zelin0802 / June 5, 2023
Oil Head Cape 100th Anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Upcoming 2023 Edition and the Rolex Connection
Dive into a century of enduro racing in the heart of France.
It is said that the first car race took place after the second car was built. While it’s difficult to frame that statement, it does paint a pretty good picture of motorsport history. Sources mention several different races as the first official race in history, but the original race is believed to have been from Paris to Rouen, France in 1894. Cars at the time were basically carriages without horses, but still 69 cars started the 50km race from A to B, and Count Jules-Albert de Dion (co-founder of De Dion-Bouton) clocked 6 hours and 48 minutes Grades win the game. Just after the turn of the century, the first purpose-built racetracks were built (Aspendale Racecourse, Brooklands, Milwaukee Mile) and speeds increased significantly. By 1923, the town of Le Mans, about two hours from Paris, hosted what would become the most legendary endurance race of all time. 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since racing and timekeeping are so closely related, it should come as no surprise that Rolex is also involved! Review replica watches
Centennial Enduro
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a truly iconic race, and by most accounts, the true highlight of the year even after 100 years of shaping motorsport. In fact, it’s the oldest active endurance racing event in history, and it’s still going strong after a century of racing in central France. The premise is simple; cars set off at certain times of day to see who can go the furthest after a full day of racing around the Sarthe circuit, as it’s officially called. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was won by the Frenchmen André Lagache and René Léonard in the Chenard-Walcker Type U3 15CV Sport. The duo managed to complete 128 laps covering a total distance of 2,209 kilometers. In other words, the current distance record is held by Audi, who ran 5410 kilometers to finish the race! To say that Le Mans racing has changed dramatically over the past century would be an understatement!
The race is organized by the Automobile Club of the West (ACO), which was founded in 1906, so it actually predates the inaugural event. The event is also one of three events in the Triple Crown of Motorsport, along with the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, which only Graham Hill can complete! Looking at the 100-year history, it is impossible to list all the major events that occurred in and out of orbit. In 100 years of motorsports (not 100 because there were no races in 1936 and 1940-1948) there have been some pretty iconic events. Who can forget the Bentley Boys’ pitched battle with Bugatti and Alfa Romeo? Or the bitter rivalry between Ford and Ferrari in the 1960s? Porsche’s dominance in the 1970s and 1980s? Or how about the fact that cars regularly hit 400km/h in the Group C era?
Statistics alone can tell you a lot about the ordeal of man versus machine. I’m sure most of you are aware of Porsche’s 19 championships, or Tom Kristensen’s staggering 9 wins. But did you also know that Porsche has entered 108 consecutive races from 1951 to 2022, a record in itself? Or the legendary Henri Pescarolo who created 33 starts and won four times? Or just 6 cars reaching the finish line in 1931, the fewest ever? It’s a fascinating archive, really.
But it’s not just about who comes out on top, or who sets the fastest lap times. For some, it’s all about competing first, sort of in the Olympic spirit (competing is more important than winning). Competing in Le Mans requires sheer determination (and considerable resources). You’ll need proper licensing, experience in various other types of races, and of course team seating, and staff to support you and your co-pilot throughout the event. Yet the appeal is so great that there is no shortage of teams looking to race, against all odds, or drive a very special and unique car, adhering to Garage 56 rules (more on that later). replica watches online
The evolution of Le Mans
Le Mans features several key periods of racing, really. It all started with the French, who dominated for three of the first four years, followed by five straight wins for the Brits and four for Bentley. The Italians put their first stamp on the race in 1931, when Alfa Romeo won, and later at the hands of Luigi Chinetti (with Frenchman Raymond Sommer) and Tazio Nuvolari (with Raymond Sommer and Philippe Étancelin) Three victories. After World War II, Le Mans racing continued in 1948, with Jaguar and Ferrari swapping multiple victories over a period of about a decade, with the odd win for Mercedes or Talbot Trago somewhat confused.
With the rise of prototype racing in the 1960s and 1970s, it went from Ferrari to Ford to Porsche over a long period of time. The German manufacturer won seven years in a row during the intense Group C prototype racing era from 1981 to 1987. This was eventually phased out in favor of GT1 class cars, with icons such as the McLaren F1, Porsche 911 GT1 and Mercedes CLK-GTR lining the grid. Then there was LMP1, which evolved into diesels and hybrids in the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Audi poses a real threat to Porsche’s win total, as the manufacturer racked up 13 victories between 2000 and 2014.
Until now, the final years of racing at Le Mans have been a showcase for Toyota, which they have won since 2018. On the downside, with the announced rule change from Le Mans Prototype racing to Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) and Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) racing, the race dwindled and there was no real manufacturer to fight the Japanese . But in 2021 and 2022, that’s starting to change, with new and returning names looking to take the crown again as a new era of premier racing begins!
