Le Mans and Daytona: The Rolex for the winners

Since 1991, Rolex has celebrated victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona by awarding the winning drivers a Daytona watch. This tradition, initially limited to the "24 Hours of Daytona," was extended in 2001 to include the winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the overall champions of the year. A curious detail is that the winners of the Rolex 24 at Daytona receive Daytonas with white dials, while the winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans receive Daytonas with black dials. This distinction has been confirmed since 2015, but little official information remains from previous years.

Models awarded to winners:

• Rolex 24 at Daytona (white dials):
  • 16520 (1991-2000)
  • 116503 (2016)
  • 116503 (2017+)
• 24 Hours of Le Mans (black dials):
  • 116520 (2001-2015)
  • 116520 (2001-2016)
  • 116500 (2017+)
• Rolex Sports Car Series Champion:
  • Black dial, probably 116520 (2001-2004)
  • Slate dial, model 116523 (2005, probably until 2015)
  • 116503 in later years

Other Rolex Events and Awards

In recent years, Rolex has expanded the tradition of awarding watches for other prestigious competitions, including:

• Overall Winner of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
• Goodwood Revival Meeting Driver of the Meeting
• Overall Winner of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
• "Best of Show" at the Pebble Beach Concours
• World Champion of Formula 1, for which Rolex has been the Global Partner and Official Timepiece since 2013.

Rolex not only rewards sporting excellence, but also further strengthens the brand's connection to the world of top-level racing, celebrating milestones with one of the most iconic watches in history.