Germany has been a perennial favorite on the Race of Champions for a lot of the race’s historical past. Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher look to maintain that run going after they be part of forces once more for the 2025 version.
The Germans are probably the most profitable nation on the Nations Cup with eight titles (for comparability, the one different multi-time winners have simply two), together with a six-year win streak from 2007 to 2012 courtesy of Vettel and Schumacher’s father Michael. Vettel then added the eighth victory alongside Pascal Wehrlein in 2017, two years after successful the person match in 2015.
Schumacher first appeared at ROC in 2019 as Vettel’s team-mate and has labored alongside his mentor since. Their first Nations Cup collectively ended with them shedding within the closing to Staff Nordic. After ROC returned in 2022 on the snowy banks of Sweden after a three-year hiatus, Vettel and Schumacher completed runner-up in the primary ROC in again to again years regardless of neither having off-road expertise.
On the 2022 Nations Cup, the 2 fell to Staff USA. A 12 months later, they have been eradicated by Felipe Drugovich and Thierry Neuville of the All Stars, an unexpectedly early exit.
After shedding his System One seat, Schumacher at the moment races within the FIA World Endurance Championship for Alpine. He additionally works as a reserve driver for Mercedes.
“Australia is one among my favorite locations and representing Germany along with Sebastian at ROC Sydney will for positive be large enjoyable,” mentioned Schumacher. “After ending second within the particular person ROC in Sweden in 2023 and within the ROC Nations Cup in ROC Mexico with Seb, the aim this time must be the general winners trophy each within the ROC Nations Cup on Friday evening and within the particular person Race Of Champions on Saturday.
“I very a lot stay up for assembly all the opposite drivers and spending time with them through the Race of Champions weekend in Sydney. I’m positive the drivers can have a loopy good time collectively and placed on a brilliant present for the Australian followers.”
Though Vettel retired from F1 in 2022 to conclude an illustrious sixteen-year profession, he has remained considerably concerned in racing as the top of Germany’s SailGP staff and supporting inexperienced vitality motorsport. In March, he check drove Porsche’s 963 Hypercar however shut down hypothesis on if he would run that 12 months’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As such, the one auto racing Vettel has accomplished since retirement is in ROC (he competes in biking every now and then). Travis Pastrana, who has competed towards Vettel at ROC, prolonged an invitation to race in what’s now Nitrocross that he in the end didn’t take up.
“I’m delighted to be coming again to the Race of Champions and teaming up with Mick once more,” Vettel commented. “It is going to be thrilling to race within the former Olympic Stadium in Sydney that appears like it will likely be an important venue for the Race of Champions. Sydney is without doubt one of the most stunning cities on the planet and I feel Fredrik (Johnsson) and his staff have chosen an unimaginable venue for the subsequent chapter of ROC.
“I’m additionally supportive of ROC’s efforts taking steps in direction of turning into a sustainable motorsport occasion, which began at ROC Sweden.
“All of the drivers who’ve the honour to take part in ROC fall in love with the occasion, as a result of it reminds us about why we first began racing; pure competitors and naturally with the similar vehicles there aren’t any excuses.
“I’ll do all the things I can to assist Germany win one other ROC Nations Cup title with Mick on the Friday night, however I can’t be doing him any favours once we are going for the outright win on the Saturday evening, particularly as he beat me within the semi-finals of the person ROC in Sweden in 2023.
“At ROC, the racing is all the time intense on the monitor and everybody desires to win, nevertheless it’s additionally about placing on an important present for the followers.”
The 2025 Race of Champions will likely be held at Accor Stadium on 7/8 March. The Germans are the second staff to substantiate their entry after Jamie Whincup locked in his seat for the host.
