Reigning champion Grosjean and Kristensen to ROC again
Grosjean made his Formula 1 debut in 2009 and has already secured nine podiums in motor sport's highest echelon. But one of his finest hours came on a hot evening in Bangkok in 2012 when he took the ROC Champion of Champions crown. En route to his stunning victory over Kristensen, the Frenchman also defeated multiple F1 world champions Sebastian Vettel (quarter-final) and Michael Schumacher (semi-final).
Denmark's Kristensen is acknowledged as the finest endurance racer in motor sport history. He has a record nine wins at the Le Mans 24-Hours in addition to his record six wins at the Sebring 12-Hour race, an American Le Mans Series title and his first FIA World Endurance Championship title last year. Kristensen has also appeared at every Race Of Champions since 2001 – yet another record – and has reached the last two individual Grand Finals.
Now Grosjean and Kristensen will bid for yet more glory at ROC 2014 in Barbados, with the rest of the field due to be announced in the run-up to the event. Drivers will pair up for the ROC Nations Cup on December 13 ahead of the individual Race Of Champions the next day.
Grosjean said: "I'm very happy to be back at the Race Of Champions once more! It's such a pleasant event where all the drivers race at 100 percent but we can also have a lot of fun off the track. Coming back this year is even more special to me as I won the ‘Champion of Champions' title at the last race. I'm looking forward to racing in Barbados as I know they are huge fans of motor sport. This year we will also do all we can to win the ROC Nations Cup as it's always special to race for your country."
Kristensen added: "I keep coming back to the Race Of Champions because it is such a special event and a unique chance to race such a wide range of drivers from all the different types of motor sport. We enjoy ourselves off the track but give everything on it – and it seems I'm getting closer to winning every year. No doubt we'll all enjoy the warmth of Barbados so I'll look forward to putting on a good show for all the race fans from the Caribbean and elsewhere. Who knows, maybe this will be my year…"
ROC organizer Fredrik Johnsson said: "We're delighted to begin our line-up for ROC 2014 with our top two from the last Race Of Champions. Romain showed his ability in Bangkok by beating Sebastian, Michael and Tom – three of the world's greatest ever drivers – in quick succession to become Champion of Champions.
"Of course Tom has an unmatched roll of honor in endurance racing and Le Mans but he is always a mean competitor at ROC too, as proved by his determined runs to the last two Grand Finals. No doubt both Romain and Tom will be giving everything to repeat their success so the rest of the field had better watch out. Now we hope to see a big crowd in Barbados savoring the chance to watch these greats in action."
The Race Of Champions, which has been held for over 25 years, brings together the world's greatest drivers from motor sport's major disciplines – including Formula 1, World Rally, Le Mans, MotoGP, Nascar, IndyCar, Touring Cars and the X-Games – and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery on a unique tarmac track with two parallel lanes linked by a crossover bridge.