2009 Race of Champions

The 2009 Race of Champions was the 22nd running of the event, and took place on November 3–4, 2009 at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China. It was the first time that the event took place outside of Europe and Africa. It was also the first international sports event to be held in the "Bird's Nest" stadium since the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The event also moved from a weekend to a midweek slot for the first time. The RoC Nations Cup took place on Tuesday, November 3, just two days after the climax of the 2009 Formula One season in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit, with the Driver's Cup being contested on Wednesday 4, November.^[1]

The new dates affected the United States and Australia the worst, since it meant drivers from those countries' popular saloon-car series (V8 Supercar and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) could not participate in the event. Jamie Whincup of Team Vodafone was originally selected to participate but could not because of the schedule, so two motorcyclists were used on the team. In the past, the United States team has used Nationwide Series champion Carl Edwards, and four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Two X Games stars and Rally America drivers were chosen.

Mattias Ekström won the World Final for Team Scandinavia, while Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher won the Nations Cup for Team Germany.

South Europe Regional Final

For the first ever time, regional finals were held to determine which nations will take part in Beijing. The first of these regional finals was for South Europe, featuring Portugal, Spain, Monaco and Italy. It was held in the Estádio do Dragão, the home of F.C. Porto on 6/7 June.

ROC Portugal

Miguel Barbosa won the ROC Portugal opener and was joined by A1 Grand Prix driver Filipe Albuquerque, José Pedro Fontes and team captain and Production World Rally Championship Armindo Araújo in the Portuguese team.

ROC Iberia

The Portuguese team faced a Spanish team made up of team captain World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz, Citroën WRC driver Dani Sordo, World Series by Renault driver Jaime Alguersuari and rally driver Sergio Vallejo in the ROC Iberia. Albuquerque beat Sordo by two heats to nil in the Iberian final.

ROC South Europe Finals

The Spanish pairing of Sainz and Sordo faced the Italian pairing of former World Rally champion Miki Biasion and current WRC driver Gigi Galli in the first semi-final. Spain won by three heats to nil. The Portuguese pairing of Albuquerque and Araujo faced Monaco, featuring A1GP driver Clivio Piccione and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Emanuele Pirro, who although born in Italy, has been a resident of Monaco for over 22 years. After four of five heats the score was balanced at 2–2, before Piccione beat Albuquerque by one ten thousandth of a second, the narrowest margin of victory in Race of Champions history. The Monegasque pairing beat the Spanish pair by three heats to one in the final to send Monaco through to the main event in November.^[2]

ROC Legends

There was also a RoC Legends competition on the Saturday evening, featuring Sainz, Biasion, Pirro, Johnny Herbert, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mick Doohan, Andy Priaulx and Pedro Chaves. Priaulx beat Herbert in the Legends final by two heats to one.^[3]

Participants

Team	Drivers	2009 series
All-Stars	David Coulthard	none
All-Stars	Giniel de Villiers	Cross Country World Cup
Australia	Mick Doohan	none
Australia	Chad Reed	AMA Motocross Championship
China	Han Han	Chinese Rally Championship
China	Ho-Pin Tung	A1 Grand Prix & Superleague Formula
Finland	Marcus Grönholm	none
Finland	Mikko Hirvonen	WRC
France	Guerlain Chicherit	Cross Country World Cup
France	Yvan Muller	WTCC
Germany	Michael Schumacher	none/Formula One testing
Germany	Sebastian Vettel	Formula One
Great Britain	Jenson Button	Formula One
Great Britain	Andy Priaulx	WTCC
Monaco	Clivio Piccione	A1 Grand Prix
Monaco	Emanuele Pirro	none
Scandinavia	Mattias Ekström	DTM
Scandinavia	Tom Kristensen	DTM
United States	Tanner Foust	X Games & Rally America
United States	Travis Pastrana	X Games & Rally America

Jamie Whincup originally was confirmed to participate, but later withdrew due to a scheduling conflict with the V8 Supercars Championship. Chad Reed took his place.
The two fastest Chinese drivers in the ROC China Challenge would represent their nation in the Nations Cup.

