Accor Stadium, Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, almost ready for ROC spectacular after incredible five-day transformation
“Race Of Champions is the most unique event we have ever hosted at Accor Stadium. It has been truly amazing to see the transformation of our stadium into a world class motor racing circuit - Stephen Saunders, Group General Manager Venues New South Wales
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 massive transformation of Sydney’s Accor Stadium is in its final stages for this week’s Race Of Champions event and will be set for its first “test laps” tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon.
The slick 1km asphalt surface was completed overnight and concrete and tech-pro safety barriers will be installed and then sign-written in the next 24 hours.
In just five days more than 200 staff have worked night and day to create the side-by-side track which will host 20 of the biggest names in motorsport, past present and future.
The inaugural Sydney event will include participation from four-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel; F1 ace Valtteri Bottas; seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup; reigning Supercars champion Will Brown; Extreme champion Molly Taylor; nine-time FIA World Rally Champion, Sébastien Loeb; 11-time X-Games Gold medalist, Travis Pastrana; NASCAR star Kurt Busch, seven-time FIA World Rallycross Champion, Johan Kristoffersson; former FIA F2 champion and F1 driver, Mick Schumacher, two-time European Rally Champion, Kiwi, Hayden Paddon, father and son rally stars Petter and Oliver Solberg and Australian Dakar star Toby Price.
The construction has involved more than 400 semi-trailer movements as more than 4500 tonnes of road base and asphalt have been delivered into place.
The build process has involved many local and national suppliers, ensuring millions of dollars into the economy.
More than 350 concrete blocks have been delivered eight at a time and craned into place with millimetre precision.
The circuit consists of five different layers including a foundation of more than 11000sqm of specially-designed Geofabric.
On top of that is more than 3600 ply floorboards and then 100mm or 4000 tonne of gravel road base which was shaped into the track configuration which includes a spectacular 43m cross-over bridge.
Once the layout was finalised, a heavy base of asphalt was applied before a final small-pebble asphalt which gives the circuit its sharp shiny appearance.
The surface of Accor Stadium has a curvature which has a difference in height of 300mm from the centre to the sidelines to allow for drainage. This presented its own set of challenges with the depth of the track having to be continually adjusted to cater for the variances.
While the build timeline and “just in time” process would be enough to make any local council envious, there were actual delays to the process because of road closures that had to be endured because of Kylie and Billie Eilish concerts at the adjacent Qudos Bank Arena on Friday and Saturday night.
Just hours after the event is finished this weekend, crews will start demolition with the complete “bump out” expected to take two days.
Once all the materials are removed for recycling, the annual replacement of the grass surface will commence in time for Accor Stadium’s opening National Rugby League game between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Penrith Panthers on Thursday March 27.
The replacement of the current surface with “ready to play” grass was always scheduled at the completion of the heavy summer series of concerts and events which have included May Day and the ROC event.
Friday’s opening night includes the ROC Nations Cup where two-driver teams compete for their nominated country to crown the ‘World’s Fastest Nation’. Saturday night will see all drivers going head-to-head for ‘Champion of Champions’ honors.
The complete field will do this in a series of six different vehicles, with entrants going head-to-head in identical versions of each of those cars - making the driver’s skill and not the vehicle’s preparation the deciding factor.
All 20 drivers will battle it out in a range of six vehicles including FC2 Rallycross, Supercar Lite Rallycross, KTM X-Bow Comp R, Polaris RZR Pro R, Subaru BRZ tS and Toyota GR86 Cup machines.
The Race Of Champions comes one week before the opening round of the F1 World Championship in Melbourne (March 13-16), creating a massive two weeks of motorsport in Australia.
What John Modystach, Prosurv Director, Head of ROC Australian construction said:
(He had a big smile on his face when the final metre of asphalt was finally laid)
“It has been a lot of work, my team and group of local suppliers have done a amazing job, we are delighted with the result so far,” said Modystach.
“The heavy work is done, but now we just need to put the finishing touches on this unique project.
“I think the fans are going to love the venue and the chance to see some of these superstars in action at Accor Stadium.”
What Fredrik Johnsson, Race Of Champions President and Co-Founder, said:
“Our ROC Track Team together with our Australian contractor John Modystach and his team have worked almost non-stop since Wednesday and they have done a fantastic job bringing the track to life for the 2025 Race Of Champions,” said Johnsson.
“In the 33-year history of ROC and working in some of the world’s greatest venues like Stade de France in Paris, Wembley Stadium and the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, I don’t think we have had a more conducive venue to work in than Accor Stadium here in Sydney.”
“Obviously every venue for a major event, especially one this complex, is presented with lots of challenges, but our Team ROC spirit is always that “there are no problems, only solutions” and it’s been a very positive experience working with everyone here at the Stadium.”
“At the end of the day we wanted to build a fast, safe and environmentally-friendly track and I think we have certainly achieved that.”
“We are looking forward to hearing the first drivers’ reaction when we reveal the track to select media on Wednesday and for the full practice and media day on Thursday.”
2025 ROC NATIONS CUP - FINAL TEAMS LINE-UP
No less than 10 of the star drivers who competed in the last ROC Sweden by the Arctic Circle will be making the 15,000km trip south for the first ever ROC World Final in the Southern Hemisphere.
Team Germany
Sebastian Vettel (GER) - 4-time Formula 1 World Champion
Mick Schumacher (GER) - FIA F2 and F3 Champion, Former F1 driver. Current WEC Driver
Team Australia Supercars
Jamie Whincup (AUS) 7-time Supercars Champion
Will Brown (AUS) - 2024 Supercars Champion (AUS)
Team Australia Off-Road
Molly Taylor (AUS) - Australian Rally Champion & 2021 and 2024 Extreme E Champion
Toby Price (AUS) - 2 X Dakar winner on Bikes, 2024 Baja 500 winner in Truck
Team New Zealand
Hayden Paddon (NZ) - 2023 & 2024 European Rally Champion, seven-time NZ Rally Champion
Louis Sharp (NZ) - 2024 GB3 Champion, 2023 British F4 Champion
Team USA
Travis Pastrana (USA) - 11-time X-Games Gold Medalist, 6-time Rally America Champion, Nitrocross Champion
Kurt Busch (USA) - 2004 NASCAR Champion, 2017 Daytona 500 winner
Team Norway (Defending ROC Nations Cup Champions)
Petter Solberg (NOR) - Rally World Champion and 2-time Rallycross World Champion
Oliver Solberg (NOR / SWE)* - 2024 WRC2 runner-up, Winner 2025 WRC2 Rally Sweden
* Oliver will represent Norway in ROC Nations Cup / Sweden in Race Of Champions
Team Sweden
Johan Kristoffersson (SWE) - 7-time FIA World Rallycross Champion,Extreme e Champion
Mattias Ekström (SWE) - 2-time DTM Champion, Rallycross World Champion, 4-time ROC Champion (including Title holder ROC 2023)
Team France
Sebastien Loeb (FRA) - 9-time Rally World Champion, 4-time ROC Champion
Victor Martins (FRA) - 2022 F3 Champion, 2020 F Renault Champion. ART F2 Driver 2025.
Team Great Britain
David Coulthard (UK) - 13-time Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner
Max McRae (UK) - 2024 ERC Rally Hungary and Rally Ceredigion winner in the Junior ERC and Rally4 category
Team Finland
Valtteri Bottas (FIN) - 10-time Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner
Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) - Formula 1 Grand Prix Winner and ROC Champion
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.
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 Nation Accor 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