Seven-time FIA World Rallycross champion and one of Europe’s most consistent and versatile drivers Johan Kristoffersson is the latest global star to be confirmed for next year’s Race Of Champions event in the Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park from March 7-8.
The Swede collected his seventh World Rallycross title just last week, but his career achievements also include two Extreme E Championships, three Scandinavian Porsche Carrera Cup titles and the 2012 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.
In fact, he set a solid foundation for his career when he won his first Carrera Cup, national touring car title and the International Superstars Championship in three different types of cars in 2012.
Two further Porsche titles followed in 2013 and 2015 before he switched to a totally new discipline of Rallycross in 2015, finishing third in the European championship on debut.
He moved up to the world championship the following year and finished second to three-time ROC Champion of Champions Mattias Ekstrom before clinching his first of seven world titles the following year with Petter Solberg’s PSRX Volkswagen team.
In 2021 he became the first Extreme E Champion together with Australia’s own star, Molly Taylor.
Kristoffersson is no stranger to the ROC concept and will be making his fifth attempt at becoming Champion of Champions.
The announcement of Kristoffersson follows last week’s confirmation of global racing and action sports superstar Travis Pastrana as the head of Team USA.
The pair were added to an expanding, high-profile list of starters including nine-time World Rally Champion Sabastien Loeb and Kiwi rally ace Hayden Paddon and the German “super team” of 4-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and F2 Champion Mick Schumacher.
Seven-time Australian Supercars champion Jamie Whincup will be among the drivers representing Host nation Australia, which is expected to be expanded upon in coming days.
The Race Of Champions will run over two nights with a purpose built 1 kilometer tarmac track taking centre stage at Accor Stadium, Sydney’s Olympic Stadium.
What Johan Kristoffersson, seven-time World Rallycross champion, said:
“The best thing about winning my 7th World Rallycross Title this year is that I am invited back to the Race Of Champions,” said Kristoffersson.
“A while ago I was asked by a journalist at a World Rallycross event what my biggest goal is after so many victories and titles, and my answer was that I really want to win the Race Of Champions for the first time ever! I know the competition is once again going to be very tough, but hopefully I can finally make it all the way at ROC Sydney.”
What Fredrik Johnsson, Race Of Champions President and Co-Founder, said:
“Johan Kristoffersson might not be a name familiar to many general sporting fans in Australia yet, but I am confident they will know who he is by the time the 2025 Race Of Champions is completed in Sydney in March,” said Johnsson.
“Johan has an amazing winning record across a range of disciplines and his versatility makes him perfect for the ROC concept, where drivers have to get used to drive a variety of new competition cars on the brand new asphalt ROC Parallel racing track that we will build in Accor Stadium.”
“Johan has certainly been competitive in his past ROC participations, winning the ROC Nations Cup with Tom Kristensen in Mexico in 2019, and he will be arriving in Sydney with a point to prove.”
“If I was betting man my money would be on Johan winning at least one new Trophy at ROC Sydney and with his full attack and often sideways driving style he will be leaving Sydney with many more fans than when he arrived.”
JOHAN KRISTOFFERSSON
ROC HIGHLIGHTS
Years contested: 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
7-time World Rallycross Champion (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024)
Extreme E Champion (2021 & 2023)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia champion (2012, 2013, 2015)
Scandinavian Touring Car champion (2012)
Superstars International Series champion (2012)
The ROC Nations Cup takes place on Friday March 7, with drivers paired in teams based on nationality to bid for the title of ‘World’s Fastest Nation’.
The Saturday night will see the individual Race Of Champions, when all teamwork goes out of the window and it will be a battle for individual glory and the ‘Champion of Champions’ title.
Next year’s Race Of Champions comes two weeks after the 2025 Supercars opener at Sydney Motorsport Park (Feb 21-23) and one week before the opening round of the F1 World Championship in Melbourne (March 13-16).
ROC is renowned for gathering some of the best drivers in the world, including superstars from Formula 1, Le Mans, IndyCar, Nascar, Supercars, World Rally and Rallycross.
Past participants have included Vettel, Schumacher, Loeb, Coulthard, Grönholm and Jenson Button. Other international stars have included Nascar champions Jimmie Johnson, Kurt and Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, Indy 500 winners Ryan Hunter-Reay, Juan-Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves and Josef Newgarden, Formula E Champion Lucas Di Grassi and Extreme sports star Travis Pastrana.