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TAG Heuer Official Timekeeper, The Race of Champions 2007, Wembley Stadium, London
On December 16th 2007, TAG Heuer will once again take up one of the most intense timekeeping challenges in the world of sports: The Race of Champions 2007 will be held on a specially designed one-kilometre parallel track in the brand-new, state-of-the-art Wembley Stadium, London.
TAG Heuer became Official Timekeeper of The Race of Champions in 2004. Overseen by 15 of its top engineers, the internationally renowned race is the last of the season and the only one in which drivers from different countries and mechanical-sports’ disciplines compete with one another in a series of heats in identical cars.
Last year, at The Race of Champions in Paris, TAG Heuer set a new world record when it precisely clocked an astonishing 2/10,000ths of a second difference between first-place Mattias Ekström of Sweden and second-place Heikki Kovalainen of Finland in the semi-final of the 19th edition of The Race of Champions.
This astounding level of accuracy – the two drivers were averaging 120 km/h, which means they were separated by only 6.6 centimeters at the finish line -- is unprecedented in the history of sports timekeeping.
TAG Heuer: Master of Precision since 1860
TAG Heuer is actively involved in four of the most important events on the motor racing calendar: the Formula 1 World Championship with Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the Indy Racing League with its legendary Indianapolis 500, Team Peugeot Total involved in Le Mans 24h and LMS, and The Race of Champions.
Official timekeeper for almost 200 Formula 1 races, first with Scuderia Ferrari from 1971 to 1979, Formula 1 FIA World Championship from 1992 to 2003, and since 1985 with Vodafone Team McLaren Mercedes, TAG Heuer boasts undisputed precision-driven expertise. In 1966, the Swiss brand was the first to develop instruments capable of measuring to 1/1,000th of a second. Today, it guarantees precision and optimum reliability to 1/10,000th of a second.
“To be chosen as the official timekeeper for this internationally renowned event for the fourth year in a row is not only an honour for TAG Heuer but also the sort of technical and human challenge which our brand has taken on with passion for more than 147 years, and which has helped forge its unique reputation within the motor racing universe”, declared Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO TAG Heuer.
“Our longstanding partnership with the Indy Racing League and the Indy 500 has provided us with the opportunity to master time to 1/10,000th of a second. Now partners of The Race of Champions since 2004, we provide organizers with the latest technological innovations and our experience in processing results. It’s been a fantastic adventure!” added Jean Campiche, Director of TAG Heuer’s Timing Division.
“When the best drivers in the world race head-to-head in The Race of Champions, most heats are decided by fractions of a second. On the spectacular new racetrack we are building at Wembley Stadium, the margin between victory and defeat will be even closer than usual. It is therefore vital to have the best timekeeping in the world and we are delighted to have TAG Heuer’s experienced team as one of our loyal partners”, said Fredrik Johnsson, President of event organisers IMP and co-founder of The Race of Champions.
With identical cars and track, it’s talent that makes the difference…
The Race of Champions 2007 will bring together 18 drivers, all champions from Formula 1, the World Rally Championship, the American NASCAR Championship, the Indy Racing League, ChampCar and various international championships. They will race individually (The Race of Champions) and in teams of two in their national colours (Nations Cup).
Top billing will include Sébastien Bourdais, Champcar World champion in 2007 for the fourth consecutive year, and a TAG Heuer Brand Ambassador since 2003. ''I am delighted that TAG Heuer has invited me to Wembley”, concluded Sébastien Bourdais, who joins F1’s Scuderia Toro Rosso next season. “This event will be a great opportunity for me to celebrate with TAG Heuer my fourth in a row and last ChampCar Champion title. Last year, we did well with Sébastien Loeb in the Nations Cup, and it would be fantastic to win it in 2007 in order to thank all the fans who support me”.
Also racing will be seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard (ROC lap recordman in 2005), Jenson Button, Marcus Grönholm (double World Rally Champion and The Race Of Champions finalist in 2004), Mattias Ekström (2007 DTM Champion and 2006 ROC winner) and Tom Kristensen (seven-time Le Mans winner).
TAG Heuer, the leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860, is one of the largest and fastest growing luxury Swiss watch brands. The Swiss watchmaking legend draws upon its active engagement in the world of sports to create the most accurate measuring instruments and sports watches in the world. TAG Heuer is today the first watchmaker ever to master luxurious Chronographs with an unsurpassed precision of 1/10th, 1/100th and 1/1,000th of a second. From the Olympic Games in the 1920s to its role as official timekeeper to within 1/10,000th of a second for the legendary Indy 500, TAG Heuer, in a constant quest for innovation, excellence, performance and prestige, continues to aim ever higher, as reflected by its 6 years partnership with 2007 Formula 1 World Champion, Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver Kimi Raïkkönen. Also with its partnerships with Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in Formula 1 and its two aces: Fernando Alonso, youngest ever two time Formula 1 world champion and 2007 F1 runner-up and Lewis Hamilton, best ever F1 rookie. With world number 1 golfer Tiger Woods and WTA star tennis player Maria Sharapova, with Nascar idol Jeff Gordon, Champcar four-time world champion Sébastien Bourdais, promising talent Bruno Senna as well as Hollywood and Bollywood icons Brad Pitt, Uma Thurman and Shah Rukh Khan, TAG Heuer more than ever epitomizes Sport and Glamour.
For more information please contact:
Lara Mingay or Henrietta Pinkham
TAG Heuer
2nd floor
13 Crescent Place
London
SW3 2EA
Telephone number: 0207 808 8232
E-Mail: h.pinkham@lvmhwatchjewellery.co.uk
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)
IMP, Les Caravelles, 25 Boulevard Albert 1er, MC 98000, MONACO
For media enquiries call +44(0)208 5413434 or email andyb@peformancepr.com or paul@performancepr.com
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