2015 Race of Champions

NaBUru38 · 12 Jun 2015, 21:03 (Ref:3548180)

The 2015 Race of Champions will be held on November 20-21 at the London Olympic Stadium.

www.raceofchampions.com

Entry list

It clashes with Macau, WEC, WTCC, Nascar, V8 Supercars and Turismo Carretera.

So possible entries include Formula 1, IndyCar, DTM, rally, rallycross and motorcycling drivers, plus the usual unemployed pay drivers.

NaBUru38 · 22 Jun 2015, 15:08 (Ref:3553057)

Three drivers confirmed: David Coulthard, Petter Solberg and Tom Kristensen.

NaBUru38 · 9 Jul 2015, 14:22 (Ref:3556999)

Vettel is back!

NaBUru38 · 23 Jul 2015, 20:19 (Ref:3560508)

Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Doohan are in. So there's six drivers announced.

NaBUru38 · 21 Aug 2015, 14:14 (Ref:3567496)

Jorge Lorenzo and Nico Hülkenberg are in.

NaBUru38 · 23 Sep 2015, 14:43 (Ref:3576373)

Felipe Massa and Nelsinho Piquet will be there.

NaBUru38 · 5 Oct 2015, 14:36 (Ref:3579737)

Jason Plato and Susie Wolff are in.

NaBUru38 · 21 Oct 2015, 14:24 (Ref:3584593)

Romain Grosjean is in.

NaBUru38 · 7 Nov 2015, 23:29 (Ref:3588900)

Jenson BUtton, Alex Buncome and Ryan Hunter-Reay are in.

NaBUru38 · 18 Nov 2015, 12:37 (Ref:3591253)

The Race of Champions is this weekend.

Friday 20 November

19.00: ROC Celebrity Skills Challenge
20.00: ROC Nations Cup

Saturday 21 November

15.00: Race Of Champions
17.30: ROC Karting

**FIRE** · 18 Nov 2015, 17:56 (Ref:3591306)

Seems you are the only one interested in this.

Down F0rce · 18 Nov 2015, 18:13 (Ref:3591309)

I'm interested as well - flying down tomorrow!

**BertMk2** · 18 Nov 2015, 22:41 (Ref:3591350)

Who do I want to win? Same as ever - anyone but Plato!

Although to be fair he's going to have to be going some to punt someone off at this event!

tbtstt · 19 Nov 2015, 11:53 (Ref:3591468)

Was debating going as I enjoyed the last couple of RoC events in London. Tickets weren't cheap though and I didn't fancy freezing my ass off in a stadium again, so I decided to skip it!

(Having said that, it's been relatively mild this week, so hopefully it won't be too cold for those of you going!)

VIVA GT · 19 Nov 2015, 12:31 (Ref:3591477)

I'm going, but only for the main event on Saturday. This will be my first ROC in London but have seen it previously in Gran Canaria, Paris & Bangkok.
Temperature-wise I think it's going to be similar to Paris (it's getting very cold this weekend apparently) and significantly colder than the other two venues!
Whatever, it should be a spectacular show...

**BertMk2** · 21 Nov 2015, 21:30 (Ref:3592249)

Well Vettel won in the final from Kristensen, there were some close races and it certainly looked slippy out there (and that was before the fluid went down).

I think it was a better venue for it than Wembley (but just as cold

)

NaBUru38 · 22 Nov 2015, 03:19 (Ref:3592301)

I tuned the rerun today on Fox Sports 3 (same channel as F1, Nascar, WEC, WTCC and WRC). I watched two races and turned it off.

There's no way to have interesting car races inside a stadium. Cars are heavy, so they turn very slow.

Unless they go the American way with some dirt sprint cars, these kind of races should be run with karts.

The Paris-Bercy must have been amazing. I've seen some Master de Pilotos in Argentina and they are great races. The Brazilian Desafio das Estrelas must be great too.

geordiecriag101 · 22 Nov 2015, 17:39 (Ref:3592442)

Here's my vid from yesterday's action with all shot from the "cheepie" seats. If they took out the FMX and all the Terry Grant demos, as good as they are don't get me wrong, this would free up time to have held the kart race as Crofty said towards the end that the stadium had to be handed back over to owners by midnight sunday so that could be reason for it not being held.

Also if they are going to keep using short compact layouts, then maybe changing to cars that better suit it would help, sumthing like a WRC machine but in full gravel spec.

Anyhow here my vid, skip to 16:45 to see Pascal Wehrlein's demo with the Merc F1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PtAiIGqPc

fourWheelDrift · 22 Nov 2015, 18:01 (Ref:3592447)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I tuned the rerun today on Fox Sports 3 (same channel as F1, Nascar, WEC, WTCC and WRC). I watched two races and turned it off.

