Nico Hulkenberg partners Sebastian Vettel for 2015 Race of Champions
Tuesday 18 August 2015 14:44, UK
Nico Hulkenberg will team up with countryman Sebastian Vettel in the German team for November's Race of Champions at London’s Olympic Stadium.
Ferrari driver Vettel won the team part of the event for six consecutive years in tandem with Michael Schumacher in 2007-12 before the seven-time F1 world champion suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident in the French Alps.
Vettel missed last year’s RoC in Barbados, but was one of the first big names to sign up for 2015 ahead of the event’s returns to London on November 20-21.
Fresh from his victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, Force India’s Hulkenberg has now announced he will make his debut in the competition and is looking forward to partnering the four-time world champion. Coincidentally, the German has been mooted as a contender to become Vettel’s team-mate for real at Ferrari next season.
“I’ve had a very good year so far and I’m very excited to be making my Race Of Champions debut. I’ve always wanted to take part but it never worked out so now I’m really happy to be a part of it and looking forward to it,” Hulkenberg said.
“I’m obviously stepping into big shoes to replace Michael Schumacher, which is a huge honour as well. I feel very happy and positive about that and it will be fun to team up with Seb and race and fight for Team Germany.
“The ROC track is very narrow and tight, a bit like racing on a street circuit. But it’s still quick and dynamic and entertaining to watch. There’s going to be quite a bit of car-hopping, adapting and adjusting from one machine to another. They’re all quite different so I don’t really know what to expect. But I guess I’ll get dumped into the cold water and then I’ll have to figure out how to swim…”
Vettel added: “It’s obviously very sad that Michael can’t join us again but in his absence it’s great to have Nico as a partner on Team Germany this year. I have massive respect for what he did in the Le Mans 24 Hours – to win it on his first attempt is very impressive.”
This year’s RoC takes place the weekend before F1’s season-finale in Abu Dhabi, with Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo the other F1 driver to sign up so far.
The annual event pits drivers from different motorsport disciplines against each other in identical machinery around a specially-constructed tarmac course. The RoC Nations Cup will take place on the Friday, with the individual Race of Champions on Saturday.
