Hamilton to Race Hoy at Race of Champions
F1 World Champion to Battle Olympic Cycling Champion
Nov 19, 2008
The new Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton will go head-to-head in a race with countryman Chris Hoy at the annual Race of Champions. The unique contest, being held on December 14th at Wembley Stadium, will see manpower versus horsepower. Hoy, from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a multiple cycling champion who claimed three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Race of Champions History
The Race of Champions has taken place at the end of the motor racing season since 1988. Initially it was only rally drivers who competed but the event now attracts the cream of the world’s racing talent, from categories including Formula 1, touring cars and NASCAR. It has proved to be an enormous hit with fans who are able to witness their heroes pitted against each other in equal machinery.
For many years the Race of Champions was staged in the Canary Islands, but the event has taken place in spectator friendly stadiums recently. Drivers compete two at a time in a variety of machinery, including specially built buggies and rally cars. The last two events have been won by DTM driver Mattias Ekström.
Previous Race of Champions Winners
- Juha Kankunnen (1988, 1991)
- Stig Blomqvist (1989, 1990)
- Andre Aghini (1992)
- Didier Auriol (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999)
- François Delecour (1995)
- Carlos Sainz (1997)
- Colin McRae (1998)
- Tommi Mäkinen (2000)
- Harri Rovanpera (2001)
- Marcus Grönholm (2002)
- Sébastien Loeb (2003, 2005)
- Heikki Kovalainen (2004)
- Mattias Ekström (2006, 2007)
Hoy Excited By Prospect of Racing Formula 1 Star
Chris Hoy has described his excitement about his upcoming battle with fellow sports star Lewis Hamilton. While Hamilton will drive a Mercedes-Benz road car around the tight circuit specially constructed in Wembley stadium, Hoy will have to make do with a bicycle and his own leg power. The Scottish olympic hero had this to say about the unusual race;
"I'm a big motor racing fan anyway, and I've seen the race of Champions on TV so to be there in the flesh is going to be great... I can kick out about two and a half brake horsepower so that's not going to quite match his car..."
2008 Race of Champions
The drivers currently confirmed for the 2008 event are Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Andy Priaulx, Mark Webber, Troy Bayliss, Sébastien Loeb, Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekström, Carl Edwards, Travis Pastrana and David Coulthard. Lewis Hamilton will also be demonstrating his championship winning McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 car.
The 2008 Race of Champions takes place on Sunday, 14th December at Wembley Stadium, London. Gates open at 12 noon and tickets are available from the official website.
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