Best of the best

This weekend, in the wilds of northern Sweden, the very best racing drivers in the world will meet to see who really is the fastest. Champion drivers from all disciplines of motorsport, racing one another in identical machinery will let their skills do the talking in the annual Race of Champions – this year to be held in Pite Havsbad, Sweden.

Audi Sport driver, Mattias Ekström, will be hoping that a home advantage will help him win his fourth Champion of Champions trophy, the Swedish driver having learned his craft in these icy conditions and then taken that skill and natural talent all over the racing world. Ekström’s tremendous versatility is one of his great strengths in motorsport, having won the DTM title twice as well as being crowned World Rallycross Champion in 2019. Most recently of course, Ekström was in action for Audi Sport in this year’s Dakar Rally, finishing ninth outright in the brand’s historical first campaign using three RS Q e-trons.

Despite his record on all manner of surfaces (and off them) and behind the wheel of different race cars, Ekström remains most at home on the ice and snow.

“I love these conditions,” says Ekström. “I think that the starts will be very different and also decisive. If you start with the wheels spinning too much, you don’t stand a chance.”

Also representing Audi, Ekström will be joined by Mr Le Mans, Tom Kristensen, whose record nine Le Mans victories stand out in a stellar career that marks him as one of the greatest drivers of the modern era. This will be Kristensen’s 16th Race of Champions and although the Danish driver has made the final on five occasions, an outright win has remained tantalisingly out of reach to date – not something that sits well with such a competitive man.

But despite the credentials of these Audi motorsport greats, they will be up against other motorsport royalty from different motorsport disciplines and indeed, generations, all vying for the coveted title.

Formula 1 World Champions Sebastian Vettel and Mika Hakkinen, World Rally Champions Sebastien Loeb and Didier Auriol and four-time Indy 500 winner, Helio Castroneves, as well as rising stars Oliver Solberg, Mick Schumacher, Jamie Chadwick and Colton Hereto, have all confirmed for the event, making for a dizzying array of driver talent (see full driver list here). 

The event format sees the drivers initially grouped, swapping cars between heats to ensure everyone drives the full range of machinery on offer. Then the most successful drivers from each group move on to the quarter-finals. 
From there it’s back to a head-to-head, no second chances, knockout competition to get to the semi-finals and then the Grand Final. When the dust, or in this case snow settles, there can only be one ‘Champion of Champions’. 

Check details at the official website for details on how to livestream the action.