Geneva, 8 November 2026 – The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) concluded this weekend, crowning a milestone season that marked 10 years of Rolex as the Official Timepiece. The battle for the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship was settled in a showdown at the 6 Hours of Monza finale between TOYOTA RACING’s two sister cars, with the #8 ultimately coming out on top. The victory rounded off a captivating season, highlighted by a standout drive from the #7 car back in June. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex Testimonee Nyck de Vries and his teammates propelled the #7 TOYOTA RACING TR010 Hybrid Hypercar from 14th place to win the championship’s cornerstone event. An unwavering presence in endurance racing since the 1960s, Rolex has kept time on many of the discipline’s defining feats, supporting the legendary races, series and drivers who push the limits of performance.

De Vries and Toyota secured the 2026 FIA Hypercar World Manufacturers’ Championship at the previous round in Barcelona, Spain, where the Japanese carmaker delivered a one-two finish to clinch the trophy. Reflecting on the 2026 campaign, de Vries said: 

Emphasizing the spirit and camaraderie between the #7 and #8 teams, he added:

This deep-rooted team dynamic is crucial for conquering motor sport’s greatest contests, where every second counts for drivers and their machines. The 2026 season also marked 25 years of Rolex as Official Timepiece and Exclusive Major Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. These long-term partnerships form part of the brand’s deep-rooted association with endurance racing, which also encompasses the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and the Twelve Hours of Sebring. While the sport continues to evolve, shaped by new technologies, manufacturers and drivers, the ultimate challenge remains unchanged: sustaining peak performance and precision over time.

The strength of the championship was evident throughout 2026. The FIA WEC action began at the 6 Hours of Imola and travelled through Europe, South America, North America and Asia – a global schedule that underlined the continued growth and depth of competition in endurance racing. More than 50 drivers in Hypercars representing eight major automotive marques competed across the calendar, with four different manufacturers gracing the top step of the podium in the premier class. Action and rivalry up and down the grid were at an all-time high with the addition of Genesis Magma Racing, who secured a maiden pole position at the 6 Hours of Barcelona. The season’s final test at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza demanded constant adaptation to ever-changing conditions. The long, flowing straights and 11 corners left little room for error, with the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA asserting their dominance at the track to secure their first win of the season.

Discussing the high-caliber field, Rolex Testimonee and 2015 FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Champion Mark Webber said:

Attention now turns to 2027, when famous manufacturers will enter the fray and iconic tracks return to the calendar. The wider endurance racing season begins with the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA in January, followed by the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March before the start of the nine-round FIA World Endurance Championship later that month. Ford and McLaren will join the Hypercar grid to battle for outright supremacy, while the 6 Hours of Silverstone will mark the series’ first race at the British circuit since 2019. Through its timeless bond with the world’s leading races, championships and drivers, Rolex remains committed to motor sport and to rewarding those in the pursuit of excellence at the highest level. In recognition of their season of outstanding achievement, the Swiss watchmaker presents the winners of the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship with a specially engraved Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.

ROLEX AND MOTOR SPORT
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing the journey marked by milestones and emotions that culminates in defining moments – determined by a path followed, not just a trophy. In motor sport this association started in the 1930s when Sir Malcolm Campbell set World Land Speed Records on Daytona Beach with a Rolex Oyster on his wrist. Since then, Rolex’s support has grown, extending to the sport’s most esteemed figures, revered endurance championships and leading events. This affiliation encompasses the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship and the contests that come together to form the Triple Crown of Endurance Racing – the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For almost three decades, Rolex has also supported classic automotive events steeped in elegance, beauty and tradition, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® and the Goodwood Revival. Rolex welcomed motor sport icon Sir Jackie Stewart into its family of Testimonees in 1968 and he has since been joined by fellow legends: Tom Kristensen, the record nine-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Mark Webber, the 2015 FIA World Endurance Champion and multiple Grand Prix™ winner. The Swiss watchmaker also supports the next generation of talent, including Jamie Chadwick, who continues to break down barriers across motor sport, and Nyck de Vries, a leading figure in the WEC who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2026.