David Coulthard to compete against no less than three other former or current F1 drivers including Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
The 33rd edition of The Race Of Champions will include superstars from F1, World Rallying, Supercars, Rallycross, NASCAR, Extreme E and Dakar.
Accor Stadium to be turned into a spectacular side-by-side 1km asphalt race track when this unique event is hosted for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tickets from $49 on sale now through Ticketek.
The 30-day countdown for the 2025 Race Of Champions at Sydney's Accor Stadium, March 7-8 has been launched with the confirmation of Formula 1 legend David Coulthard as part of the star-studded field.
Coulthard will compete against no less than three other former or current F1 drivers including Valterri Bottas, Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel as well as a host of other motorsport superstars from a variety of disciplines.
They will all go head to head on a spectacular side-by-side 1km asphalt track which will be hand crafted by a team of local and international engineers to ensure maximum speed and entertainment for the anticipated 50,000-strong crowd.
The Scotsman won no less than 13 F1 races from 1994 to 2008 and was runner-up in the World Driver’s Championship for West McLaren Mercedes in 2001.
Coulthard is one of the highest-profile drivers from Formula 1’s modern era due to his on-track success and his role as one of the sport’s leading commentators.
Coulthard will arrive in Australia for the first Race Of Champions to be held in the Southern Hemisphere well credentialled.
David Coulthard runner up at ROC Wembley 2008 with ROC winner Sébastien Loeb
In the 2014 ROC Barbados Coulthard defeated Jamie Whincup in the Semi-final and in the Final got the better of German Pascal Wehrlein, who had beaten Esteban Ocon in the other Semi-final. Four years later Coulthard again etched his name on the impressive ROC trophy when he beat Norway’s Petter Solberg in the final of ROC Riyadh at the King Fahad Stadium in Saudi Arabia (2018).
Coulthard was also runner-up to nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb at Wembley Stadium in 2008 and was semi-finalist in London in 2015 and Bangkok in 2012.
Coulthard has had no shortage of success on Australian shores having won the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in 1997 and again in 2003 for West McLaren Mercedes.
Ironically, the 2003 AGP victory would be his last in an F1 car.
DC, as he is affectionately known throughout the industry, was born and raised in Scotland and began karting at the age of 11 before stepping up to win the British Formula Ford Championship in 1989 as well as finishing third in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.
He finished second in the 1991 British Formula 3 Championship and won the Macau Grand Prix and Masters of Formula 3 before finishing third in the International Formula 3000 championship and beginning his F1 journey as a test driver for Williams in 1993.
He made his F1 debut for Williams in 1994 and the following year won his first grand prix in Portugal before moving to McLaren in 1996 where he spent nine seasons - finishing third in 1997,98 and 2000 and before his best result of second in 2001.
He spent four seasons at Red Bull Racing from 2005-2008 before becoming the team’s test driver in 2009 and then retiring.
David Coulthard and Lando Norris representing Great Britain for ROC Nations Cup Riyadh 2018
What David Coulthard said:
“Race Of Champions reminds all of us who have been lucky enough to take part in the event why we first started racing,” said Coulthard.
“It’s pure competition on track and an amazing camaraderie outside the cars.
“The competition is as tough as it gets and everyone wants to win, but once we finish racing the atmosphere is amazing between all us drivers from different series and generations.
“Even since I retired from full-time racing, I still do a fair bit of driving, notably showcasing the Red Bull F1 Car around the world.
“The snow and ice in Sweden wasn’t my favorite surface, but I’ve always been fast on the ROC asphalt tracks, so I’m aiming for my third ROC Champion of Champions title in Sydney.”
What Fredrik Johnsson, Race Of Champions President and Co-Founder, said:
“‘DC’ (David Coulthard) has been a part of the Race Of Champions family for many years and it is fantastic to have him back for our first event in the Southern Hemisphere in Sydney,” said Johnsson.
“‘DC’ knows how to win and has had plenty of success in ROC and in Australia with two grand prix wins at Albert Park in Melbourne. ‘DC’ won our most recent Race Of Champions on a pure Stadium track at the King Fahad Stadium in Riyadh in 2018, and will be a tough opponent to beat for anyone in Sydney.
“David’s personality and ability has seen him develop an incredible fan base all over the world and we could not be happier that his Australian and Kiwi fans will get to see him back in action Down Under.
“The entire field, especially some of the younger guys, are about to find out what Scottish tenacity is all about. I could not think of a more appropriate driver to help us launch our 30-day countdown to our Sydney event at Accor Stadium.”
David Coulthard and Sébastien Loeb going head to head at ROC Wembley 2008 in the KTM Xbow
ROC SYDNEY 2025
The ROC Nations Cup takes place on Friday March 7, with drivers paired in teams based on nationality to bid for the title of ‘World’s Fastest Nation’.
The Saturday night (March 8) will see the individual Race Of Champions, when all teamwork goes out of the window and it will be a battle for individual glory and the ‘Champion of Champions’ title.
ROC is renowned for gathering some of the best drivers in the world, including superstars from Formula 1, Le Mans, Nascar, Supercars, World Rally and Rallycross.
Drivers confirmed for the 2025 ROC Sydney:
4-time Formula 1 World Champion - Sebastian Vettel
10-time Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - Valtteri Bottas
9-time FIA World Rally Champion - Sébastien Loeb
7-time Supercars Champion - Jamie Whincup
Reigning Supercars champion - Will Brown
13-time Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner - David Coulthard
Extreme E champion - Molly Taylor
11-time X-Games Gold medalist - Travis Pastrana
7-time FIA World Rallycross Champion - Johan Kristoffersson
Former F1 driver and current WEC driver - Mick Schumacher
2-time European Rally Champion - Hayden Paddon
Father and son rally champions Petter and Oliver Solberg
2-time Dakar winner - Toby Price
NASCAR champion - Kurt Busch
Four-time ROC Champion - Mattias Ekström
Young Kiwi Formula star - Louis Sharp
Hospitality and Track side packages and General Admission Tickets starting from $49.00 for children and $69.00 for adults. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday 7th March - ROC Nations Cup – to crown the world's fastest NationAccor Stadium, Sydney
Doors Open 5:30pm
Show Starts 6:30pm*
Race Starts 7:30pm
Saturday 8th March – Race Of Champions – to crown the "Champion of Champions"Accor Stadium, Sydney
Doors open 5:30pm
Show Starts 6:30pm*
Race Starts 7.30pm