With The Race of Champions (ROC) full of star names, the cars needed to be worthy of the incredible line-up so organisers are today delighted to confirm two of the biggest names in motorsport.
Both Ford, the 2007 World Rally Manufacturer champions, and Aston Martin will be at the December 16 event, which will see Wembley Stadium transformed into a tarmac race track.
The ROC drivers, including Ford’s own Marcus Grönholm, will be competing in the actual Ford Focus WRC car shortly after the championship’s final round, in which Grönholm hopes to emerge victorious.
Director of Ford Team RS, Jost Capito said it was fitting that The ROC cars, as well as the drivers, should be proven winners. “We’re already manufacturer champions this year and it only remains to put all our weight behind Marcus for the drivers title,” he said.
“It can sometimes be difficult to do justice to the skill and bravery required in rally, because the course is so long. The Race of Champions gives us a chance to show-case Marcus and the car in front of all our fans. I’m sure it will be an incredible day.”The Aston Martin Vantage N24 at Wembley earlier this yearAs well as the Ford Focus WRC car The ROC contestants, including David Coulthard, Jenson Button and Tom Kristensen, will again be put to the test in the Aston Martin Vantage N24.
The spectacular car, which is a variant of the V8 Vantage developed by Aston Martin for the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race, caused a storm at The Race of Champions 2006, producing some of the most thrilling action.
“We are delighted to once again have such prestigious and exciting cars in The ROC line-up,” said Fredrik Johnsson, President of event organizer’s IMP. “On top of the race-prepared Aston Martins and the World Rally Championship-winning Ford, we expect to announce more spectacular cars in the coming weeks.
“Of course, there will also be the ROC Cars that are so popular with the drivers and spectators. With its six speed sequential gearbox, great horsepower to weight ratio (175 bhp for less than 400 kgs) and superb handling the completely neutral ROC Cars are perfect for the decisive heats which can get pretty intense!”
The ROC promises to provide a spectacular winter fix for the 80,000 expected racing fans, with drivers from Formula 1, World Touring Cars, NASCAR and Sports Car competing in a champion of champions decider. For more information, or to book tickets, please visit raceofchampions.com.
The premise is simple: using identical equipment and track, drivers can prove themselves based on talent alone. The drivers compete in a series of knockout heats in their own division to determine their class champion. Then, in a shoot-out to determine who is the master of motorsport, the winners go head-to-head in a super final. The victor is awarded the title “The Champion of Champions”.
Drivers confirmed for 2007 include:
Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher Formula One star Jenson Button Triple World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel Four-time Champ Car Champion & Toro Rosso driver Sébastien Bourdais Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen Two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström Two-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson Eight-time X-Games winner & double Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana Double World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm Renault F1’s Heikki Kovalainen 1995 British Rally Champion Alister McRae World Touring Car Championship star Yvan Muller This traditional end-of-season showdown attracts spectators from across Europe. For three years the event, held at the Stade de France in Paris, has attracted well over 50,000 spectators each year.
Action from the Race of Champions 2006 was broadcast in over 200 countries and watched by more than 186 million viewers.
