The World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the Automobile Club of the West (ACO) have signed a long-term renewal with Rolex.
Contract:
- Rolex to continue to award three watches to the 24 Hours of Le Mans winners and three to the hypercar world champions
- Length and the value of the deal have not been disclosed
Context: Rolex and the ACO have had a long-standing agreement, having first agreed a partnership in 2001 and later expanded that into WEC in 2016.
Comment: Jean-Frédéric Dufour, chief executive of Rolex, said: “We are delighted about our long-term partnership with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and the World Endurance Championship, which symbolises our historic link with motorsport. Renewing our partnership in the centenary year of the oldest endurance race in the world illustrates our commitment to a long-term vision with our partners.
“Our desire to support this legendary race remains intact, as does our commitment to the development of the sport, its innovations and talents, in pursuit of excellence.”
Coming next: This is the first time WEC has renewed its contract with Rolex since the original signing of the contract before the start of the 2016 season. With this deal being referred to as a ‘long-term renewal’, it can be assumed that this extension is equal to, if not longer, than the eight-year partnership.