Filed under: Motorsports
SPOILER ALERT: 2007 Race of Champions results
click on any image to view high-res gallery
The premise of the Race of Champions is simple: take the best drivers in the world and have them compete on equal terms. Drivers from Formula 1, DTM, WRC and more go head-to-head in the same cars on the same track with personal and national pride at stake. Drivers face off in a trio of different vehicles per round, with the best-of-three winner moving on to the next round. Recent winners include 2004 DTM champion Mattias Ekström, 2004-2006 WRC champ Sebastien Loeb, and Formula 1 driver Heikki Kovalainen. Results from this year's Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium in England can be found after the jump, and plenty of action photos can be viewed in the gallery below.
[Source: Race of Champions]
Gallery: 2007 Race of Champions
When it came to the last men standing for the final round, it was reigning ROC champion Mattias Ekström against the retired 5-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher. Ekström had conquered Tom Kristensen, Travis Pastrana, and current World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx, while Schumacher had outpaced Rally driver Henning Solberg, fellow F1 driver Jenson Button, and three-time Champ Car winner Sébastien Bourdais. Ekström and Schumacher split the first two races in the final round, but it was Ekström who eventually took the win as Schumacher fell behind and spun on the last turn while pushing to catch up. As a consolation, Schumacher, along with fellow countryman Sebastian Vettel, claimed the ROC Nations Cup for Germany. You can view a video of the final round, as well as other ROC videos at the Race of Champions web site.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jason 11:08AM (12/17/2007)
That amazes me that Schumacher can still keep pace with current rally drivers that are actively racing, and do so in a rally type car.
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:37PM (12/17/2007)
It's true! Right now on Speed there's nearly as much road racing as there is Chop, Cut and Rebuild, Pinks! or Barret-Jackson auctions (okay, I exaggerate, there's still far more auctions).
The ROC is an invite-only demonstration really, it's an event produced to be sold in all markets worldwide. It's really "World's Strongest Man" on wheels, in that they select sites which will share in the production costs for publicity and such. Depending on how much Speed wants to spend, it'll be here sooner or later. It is produced in HD for at least 3 years running now, so I really hope Speed waits until after Daytona (their admitted first point of airing HD content) to air it.
But forget all that. Who is airing Dakar this year? OLN again? I miss Toby Moody.
why not the LS2LS7? 1:37PM (12/17/2007)
wow, errant click. That was supposed to be below.
Carlos 5:15PM (12/17/2007)
Will this air on TV in the US at all????
I remember watching it for the first time on HDNET I think, maybe WorldSports HD? - it was definitely one of the HD channels. Anyway it was so much fun to watch on TV, I really hope this is rebroadcast here in the US.
YourNameHere 11:12AM (12/17/2007)
is this going to be on SpeedTV at all?
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Zane 11:17AM (12/17/2007)
Nope, unless there was a NASCAR driver involved.
why not the LS2LS7? 11:20AM (12/17/2007)
Jimmie Johnson was there, he gets invited every year, since he was on the US team that won it a while back.
Dodge 12:59PM (12/17/2007)
They have every year before, even when it was on dirt.
BTW this is the road racing season on Speed, its actually almost 50/50 road racing vs oval racing....granted thats still sad in itself lol
Phil Perman 11:17AM (12/17/2007)
Slight correction, Schumacher is actually a 7 time F1 champion, not 5
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rndmnme 11:29AM (12/17/2007)
Yup. They probably got confused with the 5 consecutive wins. Schumy still out paces the current grid of F1 drivers. The man's amazing.
why not the LS2LS7? 11:22AM (12/17/2007)
If anyone remembers Travis Pastrana's previous match where he went to the finals against Grunholm, they'll be interested to find out he went up against Grunholm again this year and beat him this time!
It's interesting to see this event get so much press now.
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MCS05 11:27AM (12/17/2007)
i just thought of a use for the Pontiac Silverdome!
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markw 2:32PM (12/17/2007)
that might be the first idea for the damn place that might actually work! either that or tear the whole thing down and just leave the massive parking lot!
Mikeyb 12:39PM (12/17/2007)
Excellent show watched it live on Sky Sport. Was interesting how Schummy tried to get one over on Ekstrom by wanting to change cars but its didnt work lol
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:32PM (12/17/2007)
Car selection is critical. Since this is really an exhibition, not much of a competition. In a previous year, M. Schu lost because the car he was in had a busted gearbox. The drivers all drive the same cars, in order, and if one breaks a car, the later drivers just suffer, they necessarily fix it.
Travis Pastrana lost his chance to win the overall (despite not having any car racing experience at the time) because he had to race against Marcus Grunholm in rally cars. Travis went out with a bang and caught the rally bug, starting driving in Rally America (at the time it was SCCA Pro Rally) for Ken Block soon after.
EMC 4:25PM (12/17/2007)
The pictures are covering the text! :(
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Michael 5:01PM (12/17/2007)
By 5 time world champion, you mean 7 right?
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donovan 5:06PM (12/17/2007)
So, do you think Schumacher would have won if he'd have been allowed the choice of a taxi?
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Activ8 9:44PM (12/17/2007)
I think Schummi's using steroids... !! They will find out you know !
Mikeyb 3:16AM (12/18/2007)
It is a race thats why its called "Race of Champions".
Yes there are demo laps by various cars but it is a race.
The reason for my comments if you saw the final race was that Schummy was given the same car he had lost the 1st race in and decided to have Ekstroms car thinking his car was better only to be beaten by that car and a better driver
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