2011 DTM champion Martin Tomczyk joins ROC line-up
Newly-crowned DTM champion Martin Tomczyk will compete at the 2011 Race Of Champions in Düsseldorf.
Tomczyk, who sealed this year's DTM title with a race to spare, will appear at the individual Race Of Champions on December 4. The German joins a field that already features three F1 world champions for ROC
2011, to be held at Düsseldorf's ESPRIT arena.
Newly-crowned DTM champion Martin Tomczyk will make his Race Of Champions debut at this year's event in Düsseldorf.
Tomczyk dominated the German touring car series in 2011, sealing the title ahead of this weekend's finale at Hockenheim. The German driver has finished in the points in each of the nine races so far, taking three wins and four
other podiums - a feat all the more impressive as he is the first driver to take the championship in year-old machinery.
Tomczyk becomes the third touring car driver to be confirmed so far for ROC 2011, alongside fellow DTM racer and ROC specialist Mattias Ekström and triple WTCC champion Andy Priaulx. Due to a clash of commitments, Tomczyk
will not take part in the ROC Nations Cup on December 3, instead appearing only at the individual Race Of Champions on December 4.
"Only the world's best racing drivers are invited to contest the Race Of Champions," said Tomczyk. "So the fact that I have qualified to join this illustrious circle as DTM champion makes me rather proud. The permanent switching from one vehicle to another looks like one of the biggest challenges at the Race Of Champions. I'm really curious to find out how it will feel to race rally cars, open buggies and anything else that has got four wheels and is fun to drive."
"My friend and fellow Audi driver Mattias Ekström - who has won the Race Of Champions several times - told me that the ROC in Düsseldorf will be anything but a show event. Yes, the drivers are relaxed and have a lot of fun together. But from the moment when the top stars from Formula 1, World Rally Championship and all the other series put their helmets on the fun is over and we will be fighting for every single centimetre. I will definitely give my very best in the battle for the title ‘Champion of Champions'."
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 the X-Games - 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.
Drivers confirmed so far for ROC 2011 include Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button - who have ten Formula 1 world championships between them. Plenty more big names will be added in the run-up to the event at Düsseldorf in December. For information about tickets (starting from €19) please visit the website www.raceofchampions.com.
Drivers already confirmed for the 2011 Race Of Champions:
Sebastian VETTEL, 2010 and 2011 Formula 1 World Champion
Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
Jenson BUTTON, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion
Andy PRIAULX, three-time World Touring Car Champion
Mattias EKSTROM, DTM star and triple ROC Champion of Champions
Travis PASTRANA, four-time Rally America winner and X-Games legend
Romain GROSJEAN, 2011 GP2 Series Champion
Sébastien OGIER, 2011 World Rally Championship title contender
Martin TOMCZYK, 2011 DTM Champion