching the clock.
“It makes complete sense that Rolex is deeply entwined with 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race is very special to me as it’s so renowned and closely connected to Rolex.”
Additionally, with high-profile manufacturers like Alpine, BMW, and Lamborghini joining the hypercar grid, 2025 promises even fiercer competition—with Rolex once again at the heart of this evolution.
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
As Official Timepiece of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) since 2016, Rolex continues to champion excellence in long-distance racing. With an eight-race calendar spanning continents, WEC promises thrilling competition among top manufacturers.
Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen, a ninetime Le Mans winner, highlighted: “In both watchmaking and endurance racing, persistent precision and mastering time are key. You need skill and accuracy to optimise the materials to develop an incredible result.
“That’s why Rolex’s partnerships in motorsport are the perfect match—it is the coming together of the toughest races and the most prestigious watch brand in the world.”
GOODWOOD REVIVAL
Last year, Rolex honoured motorsport’s rich heritage through its 20-year partnership with the Goodwood Revival—the world’s only historic motor race meeting to be staged entirely in a period theme.
Held at the iconic Goodwood Motor Circuit in England’s West Sussex, this three-day event transported vintage car enthusiasts back to the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, where legends of the track and historic vehicles came together in a display of speed, skill, and style. The Swiss watchmaker has also served as the event’s Official Timepiece and Title Sponsor of its esteemed Rolex Drivers’ Club for two decades.
A highlight for 2024 was when Rolex Testimonee and racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart unveiled the restored Tyrrell Shed, which marked 55 years from his first Formula 1 World Championship win. The garage, where Stewart’s 1971 and 1973 title-winning cars were built, was relocated to Goodwood to preserve its legacy.
The 2024 Goodwood Revival also became the first historic motorsport gathering to run exclusively on sustainable fuel, setting a new benchmark for environmental responsibility in classic racing.
MONTEREY CAR WEEK
Each year, the Monterey Car Week transforms California into an automotive paradise, blending heritage, innovation, and design. Rolex, a patron of motoring culture for over 25 years, remains central to these prestigious celebrations.
At the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca hosted historic race cars in celebration of 50 years of legendary competition. Rolex Testimonee Jenson Button, who raced his 1952 Jaguar C-Type, shared: “I love this event; it’s electric. It was extra special to drive my C-Type here, at an event so closely linked to Rolex, and to race alongside so many different works of art. There is so much history in this sport, and the Reunion showcases the vastness of motorsport in a way that the next generation can appreciate.”
Elsewhere, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance celebrated automotive artistry. Fritz Burkand, the owner of the 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, crowned Best of Show, was awarded a Rolex Perpetual 1908, cementing its place in motoring history.
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