24h Le Mans
Photo : D.R. - Rolex
After more than a decade of combined passion for performance and reliability, Rolex, the leading luxury watch brand and a pioneer of sport sponsorship, has committed to continuing its support as Official Timekeeper of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Fidelity and trust in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
For Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans since its inception in 1923: “the renewed support of Rolex, a brand renowned for its prestige and its constant quest for excellence, is testimony to the trust between us. We are particularly proud of this, above all in 2013 when we will be celebrating 90 years of our race, which is also the pinnacle race of the FIA World Endurance Championship.”
“The faith shown by Rolex in their relationship with the 24 Hours of Le Mans will only encourage us to continue developing particularly in ways that promote technological innovation, most notably from an environmental standpoint,” continued Mr. Fillon.
A major partner for Rolex
“We are very happy to have counted the 24 Hours of Le Mans among our major partners for the past ten years,” confirmed Gian Riccardo Marini, General Director of Rolex SA. “The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a mythical event and represents one of the most important endurance racing gatherings in the world”, added Mr. Marini. “The qualities demanded of the winners, both human and mechanical, are direct echoes of the values of perseverance and excellence which are dear to Rolex.”
A long-term engagement in motor sport
The continuation of Rolex’s partnership with the 24 Hours of Le Mans forms part of a long, historic relationship with motor sport and the pursuit of speed which dates back to the 1930s. In addition to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the brand is also associated with another famous endurance race, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and as of 2013, Rolex is also the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1™.
About the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Created in 1923 by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the 24 Hours of Le Mans is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. From its very first edition, the race has become one of the world’s major automobile challenges and sporting events thanks to the values promoted by the ACO: sportsmanship, dedication, performance, popularity and technological innovation. In keeping with this philosophy, the world’s most important car marques and illustrious drivers challenge an incomparable track, covering a great distance in pursuit of having their names engraved on one of sport’s most coveted trophies. In addition to its flagship race, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, which also created the very first automobile Grand Prix in 1906, launched the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, a competition that conveys the unique values of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to three major continents across eight races in as many countries.
Official Website: www.24h-lemans.com
About Rolex
Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its OYSTER watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the OYSTER, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the PERPETUAL rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic and patronage programmes.
Official Website : www.rolex.com
Practical information
The 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours
90th anniversary
3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship
Dates:22-23 June 2013
General enclosure tickets:54 euros (ACO members), 71 Euros (non ACO members).
Free for young people born after 23rd June 1997 accompanied by an adult.
Test day:Sunday 9th June 2013.
Scrutineering:Sunday 16th and Monday 17th June.
Free practice and qualifying:Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th June.
Start of the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours:Saturday 22nd June at 15h00.
Information and reservations : www.24h-lemans.com
ACO institutional site : www.lemans.org
Facebook : 24 Heures du Mans – ACO Official
Twitter : @24hoursoflemans Hashtag : #24LM
WebTV : lemans-tv.com
From left to right in the photo: Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and Arnaud Boetsch, Director of Communication and Image at Rolex SA upon renewal of partnership between Rolex and the Le Mans 24 Hours (Official Watch since 2001).
