Race Of Champions | Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher Q&A

With a grand total of nine Formula One world championships between them, driving legends Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher – aka Team Germany – talk about their plans and chances in the Race of Champions 2011…

How does it feel racing in an enclosed stadium in front of your home crowd?
Sebastian Vettel: "It’s magic, a little bit like playing in a football stadium. It’s very special."

Michael Schumacher: "Indoor racing is just sensational. It is just big fun. For us it’s so unusual. I really think every driver fully enjoys it. The whole atmosphere is just great."

'To me it always looks a bit like a toy racecourse which has become reality.'

Are you looking forward to taking part?
Michael Schumacher: "Well, to me it always looks a bit like a toy racecourse which has become reality. The event is very entertaining so it’s a cool place to go out at the weekend. If you like cars, if you like music, if you like action, there is nowhere else to be this weekend."

Sebastian Vettel: I can’t wait for the event. It’s completely different to what we experience on the F1 circuit, in rallying or other motorsport. That’s why drivers from so many different categories and countries compete against each other and have a lot of fun together. It’s an unforgettable experience!"

Michael, did the fact that you took part in Race Of Champions from 2007-2009 play any part in your decision to come back to F1?
Michael Schumacher: "It is not so much the competition which brings me back, it’s the fun, the time you spend with the other drivers. During the season, everybody just has to be so focused and it’s just nice to have time to have a drink together in the evening. Of course, we are all professional drivers so the moment we close the visor we want to win but that`s really only one part of it."

Sebastian, last year you were still in a daze after your world championship. Has it a been bit calmer this year?
Sebastian Vettel: "It’s a bit different because I already won the championship in Japan and not at the last race. Still this doesn’t mean that we stopped fighting or competing. We kept fighting for wins. This is all we want, to get the maximum out of every single race."

Michael, how much do you think you've changed as a driver during your two seasons back in F1?
Michael Schumacher: "I have certainly developed in the way that I know the team better. And, yes, at the very beginning I was probably still a bit rusty. Things are smoother now. I am confident that Mercedes and me will get there."

Sebastian, how much have you changed as a driver now you are a double world champion?
Sebastian Vettel: "I learned from the first title. I am a bit calmer and maybe more self-confident. If you win a title, you prove you can do it. But people shouldn’t misunderstand this and think I can handle every situation easily now. I still have to learn a lot."

Michael, if you had to choose just one, would you prefer to win the ROC Nations Cup again or finally to triumph in the individual Race Of Champions?
Michael Schumacher: "Celebrating with Sebastian has become a very fun thing to do, so I am totally fine with us winning the ROC Nations Cup again. The problem then usually is the party afterwards which kind of compromises the next day.

You can watch the Nations Cup and Race of Champions 2011 live at RaceofChampions.com and on Freecaster.tv

Source: Red Bull

Vettel excited about ROC Challenge

The end of the Formula One season in November won't lead to Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher et al heading out to warmer climes – well not immediately anyway, as they have the small matter of the Race of Champions to attend to first.

Vettel and Schumacher will be teaming up to defend their Nations Cup trophy for Germany and it has now been announced that former F1 world champion Alain Prost will be driving for France at this year's event in Dusseldorf.

So, what does Red Bull Racing's Vettel think of it all? We caught up with him to find out...

What does it mean to you to have The Race of Champions in Germany for the first time – and to be able to defend the ROC Nations Cup, which you have already won three times, here in Düsseldorf?
The Race of Champions has always been special, when drivers from Formula 1 and other disciplines like Rally, Sportscars, Touring Cars and America’s NASCAR and Drift Challenge all meet up at the end of the year. It is really exciting and great to spend a few nice days all
together with time to talk about other things – even though cars and who is the fastest driver always remain the main subjects. The fact that the race is taking place in Germany is extraordinary and as you mentioned, we’ve already won the Nations Cup three times so now only the fourth is missing. As we are at home, we can’t afford anything else.

It must be nice to catch up with old colleagues or meet new ones. But once you are sitting in your car, competition must be the same as in every race, because you know you are competing against the best of the best?
Yes, indeed. As cool and relaxed as it might seem from the outside, as soon as the helmet is on, you are focused and you try to beat your competitor, whether it is in the ROC Nations Cup or the individual Race of Champions. You concentrate on everything and try to make
the most of the track. As soon as you sit in the car, the battle takes over. Every year it is a bit different, the cars have minor changes and the conditions change. In recent years, both in England and in China, the temperatures were very cold. I hope this year it will be different.

