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ROC at Wembley

DTM stars attack at Wembley!

Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen at last year's event
Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen at last year's event

Media information: 17 July 2007

The Race of Champions has secured two further big racing stars for the unique event that will see Wembley Stadium transformed into a tarmac race track this December.

Seven-times Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen and former DTM Champion Mattias Ekström have announced their participation in the exciting event, which sees champions from all categories go head-to-head to find out who is the fastest.

The pair will join a prestigious line-up, including Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and David Coulthard, but are more than equipped for the challenge.

Kristensen’s record at Le Mans is unsurpassed. Seven wins in ten years is a stunning achievement for the 40-year-old who now competes in the DTM series for Audi. The Dane recovered from a head injury sustained in the opening round of the DTM at Hockenheim in April to compete at the Le Mans 24 hours for Audi in June, and led the race by three laps before a mechanical problem caused his car to crash out.

Ekström, who took the overall lead of the DTM Championship after finishing 2nd to Mika Hakkinen in the latest round in Mugello, is the reigning Race of Champions Champion having defeated three-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb in the final at the Stade de France in Paris last December.

“I am delighted to be racing alongside my fellow DTM colleague Tom again in the Race of Champions,” said Ekström. “The Race of Champions is a fantastic event, and my victory at Stade de France last year was a great moment in my racing career just like winning the DTM Championship. I am really looking forward to defend my title at Wembley Stadium which looks like an amazing new arena!”

Kristensen added: “Mattias and I won the Nations Cup in 2005 but I lost out in the individual final against Sebastien Loeb that year. The Race of Champions is great fun for everyone; drivers included; but we do take it seriously too. It’s an amazing show with spectators so close to the action. To win in front of them all is very special but I know I’ll enjoy being there on the day just as much!”

Fredrik Johnsson, President of International Media Productions and creator of the Race of Champions, said: “Tom and Mattias have proven to be a formidable line up in the past few years, and it is a pleasure to welcome back these two fantastic sportsmen. We are expecting this to be another hard fought competition.”

Tickets are available for purchase through www.raceofchampions.com

Editors’ Notes

Copyright-free hi-res photos are available to download at www.raceofchampions.com or by calling Andy Bothwell or Paul Rayner at Performance PR on +44 (0)208 5413434. Alternatively you can E-mail andyb@performancepr.com or paul@performancepr.com.

The Race of Champions was started in 1988 by Fredrik Johnsson and Michèle Mouton, the world’s most successful female rally driver.

The Race Of Champions event on December 14 will be made up of two separate competitions – The ROC Nations Cup and The Race of Champions.

Each competition pits drivers against each other in a head-to-head knockout format, with equal equipment ensuring races are won and lost on talent alone.

The ROC Nations Cup features drivers paired into teams based on their nationality. The teams then fight head-to-head against each other in knockout competition. Last year Team Germany (Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel) beat Team Finland (Marcus Grönholm and Heikki Kovalainen) in the final.

The Race Of Champions is a straightforward knockout competition, where 16 drivers go head-to-head until the champion is decided. In last year’s Final, Mattias Ekström beat Michael Schumacher in the third race of a best-of-three battle.

Already confirmed for The Race of Champions 2008 are:

  • Seven-times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher (Team Germany)
  • Triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (Team Autosport Great Britain)
  • Honda Racing F1 Team race winner Jenson Button (Team Autosport Great Britain)
  • Toro Rosso F1 racer Sebastian Vettel (Team Germany)

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