Carmel, 13 August 2021 – The Quail Lodge & Golf Club welcomed some of the finest vintage and modern vehicles in the world today for The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2021. Rolex has been the Official Timepiece since 2005, supporting the event’s appreciation of avant-garde automobiles and the efforts of previous and current generations to push the boundaries of engineering, design and style.

This afternoon, the 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster was awarded the 2021 Rolex Best of Show and admitted into the Rolex Circle of Champions alongside the event’s individual class winners. In recognition of the owners’ precision and dedication to preserve these automotive artworks and share them with the world, Rolex presented an Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 to the headline car. This year’s proud recipients, owner K. Heinz Keller and preserver Alfredo Garcia, said:

In recent years, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering has become a melting pot for leading automotive manufacturers, wishing to showcase their latest futuristic concepts and inspiring road-going machines. Making headlines this morning was the US public debut of the Lotus Emira and the appearance of the Audi Skysphere roadster, the first in the German carmaker’s new family of concept vehicles. Throughout the day, revellers basked in the glorious Californian sunshine at this splendid garden party, enjoying a return to outdoor events and the culinary delights on offer. Rolex timepieces adorned the golf greens, symbolizing the Swiss watch brand’s ongoing commitment to this outstanding celebration, and its endeavour to continuously bring together the past, present and future of the automobile.

ROLEX AND MOTOR SPORT

Rolex’s close ties with motor sport date back to Sir Malcolm Campbell’s World Land Speed Record successes in the 1930s, when he became the first driver to break the 300 mph barrier (483 km/h) at the wheel of his car, Bluebird. Since then, Rolex’s presence in motor racing has grown steadily, its support extending to revered endurance events such as the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship. In 2013, Rolex became associated with Formula 1®, the pinnacle of motor sport, having supported Rolex Testimonee Sir Jackie Stewart since 1968. The three-time FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion has been joined by fellow high achievers from the world of motor sport: Tom Kristensen, the record nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, and Mark Webber, the multiple Formula 1® race winner and 2015 FIA World Endurance Champion. The brand also has a global appreciation for classic automotive events steeped in elegance, beauty and tradition, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the Goodwood Revival.