Button signs up for 2008 Race of Champions
Britain’s Jenson Button has signed up to fight for national honour in December, by confirming he will compete at this year's Race of Champions (ROC) at the UK’s Wembley Stadium. The annual event sees world renowned drivers compete in a variety of machinery, both individually and as part of national teams.
Last year Team England - made up of Honda star Button plus three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx - got through to the semi-finals of the ROC Nations Cup before being knocked out by Germany’s Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who went on to win. This year, instead of an English and a Scottish squad, there will be two British teams, leaving more options for potential drivers to enter.
“I never thought I’d be able to say I’d compete for my country against Germany at Wembley, but it was great to do that last year, and the crowd were awesome,” Button told ROC organisers. “As soon as I heard Schumacher and Vettel had signed up for Germany again, I knew I had to come back to take them on.”
“Last year was the first time I’d done The Race of Champions and, although it’s all a bit of fun and we say it doesn’t matter who wins, I was gutted that we lost out to the German team. It’s the one chance of the year where we all get to compete against each other in identical cars, and I’m determined to help get Britain through to the final this time!”
While Germany won last year’s Nations Cup, the 2007 individual ROC title went to Swedish DTM star Mattias Ekstrom, who beat Schumacher in a best of three race final. This year’s ROC takes place on December 14.
