Australian tin-top racer Jamie Whincup has become the latest driver to join the field for the 2013 Race Of Champions (ROC), to be held at Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium Dec 14-15.
Whincup has dominated Australia's popular V8 Supercar series in recent years, with titles in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. He also leads this season's championship by over 100 points with just three rounds to go.
Last year Whincup became the first Aussie V8 racer ever to appear at the ROC. In partnership with 500cc MotoGP legend Mick Doohan, he enjoyed a run to the semi-finals of the ROC Nations Cup for Team Australia only to fall to the might of eventual winners Germany (Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel). Now Whincup is back for more and hoping to go even further.
Whincup said: "I couldn't be happier to compete at the Race Of Champions again. I really enjoyed my time in Bangkok last year and will use the experience I learnt in my rookie year to be more competitive this year. My biggest weakness last year was getting my head around a left-hand-drive car so I am already on the lookout for a car here in Australia to gain some extra practice."
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, IndyCar, Nascar, Touring Cars, MotoGP and the X-Games - and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.
The event will take place on a specially constructed tarmac track with two parallel lanes winding their way round Rajamangala Stadium. Drivers pair up for the ROC Nations Cup, this year scheduled for Saturday Dec 14, ahead of the individual race Dec 15.
ROC features stars from all over the world: seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher, 2013 World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier and nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen have already signed up. India's Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok are set to team up again after winning the ROC Asia title in 2012.