There's no way to have interesting car races inside a stadium. Cars are heavy, so they turn very slow.

Unless they go the American way with some dirt sprint cars, these kind of races should be run with karts.

The Paris-Bercy must have been amazing. I've seen some Master de Pilotos in Argentina and they are great races. The Brazilian Desafio das Estrelas must be great too.

They ran quite a variety of cars, certain cars definitely worked and gave a good show, others were dire. The races with the NASCARs and the mercedes made me cringe they were so unsuitable for the environment but the radicals were good and the ROC buggies just made me want to get into one and have a go, it looked about the most fun thing you could do and they looked totally at home in the stadium.

Chigley · 22 Nov 2015, 23:45 (Ref:3592504)

Looking at that footage you were sat behind were I was marshalling. It had been quiet until the Champ of Champs then someone pulled the pin out of the grenade of chaos.

tbtstt · 23 Nov 2015, 09:22 (Ref:3592614)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

They ran quite a variety of cars, certain cars definitely worked and gave a good show, others were dire. The races with the NASCARs and the mercedes made me cringe they were so unsuitable for the environment but the radicals were good and the ROC buggies just made me want to get into one and have a go, it looked about the most fun thing you could do and they looked totally at home in the stadium.

Yeah, I've seen a couple of clips of the NASCAR in action on Facebook and they look ridiculous on that track. Thankfully the last time I went to RoC they had picked a more appropriate selection of cars: they had a pair of Focus WRC's which sounded great in the stadium.

They used a couple of Marklund Polo rallycross cars at the Barbados RoC last year. Pity they didn't bring them back again for London.

**BertMk2** · 23 Nov 2015, 10:51 (Ref:3592638)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

They ran quite a variety of cars, certain cars definitely worked and gave a good show, others were dire. The races with the NASCARs and the mercedes made me cringe they were so unsuitable for the environment but the radicals were good and the ROC buggies just made me want to get into one and have a go, it looked about the most fun thing you could do and they looked totally at home in the stadium.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Yeah, I've seen a couple of clips of the NASCAR in action on Facebook and they look ridiculous on that track. Thankfully the last time I went to RoC they had picked a more appropriate selection of cars: they had a pair of Focus WRC's which sounded great in the stadium.

They used a couple of Marklund Polo rallycross cars at the Barbados RoC last year. Pity they didn't bring them back again for London.

I'd agree that the selection of cars wasn't the best - the ROC buggies look great fun, the NASCARs sounded great but struggle to turn the corners at Brands so were very much out of place. I thought the X Bow and Radical were too similar and the Mercedes looked to have no grip at all. Something like the RX Lites would have been great - or maybe R5 Rally cars if they don't want full on WRC.

I thought it was interesting that when they were interviewing the drivers everyone seemed to want to avoid Priaulx in the draw as they thought he was the one to beat. I seem to remember he was impressive the last time I went to the ROC (at Wembley).

andrewc · 23 Nov 2015, 10:52 (Ref:3592639)

I managed to win a pair of tickets, so went down on Saturday for the finale. I'm not sure I'd actually want to pay to watch, but it was an amusing way, if a very cold way, to spend an afternoon.

Agree that the Nascar and the Mercedes cars are too big for such a tight circuit, but also think that the Atom, Radical and KTM are similar cars in concept, and they could have some other cars in their place - Bowler wildcat or similar?

Its a bit of a shame that an event born from rallying seems to have little to do with rallying.

DemonDriverDan · 23 Nov 2015, 12:51 (Ref:3592671)

I was there with 2 non-motorsport-loving fans who both thought the Euro-NASCARS were the best because it looked like the drivers really had to wrestle them around.

The Radicals were nice as they had a good sound but I agree that they were too similar to the KTM's and ROC buggies. The AMGs were just a bit ridiculous but as AMG sponsored the event, not particularly surprising.

I was a bit disappointed they didn't have more demos. From what I remember at Wembley they had a DTM and a WRC car doing demos along with the F1 car.

The turnout was pretty good on Saturday though. Hopefully it's enough for them to keep it an extra year in London and fine-tune the event next year

chunder · 24 Nov 2015, 14:07 (Ref:3593000)

I agree with andrew here, rally or rallycross cars would be excellent for this event, lots of noise and anti lag, would be more impressive than a limousine for Gods sake!

I am amazied so many people actually go to events like this considering how dear the tickets were, dearer than just about any UK motorsport event really otehr than premier stuff like Goodwood, F1 and MotoGP.

I guess it is the NEC show thing, and being in London.

Leaves me cold I am afraid.

Now a Supercross event or something, proper stuff, bring it on. But a load of guys driving nonces around a tarmac car park... Cmon, could do better.

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