The Macau Grand Prix was held over the past two weekends. Mr Macau Edoardo Mortara was victorious in the Audi R8 LMS Cup and Macau GT Cup events, behind the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS and R8 LMS ultra. Amongst all of the Macau Grand Prix happenings there was a brief glimpse of the next big Asian Audi R8 LMS event as well. The 2013 Race of Champions will be taking place at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok from 14-15 December. Audi R8 LMS cars will once again be part of the vehicle line-up.
Absolute Racing was responsible for the preparation and running of the cars at the 2012 Race of Champions and they will once again be fielding the cars alongside quattro GmbH.
As was the case in 2012, the Race of Champions R8 LMS vehicles come from the fleet of cars that take part in the Audi R8 LMS Cup. The finale of the 2013 Audi R8 LMS Cup season was held at Macau, taking place during the first weekend of the Macau Grand Prix, 9-10 November.
The second weekend of the Macau Grand Prix was the big weekend for the Audi teams taking part in the prestigious Macau GT Cup. During this time the three R8 LMS cars destined for the Race of Champions, from the Audi R8 LMS Cup fleet, were prepared and had their liveries applied.
Three cars will be heading to the Race of Champions. Three different coloured liveries have been chosen for the event: white, silver and red. It will certainly be very exciting to see the R8 LMS cars taking part in the 2013 Race of Champions, which will also see the participation of Audi factory drivers: Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen. We have included a selection of photos featuring the cars being wrapped in the Macau garage area. The photos are from Motorsport Playground's Facebook page, the company responsible for applying the liveries on the Absolute Racing and Audi R8 LMS Cup cars.
Three-time ROC ‘Champion of Champions’ Mattias Ekström will return to the Race Of Champions at Bangkok in December
The Swedish DTM driver has twice defeated F1 great Michael Schumacher in the ROC Grand Final
Ekström joins a 2013 line-up that includes Schumacher, Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen, four-time V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup and new World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier
Tickets are now available from the website www.raceofchampions.com
Triple ROC ‘Champion of Champions’ Mattias Ekström will make a return to the Race Of Champions at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium on December 14-15.
The Swede has won two DTM championships for Audi in 2004 and 2007 and he still competes in the German touring car series. But he has also appeared in eight WRC rallies and raced in Nascar. This year Ekström has spread his wings yet further with a successful appearance in the legendary V8 Supercar race at Bathurst, even leading the field at one point. He also raced strongly in the X-Games in Munich and took second place on his European Rallycross debut in his home country.
Such a rare mix of driving skill makes Ekström a maestro at the Race Of Champions, where he has won the overall ‘Champion of Champions’ title no less than three times, all in different stadia. In 2006 Ekström beat home hero Sébastien Loeb in his own rally car at the Stade de France in Paris before twice defeating Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher in the Grand Final – first at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2007 then at Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic Stadium in 2009. If he can repeat the feat in Bangkok he will equal Didier Auriol’s all-time record of four ROC triumphs. Ekström has also partnered Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen to ROC Nations Cup glory for Team Scandinavia in 2005 and the duo will now be reunited in Bangkok.
Ekström said: “I have many happy memories from the Race Of Champions and I’m delighted to be back this year – and to be teaming up with Tom again. It’s always a pleasure to race against the world’s best drivers and I’ve had some strong results down the years. What helps me is that I’ve been lucky to race many good touring cars, sportscars and rally cars but everyone knows it is a unique event. You have two minutes to show what you can do – and if you do it spotlessly you go further. I once won a race by a thousandth of a second: with margins like that you also need luck.”
Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson said: “Mattias is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Race Of Champions. So it is great for us to have him back in the field – and he will again start as one of the favourites for success as he bids to equal ROC’s all-time record. He and Tom will make up a formidable partnership in the ROC Nations Cup too and we hope to see a big crowd cheering them all on in Bangkok.”
Held every year since 1988, the Race Of Champions brings together the world’s greatest drivers from motor sport’s main disciplines – including Formula 1, World Rally, Le Mans, MotoGP, Nascar, IndyCar, Touring Cars and the X-Games – and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.
ROC 2013 will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium. Drivers pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for Saturday 14 December, ahead of the individual Race Of Champions on Sunday 15 December.
ROC features stars from all over the world: along with Schumacher and Kristensen, four-time V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup and 2013 World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier have already signed up and the rest of the field will be announced in the run-up to December’s event.
Tickets are now available from www.raceofchampions.com where you can also find further information, media accreditation (closing date November 15) and access to high-resolution imagery. Sign up for all the latest updates at www.raceofchampions.com, Race Of Champions on Facebook or @raceofchampions and the hashtag #BangROC on Twitter.
