SUSIE WOLFF TO COMPETE AT ROC 2014

- Susie Wolff will become the first female driver ever to compete in the Race Of Champions at this year’s event in Barbados

- The news marks a return to racing action for Wolff, currently the development driver for the Williams F1 team

- Wolff joins greats from Le Mans, IndyCar, V8 Supercar, Rallycross and F1 in the ROC field, with many more big names on their way

- Tickets are now available via www.raceofchampions.com for ROC 2014, to be held at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados on December 13-14

The Race Of Champions is to feature its first female competitor as Susie Wolff has signed up for ROC 2014 at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados on December 13-14.

Originally from Oban in Scotland, Wolff spent seven years racing in Germany’s DTM touring car series before taking over as development driver for the Williams F1 team in April 2012. She made her first Formula 1 race weekend appearances earlier this year, taking part in free practice sessions at Silverstone and Hockenheim.

Now Wolff has the chance to return to competitive racing as she takes on a line-up of driving greats from all over the world at ROC 2014. Drivers already confirmed include nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen, F1’s Romain Grosjean (reigning ROC Champion of Champions), 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Australian V8 Supercar great Jamie Whincup and 2014 FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg. The rest of the field will be announced in the run-up to December’s event.

“I’m so looking forward to racing again,” said Wolff. “I have a full-time job at Williams, which is great, but nothing can replace the adrenalin of racing and I can’t wait to get that back. So I’m proud to have been chosen to take part in the Race Of Champions and I’m looking forward to racing against some of the top-rated drivers in the world.

“Of course those will be hard guys to beat but as a driver you always want to do the best job you can. Still, I don’t yet have any particular expectations because I’ve never competed at a ROC event before. I’ve never been to Barbados before either but the middle of December is not exactly the worst time to leave for a sunny destination…”

ROC organiser Fredrik Johnsson added: “We’re very happy that Susie has agreed to take part in this year’s Race Of Champions. Everyone who follows the world of motor sport will be fascinated to see how she gets on against our field featuring some of the world’s best drivers. No doubt Susie’s experience in both tin-tops and open-wheeled cars will come in very useful. Now we can all look forward to watching her race in the Barbados heat and we know she will be a firm favourite with the fans in December.”

The Race Of Champions, which has been held for over 25 years, brings together the world’s greatest drivers from motor sport’s major disciplines – including Formula 1, World Rally, Le Mans, MotoGP, NASCAR, IndyCar, Touring Cars and the X-Games – and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery on a unique track with two parallel lanes linked by a crossover bridge.