The Race of Champions will return to racing in stadiums in 2025 whereas making its debut in Oceania. On Wednesday, race organisers introduced the 2025 version can be held at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia.
Also referred to as Stadium Australia or Olympic Stadium, Accor Stadium was in-built 1999 for the 2000 Summer season Olympics. Since then, the venue has been used for a wide range of sporting occasions with major give attention to rugby, cricket, and each Australian and affiliation soccer. It’s at the moment the house stadium for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs of the Nationwide Rugby League, the New South Wales Waratahs of Tremendous Rugby, and GWS Giants within the Australian Soccer League, whereas the Australian nationwide groups in these sports activities additionally sometimes play there.
Accor Stadium isn’t any stranger to racing both. In 2002, it hosted the inaugural Speedway Grand Prix of Australia, although it was dropped after only one version; Marvel Stadium in Melbourne can be the brand new observe location when the race was revived in 2013. That very same 12 months, Monster Jam held its maiden Australian occasion in Sydney.
Different occasions embody concert events and even the occasional American soccer sport.
“We’re extremely excited to deliver the Race of Champions to Australia for the primary time ever,” stated ROC president Fredrik Johnsson. “ROC has at all times been about pushing drivers to their limits in distinctive circumstances. Australia has a wealthy motorsport heritage, and we’re wanting ahead to celebrating that by pitting among the greatest Australian drivers towards among the world’s most legendary racing stars in a spectacular showdown in the midst of Accor Stadium.”
ROC had utilised a stadium format from 2004 to 2019, competing at Stade de France (2004–2006), Wembley Stadium (2007–2008), Beijing Nationwide Stadium (2009), Merkur Spiel-Enviornment (2010–2011), Rajamangala Stadium (2012), London Olympic Stadium (2015), Marlins Park (2017), King Fahd Worldwide Stadium (2018), and Foro Sol (2019).
After a two-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19, the occasion returned in 2022 at Pite Havsbad in Sweden, the place races occurred on programs product of snow and ice. In September 2023, ROC introduced the top of the Pite Havsbad experiment after two years as a result of disagreements on the land utilization.
Seven-time Supercars Champion Jamie Whincup is the primary driver to verify his entry on the 2025 ROC grid, doing so in tandem with the Sydney announcement. He beforehand represented Australia in 2012 and 2014 alongside Grand Prix motorbike legend Mick Doohan. After being eradicated within the group stage in his début, Whincup reached the semifinals of the person event in 2014 the place he was knocked out by eventual winner David Coulthard. Crew Australia completed second of their group on the 2012 Nations Cup earlier than falling within the semifinals to perennial powerhouse Germany, whereas they completed on the backside of their pool in 2014.
“I had a good time competing on the Race of Champions World Finals in Bangkok and Barbados,” Whincup commented. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the ROC driver lineup once more in 2025, particularly with the occasion being hosted in Sydney. Competing alongside among the greatest drivers on the planet from so many various racing collection is at all times an unbelievable problem and representing Australian motorsport on dwelling soil now that ROC involves Australia for the primary time makes it much more particular. I can’t wait to get on the market and provides it the whole lot for the Aussie followers.”
The 2025 Race of Champions will happen on 7/8 March. Norway is the twice defending Nations Cup victor whereas Mattias Ekström is the newest Champion of Champions.
