Grand Prix Rejects

andrew wrote:Grosjean threatened to crash into the other drivers

A RoC news email wrote:
The Race Of Champions will feature a female driver for the first time in its history as Susie Wolff has signed up for ROC 2013, to be held at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium on December 14-15.

Wolff spent seven years racing in Germany’s DTM touring car series before sealing a role as development driver for the Williams F1 team in April 2012. She now has the chance to race the greats of world motor sport in the individual Race Of Champions and the ROC Nations Cup for Team GB alongside fellow Scot David Coulthard.

“Any driver would love to be invited to do the Race Of Champions,” said Wolff. “It’s an event I have watched as far back as I can remember. What is so exciting is that the cars race head-to-head and you can see how close it is: it always comes down to hundredths. Jumping in and out of the different cars is going to be the real challenge. You need to make sure your car control is as good as it can be because you don’t have time to get a proper feeling for the car, you just get in and go.

“Then there’s the ROC Nations Cup, where I certainly feel responsibility to make sure we do well as a nation. I know David from our time in DTM and I rate him really highly so to be part of the team alongside him makes me very proud. Of course we’ll be up against drivers who are absolutely at the top of their game. So I know it’s not going to be easy but I’m relishing the challenge.”

The news was warmly welcomed by Michèle Mouton, the world’s most successful female rally driver, who created the Race Of Champions with ROC President Fredrik Johnsson. She said: “As co-founder of the Race Of Champions and chairwoman of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission – Susie has been our Ambassador since 2012 – it is a pleasure to see her participating in ROC’s 26th edition in Bangkok.

“In competition Susie is reluctant to play the female card and only wants to be considered as a racing driver who simply fights to fulfil her dream of driving in F1, working hard to improve and perform well for her team. The main difficulty at ROC is to be able to quickly adapt your driving skills on different types of cars in a short time and I am convinced that Susie will do her very best!”

David Coulthard enjoyed a glittering Formula 1 career, taking 13 grand prix victories and finishing in the world championship top three no less than five times in over a decade at the top. He has since spent three years in Germany’s DTM championship – racing against Wolff – but last year he retired from full-time competition to focus on his other interests including his F1 commentary for BBC television.

The Scotsman has a fine pedigree at the Race Of Champions, reaching the Grand Final at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2008. That day he took rally legend Sébastien Loeb to the third heat of the best-of-three final, before missing out by the narrowest of margins in the decider. Last year in Bangkok he reached the individual semi-finals before falling to Le Mans great Tom Kristensen.

Coulthard said: “It’s always a pleasure to take part in the Race Of Champions – and this time will be no exception with my new team-mate Susie. Our paths have already crossed on the track in the DTM and now we have a chance to race together for Team GB, or should that be Team Scotland.

“There will be some strong partnerships in Bangkok but at this event one small mistake can make or break everything. You never want to let your team-mate down so we’ll do our best to put Scotland firmly back at the centre of the motor sport map. My age might be starting to catch up with my racing but my run to the individual semi-finals last year reassures me that experience can still pay off…”

Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson added: “Given that Michèle has been involved with the Race Of Champions since the start in 1988, it is ironic that we have never had a female driver in the main draw before now. So we’re thrilled to rectify that at last with Susie this year. The quick car changes make it a tough job for any ROC rookie but I’m sure Susie will adapt fast – plus she has DC’s experience to call on in the ROC Nations Cup. We hope to see many fans in the stadium cheering them both on.”

Drivers already announced for the 2013 Race Of Champions:
•Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
•Tom KRISTENSEN, nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner
•Sébastien OGIER, 2013 World Rally Champion
•Jamie WHINCUP, V8 Supercar Champion 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008
•Narain KARTHIKEYAN, Formula 1 driver and ROC Asia Champion 2012
•Karun CHANDHOK, Formula 1 driver and ROC Asia Champion 2012
•David COULTHARD, 13-time Formula 1 grand prix winner
•Susie WOLFF, development driver for the Williams F1 team

East Londoner wrote:Also, no capitalization in the thread title = ARGH!

Wolff began karting from an early age, and in 1996 she was named the British Woman Kart Racing Driver of the year. In 1997, she competed in a number of different karting categories and came out on top in a number of them. She was first in the 24hr Middle East Kart Championship, champion in both the Scottish Junior Intercontinental "A" and the Scottish Open Junior Intercontinental "A" categories and was again named British Woman Kart Racing Driver of the year.[4] In 1998 she moved up to the British Junior Intercontinental “A” Championship and was placed 10th overall in her first season in the class. She also competed in the Federation Cup European Intercontinental “A” Championship and she was placed 11th overall. For the third year in a row, she was named British Woman Kart Racing Driver of the year.

eytl wrote:Ah, dr-baker, how did I know you would be the first to pick up on this story?

Liquid wrote:So... has she been a champion of anything this millennium?

Ataxia wrote:

Liquid wrote:So... has she been a champion of anything this millennium?

The only thing she's won is dr-baker's affection.

eytl wrote:Ah, dr-baker, how did I know you would be the first to pick up on this story?

I was going to be uncharitable and ask on what basis Susie could be counted as a "champion" (apart from the obvious), until I noticed this on Wikipedia ...

Liquid wrote:A poor precedent is not an excuse.

/Opinion

DanielPT wrote:

Liquid wrote:A poor precedent is not an excuse.

/Opinion

You are right. Still, one gets the feel that what matters about being a RoC driver is having a few champions, some celebrities who will boost the profile of the event while serving some purpose and then fill the grid with some juniors who might or not sneak a surprise win once in a while.

dr-baker wrote:Time that this thread got revived for this year I think. Not only because Chandhok and Karthikeyan are returning as Team India, but...

SUSIE WOLFF WILL BE THE FIRST WOMAN TO COMPETE, ALONGSIDE DC!!!

A RoC news email wrote:
The Race Of Champions will feature a female driver for the first time in its history as Susie Wolff has signed up for ROC 2013, to be held at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium on December 14-15.

Wolff spent seven years racing in Germany’s DTM touring car series before sealing a role as development driver for the Williams F1 team in April 2012. She now has the chance to race the greats of world motor sport in the individual Race Of Champions and the ROC Nations Cup for Team GB alongside fellow Scot David Coulthard.

“Any driver would love to be invited to do the Race Of Champions,” said Wolff. “It’s an event I have watched as far back as I can remember. What is so exciting is that the cars race head-to-head and you can see how close it is: it always comes down to hundredths. Jumping in and out of the different cars is going to be the real challenge. You need to make sure your car control is as good as it can be because you don’t have time to get a proper feeling for the car, you just get in and go.

“Then there’s the ROC Nations Cup, where I certainly feel responsibility to make sure we do well as a nation. I know David from our time in DTM and I rate him really highly so to be part of the team alongside him makes me very proud. Of course we’ll be up against drivers who are absolutely at the top of their game. So I know it’s not going to be easy but I’m relishing the challenge.”

The news was warmly welcomed by Michèle Mouton, the world’s most successful female rally driver, who created the Race Of Champions with ROC President Fredrik Johnsson. She said: “As co-founder of the Race Of Champions and chairwoman of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission – Susie has been our Ambassador since 2012 – it is a pleasure to see her participating in ROC’s 26th edition in Bangkok.

“In competition Susie is reluctant to play the female card and only wants to be considered as a racing driver who simply fights to fulfil her dream of driving in F1, working hard to improve and perform well for her team. The main difficulty at ROC is to be able to quickly adapt your driving skills on different types of cars in a short time and I am convinced that Susie will do her very best!”

David Coulthard enjoyed a glittering Formula 1 career, taking 13 grand prix victories and finishing in the world championship top three no less than five times in over a decade at the top. He has since spent three years in Germany’s DTM championship – racing against Wolff – but last year he retired from full-time competition to focus on his other interests including his F1 commentary for BBC television.

The Scotsman has a fine pedigree at the Race Of Champions, reaching the Grand Final at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2008. That day he took rally legend Sébastien Loeb to the third heat of the best-of-three final, before missing out by the narrowest of margins in the decider. Last year in Bangkok he reached the individual semi-finals before falling to Le Mans great Tom Kristensen.

Coulthard said: “It’s always a pleasure to take part in the Race Of Champions – and this time will be no exception with my new team-mate Susie. Our paths have already crossed on the track in the DTM and now we have a chance to race together for Team GB, or should that be Team Scotland.

“There will be some strong partnerships in Bangkok but at this event one small mistake can make or break everything. You never want to let your team-mate down so we’ll do our best to put Scotland firmly back at the centre of the motor sport map. My age might be starting to catch up with my racing but my run to the individual semi-finals last year reassures me that experience can still pay off…”

Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson added: “Given that Michèle has been involved with the Race Of Champions since the start in 1988, it is ironic that we have never had a female driver in the main draw before now. So we’re thrilled to rectify that at last with Susie this year. The quick car changes make it a tough job for any ROC rookie but I’m sure Susie will adapt fast – plus she has DC’s experience to call on in the ROC Nations Cup. We hope to see many fans in the stadium cheering them both on.”

Drivers already announced for the 2013 Race Of Champions:
•Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
•Tom KRISTENSEN, nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner
•Sébastien OGIER, 2013 World Rally Champion
•Jamie WHINCUP, V8 Supercar Champion 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008
•Narain KARTHIKEYAN, Formula 1 driver and ROC Asia Champion 2012
•Karun CHANDHOK, Formula 1 driver and ROC Asia Champion 2012
•David COULTHARD, 13-time Formula 1 grand prix winner
•Susie WOLFF, development driver for the Williams F1 team

East Londoner wrote:Also, no capitalization in the thread title = ARGH!

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:

East Londoner wrote:Also, no capitalization in the thread title = ARGH!

Susie Wolff vs Michael Schumacher: Now I've seen everything . Susie will win if the ghost of Senna possesses her body for the weekend

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:Anyone willing to accept a bet? If Susie Wolff makes it past the first round of the ROC I will have an avatar of her for December

andrew wrote:As it looks as if no-one has started this thread yet, I will and I will start with this
Baumgartner to contest RoC

Dont get too excited it is Felix not Zsolt http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111665 However it does start soon.

dr-baker wrote:

andrew wrote:As it looks as if no-one has started this thread yet, I will and I will start with this
Baumgartner to contest RoC

Dont get too excited it is Felix not Zsolt http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111665 However it does start soon.

I was genuinely disappointed after reading that headline when I discovered it wasn't who I thought it would be. Although, could we still have a Team Baumgartner?

eytl wrote:As you can see, my Twitter protest at this latest Baumgartner outrage is visible on the ROC website:

eytl wrote:If anyone's been following the political situation in Bangkok, there's probably now real doubt over whether the event will take place at all ...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/382345/roc-fate-to-be-decided-on-saturday
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-01/thai-pm-flees-after-protesters-storm-compound/5127590

andrew wrote:... on the same weekend in Uruguay.

dr-baker wrote:

andrew wrote:... on the same weekend in Uruguay.

I know it's probably very wrong of me, but each time I see the name of that country, I think of Homer Simpson.

andrew wrote:Baker will be excited. Susy Wolff will be in race of champions this year