Volkswagen driver Giniel de Villiers will compete in the Race of Champions in Beijing from November 02 to 04. The South African who won the Dakar Rally in the Race Touareg in January 2009 will contest the event together with former Formula 1 racer David Coulthard for the RoC All-Star team.
‘I’m very happy about having been invited to participate in this prestigious race,’ said Giniel de Villiers, who is the first African to have won the ‘Dakar’. ‘To compete together with and against the world’s best drivers is a great honour as well as a great challenge for me. I’m sure that this event will leave long-lasting memories with me.’
De Villiers will run together with David Coulthard in the RoC Nations Cup in which driver pairings compete against each other. In addition, the Race of Champions itself and the Race of Champions China will be held at Beijing’s National Stadium on a specially created race track. The best of the best will compete in the event. The following drivers have already announced their participation: Michael Schumacher (seven-time Formula 1 World Champion), Jenson Button (2009 Formula 1 World Champion), Sebastian Vettel (Formula 1), Mikko Hirvonen (WRC), Mick Doohan (five-time MotoGP Champion), Tom Kristensen (eight-time Le Mans winner), Andy Priaulx (three-time World Touring Car Champion), Mattias Ekström (two-time DTM Champion), Yvan Muller (World Touring Car Champion), Jamie Whincup (V8 Supercars Champion), Travis Pastrana (ten-time X Games gold medallist) and Tanner Foust (two-time Formula Drift National Champion).
At the Race of Champions the drivers compete in identical vehicles in a direct shoot-out. Volkswagen provides vehicles from the Scirocco Cup China fitted with a 200-hp TSI engine and DSG gearbox operated by paddle shifters in the steering wheel.
- Volkswagen Motorsport
