Race of Champions Calendar

The Race of Champions (ROC) is an annual international motorsport event that brings together elite drivers from Formula 1, World Rally Championship, IndyCar, NASCAR, and other top racing disciplines to compete head-to-head in identical cars. This unique format removes the performance advantage of superior machinery, placing the focus squarely on driver skill and adaptability. Since its inception in 1988, ROC has established itself as the ultimate test to determine which driver truly stands as the best across all racing categories.

Competition Format

The Race of Champions features two distinct competitions over a weekend. The ROC Nations' Cup takes place on the opening day, where teams of two drivers represent their countries in a group and knockout format. Each driver races against an opponent from the opposing team in identical cars, with tied matches decided by a play-off between the winning drivers. The individual Race of Champions follows on the second day, with drivers competing in a knockout tournament to be crowned "Champion of Champions." The individual event begins with a group stage where competitors face each other while rotating through different vehicles. The most successful drivers advance through quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final, which typically consists of three runs with the first to two victories claiming the title.

Track and Race Structure

Races are conducted as head-to-head duels on a specially designed parallel asphalt track approximately one kilometer in length. The side-by-side course layout features two identical, intertwined routes with a crossover bridge ensuring equal racing distance for both competitors. This design allows spectators to view the entire course from their seats, providing a comprehensive view of the action. The parallel format creates direct, wheel-to-wheel competition that highlights driver skill in close-quarters racing.

Vehicle Variety

A core principle of ROC is mechanical parity—all drivers compete in identical, equally-prepared cars maintained by a dedicated team of mechanics. Over the course of an event, competitors rotate through multiple vehicle types, testing their versatility across different disciplines. Recent editions have featured diverse machinery including four-wheel-drive rallycross cars with over 500 horsepower, lightweight rallycross machines, open-wheel rear-wheel-drive sports cars, side-by-side vehicles, and touring car-style coupes. This variety ensures drivers cannot rely on familiarity with a single car type.

2025 Edition and Global Reach

The 2025 Race of Champions took place on March 7-8 at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, marking the 33rd running of the event and its debut in the Southern Hemisphere. The timing positioned ROC between the Supercars season opener in Sydney and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Twenty invited drivers representing nine countries competed, including four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb, Formula 1 race winner Valtteri Bottas, seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup, and two-time Dakar Rally winner Toby Price. ROC has travelled to prestigious venues worldwide, including Wembley Stadium in London, Stade de France in Paris, and the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing.

History and Legacy

Rally driver Michèle Mouton and Fredrik Johnsson created the Race of Champions in 1988 as a celebration of rally racing. The championship trophy honors rally driver Henri Toivonen. The parallel track format was introduced in 1989 at the Nürburgring, and the Nations' Cup was added in 1999. Sébastien Loeb holds the record for the most individual victories, with other notable champions including Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekström, and Carlos Sainz.

Why Fans Follow ROC

The Race of Champions answers motorsport's most compelling question: who is the best driver when everyone competes on equal terms? Fans appreciate the rare opportunity to see champions from different racing disciplines compete directly against each other, from Formula 1 stars to rally legends and touring car specialists. The close-quarters parallel racing format produces immediate, exciting results, and the compact two-day structure delivers concentrated action with minimal downtime between races.