Andy Priaulx returns to the Race Of Champions
Triple World Touring Car Champion Priaulx switched to endurance racing this year before he spearheads BMW’s arrival in the DTM series in 2012. He has also turned into a Race Of Champions regular with this appearance scheduled to be the sixth year in a row that he has taken part.
Not only has Priaulx reached the individual ROC semi-finals three times but for the last two years he has made the ROC Nations Cup final for Team GB – with newly-crowned F1 world champion Jenson Button at Beijing in 2009 then alongside fellow tin-top racer Jason Plato in 2010. In both finals Team GB was narrowly defeated by Team Germany’s Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. Now Priaulx and Button – who recently moved to Priaulx’s home Channel Island of Guernsey – will be back together and looking for revenge in December.
Priaulx said: “It is always fun to take part in the Race Of Champions and this year is no exception. The atmosphere in the stadium is special and the racing is intense and competitive. After three individual semi-finals it would also be good to make it a step further in December. I really enjoyed fighting Michael and Sebastian on their home turf last year, along with so many other big names. We were just pipped in the ROC Nations Cup final but hopefully Jenson and I can finally do the business this year."
Button, who confirmed last month that he would be competing at ROC 2011 after a year’s absence, added: “I let Andy down by missing last year: he’s a fellow Guernsey boy though he’s obviously a native whereas I’m not. Andy is so quick at the Race Of Champions, hopefully I can help him along to victory as it would be nice to beat the Germans in their backyard. Andy, Sebastian, Michael and myself have all won world championships but of course it’s not just about us four. It’s a real mix of talent and there are great challengers from all round the world."
Race organizer Fredrik Johnsson said: “We’re happy that Andy is coming back to the Race Of Champions. He is always blisteringly quick round the ROC stadium and he is overdue a victory – either in the individual event or alongside Jenson for Team GB, or should that be Team Guernsey…"
The Race Of Champions is an annual end-of-season competition that brings together the world’s greatest drivers from all motor sport’s disciplines – including Formula 1, world rally, touring cars, Le Mans and NASCAR – and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery on a specially constructed parallel track. Drivers pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for Saturday 3 December, before the individual Race Of Champions takes place on Sunday 4 December.
Priaulx is the fifth driver to be confirmed so far for ROC 2011. Plenty more big names will be added in the run-up to the event at Düsseldorf in December. To hear the full interview with Jenson Button or for information about tickets please visit the website www.raceofchampions.com.
Drivers already confirmed for the 2011 Race Of Champions:
Sebastian VETTEL, Reigning Formula 1 World Champion
Michael SCHUMACHER, Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
Mattias EKSTROM, DTM star and triple ROC Champion of Champions
Andy PRIAULX, Three-time World Touring Car Champion
Jenson BUTTON, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion