Bottas to compete in 2022 Race of Champions in Sweden
Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas is the latest name to be announced for the 2022 Race of Champions, set for 5-6 February in Sweden.
After years of racing in stadiums around the world ROC is returning to its off-road roots with a course on the frozen Baltic Sea at the Swedish resort of Pite Havsbad.
Located near the arctic circle, the organisers have dubbed the ROC Sweden course as the event's "fastest and widest" track in history.
Mercedes F1 star Bottas is the latest name on the entry list for the off-season all-star event, alongside fellow Scandinavians Tom Kristensen, Johan Kristoffersson, Mattias Ekstrom and Petter Solberg, as well as Travis Pastrana.
He will also represent Team Finland in the ROC Nations Cup, with the identity of his team-mate yet to be announced.
Valtteri Bottas testing a Citroen DS3 WRC
Photo by: Morgan Mathurin
Bottas, who is currently third in the F1 drivers' standings, recently announced he will move to Alfa Romeo in 2022 after five years as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate at Mercedes, a stint which yielded nine grand prix wins so far.
The 32-year-old Finn also has plenty of off-road experience, having competed in the Arctic Lapland Rally three times, taking a class podium in January this year.
"I’m really looking forward to finally be able to compete in the Race of Champions after watching the event on TV for many years," Bottas said.
"The fact that this year’s event will be held on snow and ice makes it even more interesting.
"I’ve competed in the Arctic Rally a few times, so hopefully that experience will help as we aim to beat the strong competition and especially our Nordic neighbours from Sweden and Norway to add to Finland’s many wins both in the individual ROC and the ROC Nations Cup."
In addition to its new off-road format, which is a nod to its early Gran Canaria days, ROC has committed to making its first foray in Sweden sustainable, including the use of fossil-free biofuels and reintroducing electric cars.
The event will feature the electric FIA RX2e rallycross car and Porsche's new 425 bhp 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport from Porsche, which will also provide an electric fleet for the organisers.
Related video
Tickets go on sale for Autosport International
Pininfarina reimagines design of iconic Autosport Awards Trophy for Motorsport Network’s Autosport Awards
The one-time Schumacher rival rebooting his career Down Under
Joey Mawson made waves in the middle of the last decade, beating future Haas Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher - among other highly-rated talents - to the 2016 German F4 title. A run in F1's feeder GP3 category only caused his career to stall, but now back in Australia Mawson's S5000 title success has set that to rights
Why Todt’s FIA successor could be cut from the same cloth
Jean Todt has signalled that he will not stand for re-election as FIA president. Mark Gallagher analyses the strong credentials of one potential successor…
The lesson football’s would-be wreckers could learn from racing
OPINION: The greed-driven push for a European Super League that threatened to tear football apart is collapsing at the seams. Motor racing's equivalent, the football-themed Superleague Formula series of 2008-11, was everything that the proposed ESL never could be.
The real-life racing rogues stranger than fiction
The forthcoming Netflix film linking the world of underworld crime and motorsport plays on a theme that isn't exactly new. Over the years, several shady figures have attempted to make it in racing before their dubious dealings caught up with them.
The cherished curios kept by motorsport's professionals at home
Keeping trophies and momentos of key triumphs is par for the course for motorsport professionals, but what are the most cherished souvenirs picked up by the drivers and engineers who have seen and done it all?
Why motorsport should consider a mid-week future
International motorsport has been the preserve of weekends, but the pandemic forced Formula E to get creative with its Berlin season finale as four races were held mid-week. Should FE and other series break with tradition and repeat the experiment?
How pragmatic principles made Ron Tauranac a design legend
Jack Brabham's 1966 world championship campaign in his eponymous car was also a defining moment in the career of designer Ron Tauranac, who would apply the same ethos to his ultra-successful production racing car business, Ralt.
The ingrained failure motorsport must fix to avoid 'turf wars'
OPINION: The FIA has warned that the major motorsport championships must not get engaged in 'turf wars' when it comes to the urgent need to re-organising the 2020 calendars, but there are tedious past problems that must be addressed to satisfy all.