As each year, motorsport season ends with the Race of Champions. This year, the race is scheduled lately, and the race will be at january. In fact, it Will be done this weekend. So, from Formula Rapida we want to present all the drivers that Will compete this prestigious race that in 2018 it’s host at Arabia Saudí
Juan Pablo Montoya
One of those drivers that don’t need to be introduced. The colombian driver has a huge career behind the Wheel. Winner twice of the 500 miles of Indianapolis, former F1 driver, F3000 champion in 1998, and Cart winner in 1999. Recently, in 2015, he was vicechampions of IndyCar before Scott Dixon beat him on the last race at Sonoma. In F1, despite he didn’t win the World Championship, he was third in 2002 and 2003 with BMW Williams. He has been always a carismatic drive rand, for sure, this year he Will bring a great show for the fans at ROC.
Helio Castroneves
Montoya’s teammate at Penske when they were both at IndyCar. The brasilian has been always linked with United States motorsport. With just one appeareance in Europe, it was in 1995 when he took part of british F3. All the other participations where at american continent, taking part at promotion categories at his homeland, Brazil, or at american IndyCar. He never has won a single Championship despite his truly talent, but his up and downs destroyed all his options to win a Championship.
Timo Bernhard
Bernhard it’s a clear exemple of what is a resistance winning driver. Probably he Will be reminded by his achivements at the World Endurance Championship, winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2017, and winning 2017 and 2015 championships, sharing the Porsche 919 Hybrid with Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley. The 919 Hybrid who brough lots of positives tto the emblemàtic brand of Stuttgard. He took part also on other championships like the 24 hours of Daytona, the 24 hours of Nürburgring or the American Le Mans Series. It seems that the german wants to repeat the experience of the ROC after making his debut.
René Rast
This 31 year old german driver made his DTM debut with 30 years with Audi, after having a winning career, first of all at karting, and then with GT cars, specially at the Porsche Supercup Championship. We want to remark that on his first DTM season, Rast won the Championship. The driver from Minden repeat his experience at ROC after his debut, like Bernhard, to fight hard and trying to be at the podium.
Tom Kristensen
Another great driver from resistance. And also from ROC. His career has lots of wins, specially as Audi driver. 9 times 24 hours of Le Mans winner, being the last time on 2013, where alongside with Audi he won the Championship at the end of the season. At ROC he took part 14 times, winning the Nations Cup twice. This year will be back to try to win the individual competition.
Petter Solberg
Solberg had his best times with Subaru compiting in rallies, where the norwegian feels better. He won the World Rally Championship in 2003. Aftr his times in rallies, Solberg changed to the circuits competitions, but also like rallies, so he compete in World Rallycross, where he was crowned champion in 2014 and 2015. This year is the sixth participation in ROC where he has won Nations Cup once.
Josef Newgarden
This 27 years old driver, won IndyLights Championship at 2011 and recently, he was crowned IndyCar champion, so his new target will be winning the prestigious 500 miles of Indianapolis. In 2018 we will see him again at Penske and he has never discarted to join F1 in a future. Newgarden enjoyed his ROC debut so, this year we will see him again after his succesfull year at IndyCar.
Ryan Hunter-Reay
The last of IndyCar drivers. This 37 years old driver enjoy ROC’s race and is because of that that he will repeat, being this one his sixth participation. In 2012 he as crowned IndyCar champion with Andretti and in 2014 he finally won the 500 miles of Indianapolis. His talent and expirience well be gai nat ROC show.
David Coulthard
One of the big drivers at ROC show. With Tom Kristensen, the two drivers with more participations. His best year is motorsport where linked with F1, where he was McLaren driver doing pair with Mikka Hakkinen and with Kimi Räikkönen. After his McLaren years, he hired for Red Bull, brand which he is linked already. Despite he never won the F1 World Championship, he has a huge reputation at the paddock. 1991 has been his best year, winning the prestigious Macau GP of F3 and the F3 Masters.
Lando Norris
One of the best emergint talents from United Kingdom and of course, the main star of McLaren program. This british driver of only 18 years old will compete with drivers lie Coulthard, Kristensen os Newgarden in ROC, and that says only good things about him. Hee is a real winner and he have won the british F4, the Toyota Racing Series, Formula Renault 2.0 boht Eurocup and NEC and this year European F3. He has been also second on last year F3 Macau GP. So, this guy comes with really good references.
Johan Kristoffersson
The second rally driver of this year race. The 29 years old swedish has been vicechampion of World Rallycross in 2015. On seond term we have to say his succesfull years at Porsche Carrera Cup at Scandinavia. Once again, like other drivers, Kristoffersson wants to repeat ROC experience.
Joel Eriksson
Another 18 years old drive rand main rival of Lando Norris in this year European F3 championship, being second behind the british. On this year ROC they will meet and race again. Taloking about his career, his most remarkable hit was the 2016 win at F3 Masters.
Memo Rojas
Mexican driver linked with Red Bull we will come bac kat ROC show. This year he will do it as European Le Mans campions with G-Drive, after beating United Autosports team. Rojas drives also for G-Drive at WEC on LMP2 category. By the way, where he have spend his main efforts trough his career is at IMSA, also known eraly as United Sports Cars Championship.
Abraham Calderón
One of the les known drivers from this year ROC. This 29 years old mexican has contest with trucks an also this year at mexican NASCAR where he raced with Toyota and won the Championship after winning 5 races out of 12 and having another podium finish so, he was at the podium in the half of the podiums.
Khalid Al Qassimi
Probably the best of the local drivers. Al Qassimi it’s Citroen driver from the World Rally Championship despite he hasn’t been succesfull there. He will try to do a better jo bat ROC show.
Khaled Al Qubaisi
He go back to cricuit drivers. A new exemple of a resistence driver. This guy from Arabian Emirates won the 24 hours of Dubai in 2012 and 2013 i since that moment he focused his World Endurance Championship participation on GT amateur class where he was vice campions in 2016.
Yazeed Al-Rajhi
The only one driver from Arabia Saudi, but not because of that less important, because he is a regular driver since 2008 of World Rally Championship and he has also won WRC2 in 2012. On addition, he is the owner of fast food empire called Jan Burguers. Probably, we are speaking of the incoming mister McDonald’s on Arabian lands, at least from Arabia Saudi.
Karl Massaad
19 years old driver from Lebano who has raced in british F4 this yearreachend two podium finish in 30 races, finishing the championship on top10. It would be interesting to see if this driver could reach Norris or Eriksson level on ROC show.
Rudy van Buren
First Nederland driver and a diferent kind of career comparing to the rest of drivers. He is the winner of the contest that McLaren did so he became their eSports star. This will be his very first real experience on the motorsport world and would be really interesting what this 25 years old guy can do on the track.
