Andy Priaulx MBE, three-time World Touring Car Champion and Race of Champions veteran, is set to compete alongside fellow Brit Jenson Button at this year’s event.
The two champions will take on the formidable pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher on home turf as members of Team GB and for Priaulx’s sixth consecutive ROC appearance.
This year’s event will take place at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena on December 3 and 4.
Priaulx has spent the last year endurance racing and is set to front BMW’s high-profile arrival in the DTM series in 2012. He has reached the individual ROC semi-finals three times and, in the last two years, he has twice been a ROC Nations Cup finalist.
In both finals Team GB was narrowly defeated by Team Germany’s Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. Now Priaulx and Button will beseeking revenge in December.
Priaulx said: “It is always fun to take part in the Race Of Champions and this year is no exception. The atmosphere in the stadium is special and the racing is intense and competitive.
“After three individual semi-finals it would also be good to make it a step further in December. I really enjoyed fighting Michael and Sebastian on their home turf last year, along with so many other big names.
“We were just pipped in the ROC Nations Cup final but hopefully Jenson and I can finally do the business this year.”
Button, who confirmed last month that he would be competing at ROC 2011 after a year’s absence, added: “I let Andy down by missing last year: he’s a fellow Guernsey boy though he’s obviously a native whereas I’m not.
“Andy is so quick at the Race Of Champions, hopefully I can help him along to victory as it would be nice to beat the Germans in their backyard.
“Andy, Sebastian, Michael and myself have all won world championships but of course it’s not just about us four. It’s a real mix of talent and there are great challengers from all round the world.”
Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson said: “We’re happy that Andy is coming back to the Race Of Champions. He is always blisteringly quick round the ROC stadium and he is overdue a victory – either in the individual event or alongside Jenson for Team GB, or should that be Team Guernsey…”
For details of the event, and the chance to catch an audio interview with Button, visit the event website here.