Race of Champions 2015 brings F1 stars to London ~ station of gear

Button & Coulthard lead the Brits at Race of Champions in 2015, Le Mans and rally aces will join them

2015-11-19 15:36

Title winners from Formula One, the World Rally Championship, Le Mans, touring cars and motorbike racing come together at London’s Olympic stadium this weekend for the Race of Champions event.

McLaren’s Jenson Button and ex-Red Bull man David Coulthard are leading the British contingent, with three-time World Touring Car champ Andy Priaulx, reigning GP2 title winner Jolyon Palmer, Coulthard’s fellow Scottish racer Susie Stoddart, double British Touring Car champ Jason Plato and Nissan GT ace Alex Buncombe also competing.

Button said: “I can’t wait to be back at the Race of Champions – especially to be racing at home in the former Olympic Stadium. It’s always a lot of fun, but everyone wants to put on a good show for the fans – and of course we only pretend to be taking it easy before giving everything when we’re in the car.”

Button’s F1 rivals Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa and Romain Grosjean will compete, too.

Contenders from outside F1 include ex- WRC and reigning World Rallycross champ Petter Solberg, current Formula E title holder Nelson Piquet Jr, newly crowned DTM driver’s champ Pascal Wehrlein, two-time WTCC champion Jose Maria Lopez, nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen and MotoGP superstars Mick Doohan and Jorge Lorenzo.

Unlike some previous years, no NASCAR drivers will be making a trip to the London event, but the 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay will be on hand to represent the United States.

Friday night sees the drivers pair up into national and regional teams for the ‘RoC Nations Cup’, while Saturday is reserved for an individual competition to decide the ‘Champion of Champions’ – a title won in previous years by Coulthard, Grosjean and Volkswagen WRC ace Sebastien Ogier.

The event also features stunt shows and music between the races to keep the fans entertained. Tickets are available online and cost from £27 per person for each day.

Stephen Errity

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