Rolex Testimonee Nyck de Vries and his #7 TOYOTA RACING teammates claimed victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Starting 14th on the grid, the team fought through the field over 24 gruelling hours, overcoming setbacks and moments when victory seemed out of reach.
Held from 13–14 June 2026 at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France, the 24-hour endurance race saw de Vries share driving duties with teammates Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi. The triumph also marked Rolex’s 25th year as the Exclusive Major Partner and Official Timepiece of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
De Vries, whose Indonesian heritage traces back to his grandfather from Malang, East Java, expressed his gratitude after becoming a Le Mans winner. “I carry a real sense of honour to be able to contribute to Rolex’s legacy and do something special for both myself and the brand. Racing at Circuit de la Sarthe and seeing the Rolex branding means something different to me now.”
Nyck de Vries’ Journey to Le Mans Glory
Born in the Netherlands on 6 February 1995, de Vries rose through karting before winning the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship and the 2020–21 Formula E World Championship, establishing himself as one of motorsport’s most versatile drivers.
During the 2022 Jakarta E-Prix, de Vries visited his grandfather’s hometown of Malang, East Java. “Actually, my grandfather returned to Indonesia. He was in The Netherlands during the war and then returned to Malang,” he told Antara.
Although his Formula 1 chapter was brief during the 2023 season, de Vries returned his focus to endurance racing. That journey culminated in his maiden overall victory at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona: A Symbol of Nyck de Vries’ Perseverance
The Circuit de la Sarthe demands the qualities that define endurance racing: commitment, resilience and perseverance. Combining permanent track with public roads, it challenges drivers with changing grip levels, unpredictable conditions and racing through day and night.
Rolex has served as the Exclusive Major Partner and Official Timepiece of the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001. Each year, the Swiss watchmaker presents the overall winners with a specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, a lasting symbol of one of motorsport’s greatest achievements.
After 24 gruelling hours, de Vries and his teammates in Toyota Gazoo Racing’s No. 7 car were presented with the specially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. Crafted in Oystersteel with a distinctive silver-toned appearance, the commemorative timepiece celebrates their triumph at Le Mans and serves as a lasting reminder of the achievement.
As Rolex marks its 25th year as the Official Timepiece and Exclusive Major Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Cosmograph Daytona reflects Rolex’s enduring pursuit of excellence. The word “SUPERLATIVE”, inscribed on every Oyster watch, embodies the brand’s philosophy of excellence.
For de Vries, the engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona represents more than victory. It marks the culmination of years of perseverance across multiple racing disciplines, rewarding a career that ultimately found its defining moment at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
