Rolex 24 Hours of Le Mans Pre-Event Fast Facts:
Qualifying Results:
- TOYOTA GAZOO Racing secured pole position in the final round of qualifying with Kazuki Nakajima at the wheel of the No. 8 Toyota, posting a time of 3:15.377.
- The No. 48 IDEC Sport, was the quickest on Wednesday in Le Mans Protoype 2 (LMP2) and secured a fastest time of 3:24.842 to take class pole.
- Porsche set the quickest times in both LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am. The No. 91 Porsche GT Team edged the Pro class by 1.593 seconds in their 17-car field.
Event Background:
- The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest and most iconic endurance race, embodying the core values at the heart of the sport and shared by Rolex: performance, excellence and precision.
- This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place from Saturday 16 to Sunday 17 June 2018 at the iconic 13.626 km Circuit de la Sarthe, France.
- 60 cars and 180 drivers will be competing.
- The Le Mans Prototype 1 class (LMP1) will see eight privateer entries compete against the two-car team of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, who will be vying to secure the team’s first 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, having come very close in previous years.
- Two former FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champions are competing in the race this year, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.
- Also of note is Porsche driver Christina Nielsen of Denmark, a two-time IMSA Daytona GT champion, driving a 911 RSR in the GTE-AM class. She is the first female official Porsche driver and is the daughter of five-time Le Mans competitor Lars Erik Nielsen.
- Nielsen hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Danish driver Tom Kristensen, the nine-time Le Mans champion and Rolex Testimonee who holds the record for total number of wins at the storied endurance race.
- Six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Jacky Ickx will be the 2018 Grand Marshal.
Rolex 24 Hours of Le Mans:
- “With the grid decided for tomorrow’s race, the anticipation is building for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’m looking forward to seeing how the drama will unfold, as well as how the drivers and teams approach this ultimate test of endurance and perseverance. It’s exciting to see so many world champions and upcoming drivers from across the motor sport family compete at Le Mans – this is a testament to how unique this event is and its position at the very top of the sport.” – Tom Kristensen, Rolex Testimonee
- Rolex has been an Official Partner and the Official Timepiece for the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001.
- As reward for traveling the furthest distance in 24 hours, the winners will receive the 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy and a specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona timepiece.
ROLEX AND ENDURANCE RACING
The FIA World Endurance Championship will race in Belgium, France, UK, Japan, China and the USA during the 2018 – 2019 season. The 1000 Miles of Sebring makes a highly anticipated return and both the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and 24 Hours of Le Mans feature twice, with the 2019 edition of Le Mans staging the finale and the crowning moment of the 14-month Championship. In line with Rolex’s passion for endurance racing, the watch brand is the Official Timepiece of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as Title Sponsor of the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA. Engine speed and reliability, along with driver and team stamina, are tested to the limit during these challenging races, showcasing motor sport at the highest level.
