Time defines endurance racing. It separates champions from other competitors and rewards those who prevail at each of these demanding contests, ranging in duration from six to 24 hours. The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) begins with the 6 Hours of Imola from 17 to 19 April, and marks 10 years since Rolex became the Official Timepiece of the series. Over the past decade, the Swiss watchmaker has accompanied the sport through a golden era, witnessing many of its greatest achievements and innovations: from the introduction of the Hypercar class in 2021, to the historic transatlantic alignment in 2023 and the championship’s 100th race last year.

Having competed in the series in 2024 and 2025, Rolex Testimonee Jenson Button, who recently retired from the sport, understands the demands drivers face coming into this discipline. In anticipation of the 2026 season, he says: “I loved the competition in the WEC and the spirit of endurance racing – it’s all about pushing the limits of what is humanly and mechanically possible. There will be a bit of change in the Hypercar class this year with Genesis Magma entering. Drivers now aspire to be in endurance racing and it’s a dream for many to take part in the WEC. I’m looking forward to seeing the young drivers challenging the experienced ones this season. The racing in 2026 is going to be very exciting.”

Rolex Testimonee Jamie Chadwick is among the rising talents shaping the next chapter of the FIA World Endurance Championship. In 2026, she joins Genesis Magma Racing as reserve driver for the team’s inaugural Hypercar campaign, becoming the first woman to hold this position within the class. Among the drivers competing for the overall crown is Nyck de Vries. The Dutch driver enters his fifth season, returning to the grid with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, having recently been welcomed into the Rolex family of Testimonees. De Vries says: “It’s a huge honour to become part of the Rolex family of motor sport Testimonees. Rolex has such a strong history in sport and especially in motor racing, so to be associated with that legacy means a lot.”

Looking to the season ahead, he continues: “A new season always feels like a fresh start, and that’s something I’m really looking forward to. It will be my third year in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Toyota Racing. We’ve worked hard over the winter, and hopefully that will put us in a strong position.”

The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season comprises eight rounds staged across four continents: Europe, Asia, North America and South America. In June, the calendar reaches its pinnacle at Circuit de la Sarthe in France for the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking an important chapter in Rolex’s journey in endurance racing as it celebrates 25 years of partnership with the race. The series then moves to South America for the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo at the iconic Autódromo José Carlos Pace, one of motor sport’s most storied tracks. Rolex returns to Brazil as Title Sponsor for the third consecutive year.

Frédéric Lequien, FIA World Endurance Championship Chief Executive Officer, reflects on Rolex’s enduring support: “Such a successful and long-standing relationship is a mark of absolute trust and exemplifies the qualities that are essential to us: loyalty, precision, elegance and excellence. These are values that Rolex and the FIA WEC wholeheartedly embrace and share. Rolex as a brand is synonymous with the pinnacle of international endurance racing, and we take great pride in having a partner that is so deeply engaged with everything we do.”

Timing remains at the heart of this sport, the quiet force that drives it forward and shapes each moment. From every split second and every decisive move made on track, the Rolex Pit Lane Clock will continue to keep time on more remarkable achievements. The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship will culminate at the 8 Hours of Bahrain in November, when Rolex will present a specially engraved Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona to the season champions of the Hypercar class. Recognised as the ultimate watch in motor sport, it is worn by those who have made history on circuits worldwide over the decades.