Nine time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen and reigning FIA World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg will join forces once again for this year’s London-based Race of Champions.
The pair won last year’s ROC Nations cup in Barbados after defeating the UK team of Susie Wolff and David Coulthard in the final, and will seek to achieve the same feat at London’s Olympic Stadium this November.
Denmark’s Kristensen is sportscar racing’s most decorated driver, having won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times. His resume also includes seven Sebring 12 Hours victories and first place in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship. Despite retiring from competition at the end of 2014, the 47 year old is continuing to represent his country at the Race of Champions.
“I’ve been coming here for many years and I hope to keep that up into the future,” said Kristensen. “The challenge is to drive against top drivers from a wide range of motor sport series, but what we all love about ROC is that we get to socialise off the track too. ROC is always great fun, and I’m sure it will treat a pensioner very well!”
“It was great to win the ROC Nations Cup with Petter in Barbados last year. There were a lot of tight finishes but in the end we showed those younger drivers we still have what it takes. Now I’ll look forward to putting on a show for the crowds in London and hopefully take my first individual ROC title.”
Solberg, meanwhile, is an icon of Norwegian sport, having clinched the World Rally Championship title in 2003 with Subaru. The 40 year old has since made a successful switch to rallycross, winning the inaugural World Championship in 2014. He currently leads this year’s standings having finished on the podium in each of the first five rounds.
“Of course there is a fun side to the Race Of Champions but that’s not why we all come,” he said. “When I do anything I always want to give 110 percent. So we come to race, push to the max and show the rest who’s boss. But at ROC you don’t get much time to think and you have to get straight on the pace so it’s not easy.”
The 2015 Race of Champions will take place at London’s Olympic Stadium in the Queen Elizabeth II Park on the weekend of November 20-21.
