It is the premier motor sport discipline. For more than 70 years, Formula 1® has stirred a passion that reaches a far greater public than just motor sport enthusiasts. In the 21st century, Formula 1® has entered new geographical territories. It is now global, and has secured an agreement with Rolex, making the watchmaker a Global Partner and the Official Timepiece of the Formula 1® World Championship since the 2013 season. But the ties between Rolex and Formula 1® run considerably deeper. Since 1968, the brand has been associated with Sir Jackie Stewart, three-time FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion (1969, 1971, 1973), winner of 27 of the 99 Grands Prix™ he started, and a tireless advocate for driver safety.
I think I still want to be a champion at whatever I do – and that’s still a challenge. When I look at my Rolex watch today, I see all of that.
Every Formula 1® season is a physical and technological adventure that keeps audiences around the world on the edge of their seats. But it is not just a question of speed. Commanding the most powerful machines, precision driving and the strategy of the entire team provide a spectacle that fascinates a growing number of motor sport enthusiasts.
Ten racing teams, 20 drivers and several engine manufacturers compete in the Formula 1® world championship, which comprises more than 20 Grand Prix races each year across five continents. Some events, such as those held on the streets of Monaco and at the Silverstone circuit in England, hold a very special place in the sport’s history. Others, like the Las Vegas Grand Prix, have joined the calendar more recently.
Following the last Grand Prix of the season, two trophies are awarded. The titles of FIA Formula 1® World Drivers’ Champion and World Constructors’ Champion are among the most prestigious in the sporting world. They reward reliability, precision and the quest for excellence, three qualities particularly important to Rolex.
I like seeing this sport evolve, moving constantly forward and generating a great deal of interest all over the world.
From his debut at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix to his last race at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson Button’s Formula 1® career was filled with success: 15 Grand Prix victories, 50 podiums, and the ultimate prize of being World Drivers’ Champion in 2009. The British driver is now applying his skills to endurance and classic races. In 2023, he participated in three NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) races and started the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a NASCAR entry. He has been a Rolex Testimonee since 2021 and enjoys a special relationship with the Cosmograph Daytona; he bought his first one when he was 20 and now wears the model he gave his late father for his 70th birthday.
In Formula 1®, the concept of performance encompasses many different areas. In particular, it concerns the endurance of mechanical components, the reliability and flexibility of engines, aerodynamics, the precision of trajectories, the ability to withstand extreme conditions and the safety of drivers.
Performance is now dominated by the pursuit of engine efficiency. Environmental concerns have become a primary focus for the automotive industry, and Formula 1® Grands Prix™ are a valuable open-air laboratory for this purpose.
We are in a golden age of the sport – it is becoming stronger and stronger – with major car manufacturers involved in the advanced engineering of Formula 1®.
Since 2019, Formula 1® has been committed to the Net Zero 2030 target. This involves reducing emissions from logistics and infrastructure. The aim is also to achieve carbon neutrality for single-seater racing car engines.
To make this possible, the fuels being developed are intended to ensure high efficiency with reasonable consumption. Combining sporting prowess with energy performance adds the challenge of efficiency to the thrill of the occasion.
The experiments conducted within Formula 1® are expected to make an impact on the wider automotive industry. Turbocharged engines, active suspensions, traction control, anti-locking braking systems (ABS) and, more recently, kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS), are all implemented processes that have proved their worth on the racetrack before becoming mainstream. Technology transfer – from the racetrack to the road – is one of the raisons d’être of Formula 1®.
