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The ROC Nations Cup quarter finals

Media information: 16 December 2007

Racing got underway this afternoon for The Race of Champions with The ROC Nations Cup quarter-final featuring all 16 drivers competing as national pairs.

Team Finland, Autosport England, Norway and Germany all went through to the next stage. Team Norway will now fight Team Finland whilst Team Autosport England will face Team Germany in the semi-finals.

Driver reactions from today’s The ROC Nations Cup quarter-finals:

Four-time Champ Car Champion Sébastien Bourdais (Team France)
“It was very slippery in some of the corners. I started on cold tyres, which makes turning into the first inside corner very difficult as it’s very tight. In the tie-break, I had a technical problem two corners in and spun. I think with all the changes I felt comfortable. I’ve done The ROC a few times and I know the buggie so it’s all what-if and maybes. I won’t get much practice for The Race of Champions now, that’s the problem… I’ll try to do my best.”

Five-time Norwegian Rally Champion, Henning Solberg (Team Norway)
“I don’t know how fast to go in this car, I hope Petter can pull it back! It was good fun, I couldn’t hear the crowds though; it was too noisy in the car.”

World Touring Car Championship star Yvan Muller (Team France)
“I was ahead on the first lap with five tenths but Petter got back in the second lap. He’s more used to turbo cars than me!”

2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg (Team Norway)
“It was good but there was oil on the road from this morning and I went completely straight at one point so I lost a bit of time. The second lap was much better. In the tie-break, it was easy as Bourdais hit the wall and had to retire.”

McLaren F1’s Heikki Kovalainen (Team Finland)
“It went ok. The track felt more slippery than yesterday. I took it easy and didn’t make a mistake, which was enough!”

Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (Team Scandinavia)
“I was very cautious in terms of braking as I realised that the brake balance was quite a lot to the front and I had a bit of understeer. Heikki is always strong to beat; you have to beat guys like him to win The ROC. It was close but not enough.”

Double World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm (Team Finland)
“It was a familiar car for me, which was good. I did ok.”

Two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström (Team Scandinavia)
“It was already gone by the last corner when I made a mistake. Marcus was quick, we were good but he was better!”

Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard (Team Scotland)
“I thought I drove well, I was clean but unfortunately I lost!”

Formula One star Jenson Button (Team Autosport England)
“It was really pretty crap my lap, I struggled with understeer. I was giving it a go, it’s a lot of fun but it’s always pretty awesome to race with Coulthard. We both come from a very different race discipline. I still need to improve, I’m not getting the car sideways enough but I still won!”

1995 British Rally Champion Alister McRae (Team Scotland)
“I struggled to get it in second gear, when it went in I just left it in. It would have been nice to get through to the next round; we’ll have to see how The Race of Champions goes.”

Triple and reigning World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx (Team Autosport England)
“I’m always good in that car; it’s not nice knocking out Scotland but that’s competition.”

Two-time and reigning NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson (Team USA)
“It was fun, just a great experience to be over here. I’d never driven the Abarth before. If we stay in I’m sure we can show what were made of!”

Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher (Team Germany)
“I thought it was a pretty terrible run to me in the first run, but it was enough!”

Eight-time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana (Team USA)
“I was ahead but by very little and I had a lot of skid in the last corner. I thought I’d lost the whole thing! In the tie-break against Michael, the penalty didn’t matter. I was too far behind anyway. I can’t believe we’re out in the first round!”

Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel (Team Germany)
“I was very close after the first lap, so I really tried hard in the second one but he was too fast.”