Two weeks after turning Monaco into TAG Heuer Town during the Monaco Grand Prix and being the official watch of Indy500, TAG Heuer’s “150 YEARS OF MOTOR-RACING” celebrations move to Le Mans, the most prestigious race in endurance motorsports.
The Swiss watch brand’s legitimate presence at the oldest endurance race in motor sports is without rival. TAG Heuer co-starred with Steve McQueen and his Gulf-sponsored Porsche 917K in the 1970 film classic “Le Mans,” partnered with Scuderia Ferrari and the famous Ferrari 312 PB sport prototypes in 1973, and won with Peugeot Sport and its drivers Marc Géné, Alexander Wurz and David Brabham in 2009. Last year, TAG Heuer combined forces with Audi Sport, the most winning team in Le Mans history, and took the title again. This year, armed with a powerful new R18 TDI car, the sporting duo took home a second consecutive victory, thanks to Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer in the Audi R18 #2. TAG Heuer also won LMP2 category thanks to Greaves Motorsport and their drivers Tom Kimber-Smith, Olivier Lombard and Karim Ojjeh.
TAG Heuer and Audi Sport have realized their exciting quest to post back-to-back victories at the most mythic endurance race in motorsports — the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year’s edition was one of the most exciting races in Le Mans history.
For the 79th edition of the Le Mans race, the Swiss watch brand was once again the Official Partner for watches, eyewear and timekeeping solutions of the German racecar team, which put the victories record higher. The mythical race took place June 11-12, 2011, the same weekend that TAG Heuer Ambassador Jenson Button and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes won the Canada F1 Grand Prix. Button’s victory puts him in second place overall in the F1 driver’s standings.
Audi Sport rolled out three ultra-lightweight R18 TDI cars for the race, and an impressive line-up of drivers: Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller in car #1; Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Treluyer in car #2; and Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen (8-time winner, a world record) and Allan McNish in car #3.
Audi Sport flew TAG Heuer colours on its racing cars and drivers’ suits at Le Mans as it does in all 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup endurance races. Team drivers wear and promote TAG Heuer CARRERA Day-Date chronographs and managers wear TAG Heuer Grand CARRERA chronographs. The team uses TAG Heuer’s timekeeping technology during private testing sessions.
TAG Heuer also equips Audi Sport drivers with TAG Heuer Night Vision glasses. Created to provide better night-vision comfort by correcting night myopia and prismatic deviation, this exclusive TAG Heuer technology helps maximize the Audi Team’s driving performance at dawn, dusk and in the dark of night. Enhancing vision while driving — in road car driving and competition car racing — is the keystone of TAG Heuer’s Avant-Garde Eyewear strategy. Audi Sport Drivers put these products to the test in the most demanding conditions imaginable, and TAG Heuer’s R&D use their findings to push accuracy and performance even further.
“What a great way to cap our 150 Years of Motor-Racing celebrations, with a second straight trophy at Le Mans,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, TAG Heuer CEO and President. “Our partnership with Audi Sport exemplifies what is unique about our brand heritage — the closest ties to motor sports and car manufacturing in the watchmaking industry, and a relentless focus of every ounce of energy and know-how on one goal: being the best.”