We guarantee that it will be quite hot as the ESPRIT Arena has assured us the heating will be on and the roof closed… You and Michael are defending the Nations Cup but is it important to take the prestigious title of individual Champion of Champions?
Yes, last year I crashed my car in the semi-finals. It wasn’t enough. But if you don’t arrive at the finish line, you don’t have a chance. Last year I made it to the semi-finals, the year before to the quarter-finals. Therefore statistically speaking I should make the final this year. I just hope it works out this time – but it looks pretty tight! Every year is different. You can’t say last year so-and-so was strong and therefore it will be the same this year. Two or three drivers are always the best and stay till the end. But there will always be ups and downs depending on how you manage with the cars and the conditions. It is not that easy – especially as you don’t have much time to get used to the cars, except for a handful of practice laps. But that’s what makes The Race of Champions special: it’s the same for everyone and in a short time you have to find the rhythm in each car and try to be the fastest driver.

One other competitor has been confirmed today, when it was announced that Alain Prost will take part in The Race of Champions for the first time…
Okay, that's nice! I hope he is not too specific on things like his seat fittings because he doesn't have a lot of time for that but I’m sure he will be fine. It will be a good challenge.

Alain comes from a completely different generation. Have you ever seen him race? Were you too young to see him when he took his last Formula 1 title or do you remember anything about what he did?
Clearly I was following Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at that time, then Michael came into Formula 1. So yes, I know who he is and obviously he has won four F1 world championships and a lot of grands prix. On top of that I know in the last couple of years he has done a lot of ice racing so he should be good on the small twisty circuit and with the cars in The Race of Champions. So it will certainly be a challenge to beat him. And if Sébastien Loeb ends up alongside him, France would be a strong team to beat in the ROC Nations Cup.

So what are your targets for the year and The Race of Champions?
Even though it is still a long way to go and a lot of work, I hope to do better than last year, meaning to become F1 World Champion and win all three titles. That would be mind-blowing. But before that there’s still a lot to be done. In Düsseldorf I’ll just hope Michael and I can defend the Nations Cup and that I manage to win the individual race.

Source: Red Bull

2010 Race of Champions launched in Düsseldorf

The journey to the 2010 Race of Champions began today as it was officially launched at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena. The German stadium will play host to the event on the weekend of November 27-28, one day later than originally advertised.

The annual end-of-season competition brings together the world’s greatest drivers from motor sport’s most prestigious disciplines and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery. It has recently been held at the Stade de France in Paris (2004-2006), London’s Wembley Stadium (2007-2008) and Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium (2009).

Now the Race of Champions is heading to Germany, to the delight of home heroes Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. Many more top drivers will join them in the run-up to the big weekend of November 27-28 – including racing legend Alain Prost, who announced today that he will be making his Race of Champions debut.

Schumacher said: “It’s very exciting to see The Race of Champions in Germany. Sebastian and I have won the Nations Cup for the last three years and I’m really looking forward to defending our title in front of our home crowd. I’m thrilled to hear Alain is joining in too, making the fun even bigger.”

Vettel added: “The Race of Champions is a great way to end the season and the drivers always have a lot of fun together. Hopefully Michael and I will get a lot of home support.”

The Race of Champions will take place on a specially constructed tarmac circuit with two parallel lanes winding their way round Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena. The transformed stadium will feature a track that is 7.5 metres wide, an increase of a metre on Wembley and Beijing.

Source: sebastianvettel.de

Germany to host Race of Champions 2010

After so much glory on track at The Race of Champions, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel are celebrating again as Germany has now won the race to host the event itself.

The annual end-of-season competition brings together the world's greatest drivers from all motor sport's disciplines and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery. In recent years it has been held at the Stade de France in Paris (2004-2006), London's Wembley Stadium (2007-2008) and Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' National Stadium (2009).

Now The Race of Champions is returning to European soil and the city of Düsseldorf, to the delight of the team that has all but made the ROC Nations Cup its own.

Michael Schumacher said: "It's going to be very exciting to see The Race of Champions in Germany, particularly as Sebastian and I have won the Nations Cup for the last three years. So this is a great opportunity and a fantastic decision from the organisers. I'm really looking forward to defending our title in front of our home crowd. In the individual event we'll all be fighting for ourselves so it will be interesting to see who does better. It's always a fun event to meet up with our colleagues but you take it seriously inside the cars."

Sebastian Vettel is equally thrilled that The Race of Champions is returning to Germany for the first time in over 20 years - but he is well aware that the drivers from the other nations won't just lie down and let the home stars grab all the glory. "It is special to do this kind of event in front of your home crowd," said Vettel. "It will be a unique experience and hopefully Michael and I will get a lot of support. We have a good mix of youth and experience and we'll try to defend our title but we know it won't be easy as the others are always pushing. Last year in the individual race I had a shunt in the semi-final so hopefully I can finally make it into that final and get a good result. Either way it's a great way to end the season. All the drivers always have a lot of fun together at this event, where there are always jokes behind the scenes."

The Race of Champions will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round the Düsseldorf arena. With its capacity of over 50,000 and such local talent on show the air will already be white hot - but the stadium's roof and heating system will get its own warm reception from everyone involved...

"We race in wintertime, when it is freezing cold," adds Schumacher. "So it won't just be the fans who enjoy sitting in an indoor environment. It will warm up the temperature and the atmosphere for all of us."

Source: GP Update