Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Pierre Gasly had to 'negotiate' Race Of Champions debut with Red Bull

Red Bull's Formula 1 signing Pierre Gasly says he had to sweet talk his bosses to allow him to make his debut in the Race Of Champions in Mexico City this weekend

Gasly, 22, qualifies for the all-star event as 2016 GP2 champion, and will also take part in Saturday's Nations Cup event at the Foro Sol stadium at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for Team France alongside 2013 World Endurance LMP1 champion Loic Duval.

"I've been watching the Race Of Champions since I was a kid so it's a great pleasure to be here this weekend," said Gasly.

"I'm a racer and I just like to race whatever kind of car I can get my hands on. So when I saw I had the opportunity to race for Team France, of course I wanted to do it.

"I had to do a bit of negotiating with my team bosses, but in the end they let me race.

"This is a really cool event with an amazing atmosphere, and it's great to have the chance to race in a more relaxed atmosphere than usual and catch up with all the different drivers from different series around the world."

Gasly will line up against Ferrari F1 star Sebastian Vettel, who is contesting the ROC for the tenth time as a seven-time Nations Cup winner, six of which came partnering Michael Schumacher.

This year, Vettel is partnered in the Nations Cup for Team Germany by Michael's son Mick, the 2018 European F3 champion.

"It's great to be here racing alongside Sebastian Vettel," said Schumacher Jr. "He's already been giving me advice, so I think we have a great team.

"We are pretty competitive too so obviously our plan is to go as far as we can in the ROC Nations Cup. I've been getting ready for this ever since the end of the Formula 3 season, so I know it will be lots of fun and I'm really looking forward to it."

Another ROC landmark occurrence this weekend is 'Mr Le Mans' Tom Kristensen equalling rally legend Stig Blomqvist's 15 appearances at the event.

"This event is fun - it's good to meet people from different categories," said Kristensen. "We socialise until we put our helmet on, when we get serious. Then we take it off, smile again and head to the lounge.

"But, looking at some of the drivers taking part, yes I feel very old!"

Drivers will contest the event in machinery as diverse as the VUHL 05 ROC Edition, Ariel Atom Cup, Stadium Super Truck, RX Supercar Lite, Speed SXS UTV, KTM X-Bow and ROC Buggy.

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article How F1 tech reaches supermarkets, soldiers and saves babies
Next article Volkswagen to attempt Nordschleife record with electric I.D. R

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe