Behind The Scenes Of Petit Le Mans With Rolex

Rolex gave us the chance to immerse ourselves in the world of Petit Le Mans.

One of the oldest traditions in motorsport, endurance racing has been one of the most revered challenges to take place behind the wheel of an automobile for over a hundred years, almost as long as the production automobile has been in existence. For many of the decades that endurance racing has defined the pinnacle of motorsport, Rolex has been a close partner with the races and the people that bring them to life. Now, with an expanded partnership between Rolex and IMSA, we got the opportunity to attend the 2025 Petit Le Mans race, and our experience was as deep a dive as anyone could get into the world of endurance.

Our experience started before race day, with two hot laps giving us a thorough impression of the legendary Road Atlanta circuit, and a personal feel for the thrill of its dramatic elevation changes and challenging corners. We were at the mercy of two professional drivers, who took us on hot laps in the Lexus IS 500 sports sedan, and the Ford Mustang GTD, the new racing-ready, ultra-premium performance-oriented take on the legendary Ford Mustang.

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A race car labeled 45 is being serviced by pit crew members in front of a garage area with DEX branding at Petit Le Mans, while people work and walk nearby.

A race car speeds past a pit crew and team tents with BMW Motorsport and Aston Martin Racing banners at the racetrack during the Petit Le Mans, as Rolex sponsors add prestige to the thrilling daytime event.

A red and black race car labeled 93 is serviced by crew members in the pit lane during the Petit Le Mans at a renowned track, with Rolex branding visible in the background.

Two race cars drive side by side on the Petit Le Mans track at night, with long exposure light trails emphasizing their speed.

A silver race car with the number 66 speeds on the track at night during Petit Le Mans, its headlights cutting through the darkness and sponsor decals, including Rolex, visible on the side.

A Porsche race car with number 6 speeds along the racetrack at night during Petit Le Mans, with motion blur, glowing wheels, and the excitement of a Rolex endurance event visible.

A red Cadillac Whelen race car, number 31, speeds on the track at night during Petit Le Mans, headlights shining and motion blur in the background.

A Porsche racing car speeds along the track at night during Petit Le Mans, with blurred lights and surroundings emphasizing the high-speed motion.

A red Porsche race car speeds on the Petit Le Mans track at night, with motion blur capturing its fast movement and bright lights in the background, offering a behind the scenes look at this thrilling endurance race.

A race car with iHeartRadio branding speeds on the track at night during Petit Le Mans, headlights on, creating motion blur and light trails.

A racing car with neon lighting, reminiscent of Petit Le Mans, moves at high speed on a track at night, creating light streaks and motion blur in the image.

A red Porsche race car speeds on the track at night during Petit Le Mans, creating motion blur with bright light streaks and the Rolex timing banner glowing in the background.

With hot laps out of the way, we then had the privilege to speak with some of the teams, including the Whelen Cadillac team that would end up winning the race, where we learned about the intense depth of strategy and intense work it takes not only to race in endurance, but also win. Crew members tirelessly worked to assemble and set up the car for qualifying while we talked, and we learned about the immense amount of data that the teams and IMSA use to optimize their cars, as well as ensure safety and fair competition on the track. The V-Series.R we stood next to featured two O2 sensors: one for the team, and one for IMSA, and miles of fiber are laid throughout the track to transmit data between the teams and IMSA, offering precise information about the cars for the teams and for race control.

Next it was race day, and during the fan walk, spectators had the opportunity to get right up to cars and drivers before the race began. We had the opportunity to see one of the very unfortunate but real moments in endurance racing only minutes after the green flag was waved: a crash took multiple GTD cars out of the race. However, the passion and energy refused to die down for fans, teams, crew members, and staff running the race, as the atmosphere remained electric throuhgout the day and night. The race sold out of tickets, and traffic stretched a mile away from the track in each direction.

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Multiple race cars collide on the track at Petit Le Mans, with debris and car parts visibly airborne above the vehicles during the incident.

A group of race cars navigate the Petit Le Mans track as debris flies and smoke rises, indicating a collision or crash in the background.

A blue Ford race car is stopped in the pit lane during Petit Le Mans, with crew members standing by and equipment ready on a sunny day.

Race car pit stop at Petit Le Mans with crew members changing a rear tire and refueling the vehicle; Cadillac Racing and Rolex signage are visible in the background.

A black and white race car with a shark mouth design stops at the Petit Le Mans pit lane during a race, with crew members and another car in the background under a clear blue sky.

A yellow Porsche race car stops in the pit lane during the Petit Le Mans, with crew members nearby and Rolex-branded signage for pit stall numbers overhead.

Sports cars race on a sunlit track at sunset during Petit Le Mans, with bright sunlight and lens flare affecting visibility.

A race car speeds around the track at Petit Le Mans while a crowd of spectators, shaded by umbrellas, watches from the foreground on a sunny day.

A race car speeds along the track during Petit Le Mans while a blurred crowd watches from the stands, emphasizing motion and excitement at the event.

A red Whelen Cadillac racing car speeds along the Petit Le Mans track bordered by grass, with blurred trees, a white barrier, and the excitement of the Rolex event in the background.

A red prototype race car drives on a hilly racetrack, approaching a curve at Petit Le Mans. A red Bridgestone sign is visible on the grass beside the track.

A group of race cars, including a black Lexus and two yellow Corvettes, compete on the track during the Petit Le Mans motorsport event, with several cars following close behind.

We also had the chance to talk to Scott Pruett, one of endurance racing’s most legendary drivers who now works with IMSA race control. He wore a special Rolex watch to Petit Le Mans, which was the season finale for the nearly year-long IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2025. The watch, nearly 40 years old, is one that Pruett purchased as a gift for himself to celebrate a victory in IROC. His immense driving experience, as well as rich racing experience of other race control personnel helps IMSA ensure that the rules, and calls race control makes during the race, strike a balaance of entertainment, safety, and fair competition.

John Doonan, the president of IMSA, provided insight on the rich legacy of endurance racing, including how celebrated drivers come to IMSA from other racing series across the globe in order to compete in the IMSA arena and race on some of the world’s most iconic tracks, Road Atlanta especially included. Doonan has his own personal history with the racing world, visiting tracks during his childhood and falling in love with motorsport leading up to his career today.

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A nighttime outdoor event with a large crowd, a stage, and fireworks shooting into the sky, capturing the behind the scenes energy of Petit Le Mans, with cars and lights visible in the background.

Fireworks shoot up over a crowded outdoor stage at night, where people are gathered for the Petit Le Mans motorsports podium ceremony, celebrating champions under the Rolex spotlight.

A group of race cars speed closely together on a curving racetrack at Petit Le Mans, with a dark-colored car leading the pack.

Long-exposure photo of a race track at night captures colorful light trails from cars curving along the track, surrounded by illuminated WeatherTech and Rolex signs during Petit Le Mans.

Long-exposure photo of the Petit Le Mans race track at night, with colorful light trails curving around a bend, illuminated signs, and a dark sky—Rolex signage glows in the background.

A large crowd of people gathers in front of racing team pit boxes at Petit Le Mans, enjoying the excitement of the motorsport event on a sunny day, with Rolex branding seen throughout the venue.

Several prototype race cars compete on track during the daytime Petit Le Mans endurance race, with a prominent Michelin banner visible overhead.

A Lexus race car leads two other race cars around a curve on the racetrack during the Petit Le Mans, a highlight motorsport event in the Rolex series.

As night fell, the track lit up with the headlights of race cars (some of which only had one working), as well as with campfires lit by fans who camped at the track for the race weekend. A tour gave us views from the icnoic Spectator Hill, as well as of some of the most exciting corners on the course: the esses, turns 6 and 7, and the 10a and 10b chicane. Anticipation grew as the race drew to a close, with Cadillac Whelen winning the race overall, and Porsche winning the championship titles thorughout the GTP class.

With an experience seeing an endurance race as closely as someone could get without participating in it, our time at the 2025 Petit Le Mans was not only a chance to witness one of the most exciting races on IMSA’s annual calendar and its season finale, but also a chance to gain an amazingly deep understanding of endurance racing and the labor of love that is motorsport, with one of the sport’s most dedicated, iconic, and committed partners: Rolex.