2023 Edition
I’ve read many times before about the regulations for a new class of racing at Le Mans, called the LMH or LMDh category. Both are raced according to a specific set of rules regarding drivetrain, chassis and aerodynamic components, but it is designed to bring manufacturers back to the highest level of enduro racing, while also being open to private and professional builders. It’s paying off handsomely, as long-established marques such as Porsche and Ferrari enter this year’s race alongside relatively new ones such as Glickenhaus. Cadillac joins the V-Series.R, the historic Vanwall name returns, Toyota continues with the GR010 hybrid, Peugeot launches the unconventional 9X8… That’s just top class!
There have also been some changes to the LMP2 and GT classes. The LMP2 category must race on a pre-determined chassis from one of four nominated manufacturers (all teams opted for Oreca) and must use a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine from Gibson Racing. Power is limited to 540bhp, with a minimum weight of 950kg. The aerodynamic package is also specified and restricted, so the LMP2 class basically boils down to one manufacturer’s series of cars. Which is all well and good because it keeps a budget in check and makes some of the closest matches imaginable! Just last year I had the honor of being part of the United Autosports team with Lorige, who had the most dramatic enduro start imaginable; getting knocked out in the first corner on the first lap! It’s also a big part of the whole Le Mans adventure, though not the most enjoyable one.
Before this year’s edition, the GT class at Le Mans was divided into two categories, running the same types of cars. These are the closest thing to a road car (at least in terms of appearance), as the grid is always packed with racing versions of sports cars like the Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari 488, Aston Martin Vantage, and more. The difference between the two GT levels comes down to driver sets. On the one hand, you have a fully professional racing rig and are in the GT-Pro class, while in the other teams you have at least one amateur driver in the GT-Am class. These have now been consolidated into the new LMGTE Am category, with each team requiring at least one amateur driver. At Le Mans, it’s another hotly contested class with brands like Proton Competition, AF Corse, Kessel Racing expected to battle it out from start to finish. Discount replica watches
Last but not least is the Garage 56 entry, which is meant to showcase unique developments or concept cars or cars that simply don’t fit into any other category but are worthy of a Le Mans race anyway. Only one car can enter each year, and it doesn’t qualify for the overall championship, even if it has the potential to do so. In the past, we’ve seen cars like the Nissan DeltaWing and the hydrogen-powered GreenGT H2 project. Things will be different at Garage 56 this year, though, as Hendrick Motorsports has entered a modified NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven by Jenson Button, Jimmy Johnson and Mike Rockefeller. With it, the overall entry list reaches 62 cars, the same as last year and equals the record for most cars at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (if they all qualify and start, that is!).
rolex connection
Whenever it comes to racing, some form of timekeeping is not far off, and the same goes for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Motor racing events can be timed to thousands of seconds per second, and few have as long and deep a history in motorsport as Rolex. The Crown’s first ties to motorsports date back to 1930, when Sir Malcolm Campbell wore a Rolex while driving the Bluebird land speed record car in Daytona Beach, USA Oyster watch. In the years that followed, Campbell set several world land speed records wearing Rolex watches.
In the field of endurance racing, the relationship between Rolex and the Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 24-hour endurance race can be seen. After all, four years after Rolex first partnered with the Daytona International Circuit, the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is named after the race. In 1992, it became the title sponsor of the 24 Hours of Daytona, now the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The race remains one of the most famous and closely watched of the season, attracting many of the same names and faces as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Rolex’s “born on the track” mentality has also spread to the European continent, and three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart has been a long-term spokesperson for Rolex. Since 2001, the brand has also been the official timing partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the same year, nine-time Le Mans champion Tom Kristensen (Tom Kristensen) joined as a Rolex spokesperson. Rolex also became the Official Timekeeper of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2016, further integrating the brand into modern long-distance road racing. Other Rolex endorsers include former F1 driver and multiple Le Mans contender Mark Webber, and former F1 world champion Jenson Button.
The connection between the worlds of mechanical watchmaking and the world of motorsports is almost a natural fit. To quote Tom Kristensen:
“For a racing driver, a Rolex is a perfect match for the 24 Hours of Le Mans; the most elegant, prestigious watchmaker and the most mythical, legendary car. So many stories unfold in 24 hours, when you When you have the right process, it can do wonders. A Le Mans win is with us for a lifetime. It is an honor and a great responsibility to be the official ambassador for this year’s Centenary Edition.”
This perfectly sums up not only what it means to compete in various types of races at one point in life to get to Le Mans, but how it affects one’s life outside of racing. Even more so if you happen to win a grueling 24-hour race! As in previous years, this year will once again see some of the world’s best and most passionate racers take on the ultimate test of man and machine on the legendary 13.6km Sarthe circuit. And what better way to do it than with the support of the ultimate racing chronograph? Rolex Daytona! replica watches Price
