Tom Kristensen (DEN) has joined the elite family circle of Rolex Testimonees. A press conference confirming the details of the partnership between Rolex and Kristensen took place Friday, 21 May, at Klarlund AS in Copenhagen, just ahead of the start of the world-famous 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. As a Rolex Testimonee, the talented 42-year old race car driver joins other outstanding personalities of sports and the arts such as Roger Federer, Carlo Janka, Sir Jackie Stewart, Roger Penske, Cecilia Bartoli, Jack Nicklaus, and Hermann Maier.
With the 2010 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans fast approaching, Kristensen has been keeping busy with steady training and preparation for this challenging endurance race by combining running, biking, stabilizing core training, golf and cross-country skiing (during winter) in his training. “I really work hard on my everyday routine and try to make it less tedious by combining many different sport activities. This helps me stay strong and agile since driving a modern racing car is incredibly challenging with its g-forces and heat, all the while demanding stamina and constant concentration.”
And what could be more demanding for drivers than 24 hours of non-stop racing? Created in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest and most prestigious endurance automobile race in the world. For over 80 years an international mix of the world’s top car manufacturers and renowned drivers have been coming together in Le Mans every June, a time when the days are the longest and the nights the shortest, to race. The winning team is the one that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours, often more than 5,000 kilometres.
“Le Mans is the race, the greatest race. It’s a huge production that requires the input from drivers, teams, mechanics and more,” explains Kristensen. “To win you need to be fast and steady, you need to manage and extend the performance of your car while staying consistent and accurate in your driving – every lap, every second, every hundredth of a second counts!”
At any time during Le Mans, one can gain – or lose – everything. Once night falls, temperatures drop and the drivers chase precious seconds in the dark, lap after lap. Visibility can drop to zero with rain or dense fog. For Kristensen, also known as “Mr. Le Mans” for his record eight wins here, it’s show time. “At night, when you’re on the right tires and you get into the rhythm, you really feel you’re one with the car,” describes Kristensen. “It’s far from comfortable driving – it’s dark, greasy and crowded. Speeds are high, everything’s incredibly fast… sometimes you don’t see the apex of the very fast corners until you actually get there, so you mostly drive on determination and confidence. This is what makes the night so intense, so precise; you have to be extremely focused and alert at all times, expecting that all hell could break loose at any second. There is nothing better than being fast during the night.”
Kristensen has been on top of the Le Mans podium more than any other driver ever in history. Jackie Ickx held the previous record of six wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and when asked what it felt like to surpass this record Kristensen said, “It’s really quite something when you see yourself tying and eventually passing the records of your heroes… it’s something almost unbelievable. Among drivers there is a common respect: we all know the track and we have all raced it in our time, and I just try to keep learning while staying focused and humble through it all.”
Humble and friendly, Kristensen most certainly is a sporting icon both at home in Denmark and the world over. This year, in honour of his achievements, Kristensen was named the “World’s Best Sports Car Driver of the Decade” by internationally leading British magazine Autosport and was also elected “Sportsman of the Decade” in two major Danish contests (by TV channel TV 2 and the Berlingske Tidende newspaper).
While honoured by this recognition, Kristensen admits that he was surprised to have won “Sportsman of the Decade” while up against nominees that were Olympic medallists and World Champions. “Motor racing is a team sport that requires a team effort so this recognition also goes to the team within Audi Sport and my driver colleagues, along with the voters. Nothing can compare to performing well within a group where you can share both the hard work, passion and the success of what you are doing.”
In light of all these achievements and more, Kristensen was a natural choice as the latest addition to the family of outstanding personalities that are Rolex Testimonees, and he will once again be racing with Audi colleagues Dindo Capello (ITA) and Allan McNish (MCO) in the 2010 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, eager to add another win to his racing history.
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