Motorsport goes electric in Race of Champions build-up
Electric power replaced the roar of an engine at the practice sessions for The Race of Champions in Düsseldorf, when the stars of world motorsport got behind the wheel of the ground-breaking Tesla Roadster.
Ever the pioneer of innovative concepts in motorsport, The Race of Champions took a step into a green future with several demonstration runs featuring the electric-powered cars on the unique parallel track at the ESPRIT arena.
The drivers due to compete in today's ROC Nations Cup and Sunday's Race of Champions took turns behind the wheel – including Formula 1 world champions Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost.
The Tesla Roadster is the world's only zero-emission supercar – the only car that embodies the once-conflicting ideals of performance and efficiency. The Roadster accelerates from 0- 100 km/h in under four seconds and has an electronically limited top-line speed of 201 km/h , yet it can be fully or partially recharged by renewable energy, including solar or wind power.
Based in California 's Silicon Valley , Tesla Motors has won critical acclaim from some of the world's most renowned motoring enthusiasts. Since 2008 Tesla has delivered nearly 1,400 Roadsters to customers in at least 30 countries, including professional drivers who have raced their Roadsters on some of the world's toughest circuits. But The Race of Champions marks Tesla's biggest and most important entry into the world of motorsport.
The Race of Champions has been staged every year since 1988, founded by IMP President Fredrik Johnsson and Michèle Mouton, the world's most successful female rally driver. The competition pits the greats of motorsport head-to-head on a parallel track in identical machinery.
Johnsson said: “I'm lucky to have had a ride in the Tesla Roadster and I was really impressed. It's silent but blindingly quick! I'm proud that The Race of Champions is leading the way in promoting green technologies in motorsport and it was fantastic to see – but not hear – such great drivers pushing the Tesla hard around this track."
TICKET ALERT: A new batch of late-availability tickets for The Race of Champions has been released and is available from www.raceofchampions.com with prices starting at 29 Euros. Sign up for all the latest updates at www.raceofchampions.com , @raceofchampions on Twitter, or Race Of Champions on Facebook.
You can also see pay-per-view live streaming priced €4.99 for the whole weekend at www.raceofchampions.com and www.freecaster.tv . Commentary will be in English by John Hindhaugh and Martin Haven.
Full list of drivers for the 2010 Race of Champions:
Sebastian VETTEL, 2010 Formula 1 World Champion
Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
Alain PROST, four-time Formula 1 World Champion
Sébastien LOEB, seven-time World Rally Champion
Mick DOOHAN, five-time World 500cc Motorcycling Champion
Tanner FOUST, 2010 X-Games rally and rallycross gold medallist
Heikki KOVALAINEN, Formula 1 grand prix winner
Tom KRISTENSEN, eight-time Le Mans 24-Hour race winner
Andy PRIAULX, three-time World Touring Car Champion
Jason PLATO, two-time British Touring Car Champion
Alvaro PARENTE, GP2 race winner and winner ROC South Europe 2010
Filipe ALBUQUERQUE, A1GP race winner and winner ROC South Europe 2010
Jeroen BLEEKEMOLEN, two-time Porsche Supercup Champion
Bertrand BAGUETTE, 2009 World Series by Renault Champion
Carl EDWARDS, 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion
Travis PASTRANA, 11-time X-Games gold medallist