Cars

Ford Focus RS WRC
KTM X-Bow
ROC Car
RX Racing RX150
Solution F Prototype
Volkswagen Scirocco

ROC China

Round 1

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

H. Han

2:23.923

Y. Zhou

DNF

H. Han

2:10.148

Z. G. Ren

2:11.272

Z. G. Ren

2:09.466

C. H. Huang

2:10.420

H. Han

2:07.639

Y. Liu

2:08.598

Y. Liu

2:07.540

L. F. Lin

2:09.921

Y. Liu

2:07.809

D. A. Chen

2:08.482

D. A. Chen

2:08.246

H. S. Guo

2:10.914

H. Han

2:07.311

H. B. Dong

2:05.181

H. J. Wei

2:10.355

H. B. Dong

2:06.955

H. B. Dong

2:09.551

C. D. Liu

2:11.409

R. Wang

2:10.579

C. D. Liu

2:08.815

H. B. Dong

2:32.583

S. F. Wang

DNF

B. Liu

2:07.976

D. J. Wu

2:10.044

B. Liu

2:06.635

S. F. Wang

2:06.097

S. F. Wang

2:06.304

N. J. Lu

2:13.080

ROC Nations Cup

Group A

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Germany	6	6	0	3:55.963
2	China	6	3	3	4:04.314
3	Finland	6	2	4	4:00.151
4	Australia	6	1	5	4:04.386

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2
Germany		2–0	Australia
Michael Schumacher	2:00.012		Mick Doohan	2:28.424
Sebastian Vettel	1:59.381		Chad Reed	2:05.807
Germany		2–0	China
Michael Schumacher	2:03.192		Han Han	DNF
Sebastian Vettel	1:55.951		Ho-Pin Tung	1:58.345
Germany		2–0	Finland
Michael Schumacher	2:00.636		Mikko Hirvonen	2:01.243
Sebastian Vettel	1:56.085		Marcus Grönholm	2:01.587

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2
China		2–0	Australia
Han Han	2:14.570		Mick Doohan	2:48.088
Ho-Pin Tung	1:58.537		Chad Reed	2:01.505
Finland		1–1	Australia
Mikko Hirvonen	2:00.264		Mick Doohan	2:05.545
Marcus Grönholm	1:59.787		Chad Reed	1:58.841
China		1–1	Finland
Han Han	2:05.969		Mikko Hirvonen	2:05.819
Ho-Pin Tung	2:04.234		Marcus Grönholm	2:05.180

Group B

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Great Britain	4	4	0	3:55.111
2	All-Stars	4	1	3	3:58.339
3	Monaco	4	1	3	3:58.882

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2
Great Britain		2–0	All-Stars
Jenson Button	2:00.394		David Coulthard	2:00.964
Andy Priaulx	1:58.399		Giniel de Villiers	2:02.927
Great Britain		2–0	Monaco
Jenson Button	1:59.109		Clivio Piccione	2:01.408
Andy Priaulx	1:56.002		Emanuele Pirro	1:57.466
Monaco		1–1	All-Stars
Clivio Piccione	2:01.416		David Coulthard	1:58.824
Emanuele Pirro	1:58.607		Giniel de Villiers	1:59.515

Group C

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	United States	4	2	2	4:09.184
2	France	4	2	2	4:09.208
3	Scandinavia	4	2	2	4:10.252

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2	Car
France		1–1	Scandinavia
Yvan Muller	2:00.635		Tom Kristensen	DNF
Guerlain Chicherit	DNF		Mattias Ekström	2:13.070
Scandinavia		1–1	United States
Tom Kristensen	2:05.039		Tanner Foust	2:03.692
Mattias Ekström	2:05.213		Travis Pastrana	2:05.776
United States		1–1	France
Tanner Foust	2:03.408		Yvan Muller	2:03.104
Travis Pastrana	2:06.738		Guerlain Chicherit	2:08.573	ROC Car

Knockout stages

Semi-Finals			Final

A1	Germany	2

C1	United States	1
			A1	Germany	2

			B1	Great Britain	1
A2	China	1

B1	Great Britain	2

Semifinals

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2	Car
Germany		2–1	United States
Michael Schumacher	2:03.615		Tanner Foust	2:03.281	ROC Car
Sebastian Vettel	1:55.212		Travis Pastrana	1:55.582	Ford Focus RS WRC
Sebastian Vettel	2:03.167		Tanner Foust	2:04.084	ROC Car
China		1–2	Great Britain
Han Han	2:06.654		Jenson Button	2:03.201	ROC Car
Ho-Pin Tung	1:57.890		Andy Priaulx	2:01.565	Solution F Prototype
Ho-Pin Tung	2:04.477		Jenson Button	2:01.544	ROC Car

Final

Team 1	Time 1	Score	Team 2	Time 2	Car
Germany		2–1	Great Britain
Michael Schumacher	1:59.348		Jenson Button	1:59.842	ROC Car
Sebastian Vettel	2:13.299		Andy Priaulx	1:52.479	Ford Focus RS WRC
Michael Schumacher	2:01.200		Andy Priaulx	2:02.364	ROC Car

World Final

Round 1

Semi-finals		Final



Clivio Piccione	1:59.759

Ho-Pin Tung	2:03.870
		Clivio Piccione	2:04.098

		Tanner Foust	2:01.233
Tanner Foust	2:02.205

Emanuele Pirro	2:18.797

Group A

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Jenson Button	3	3	0	1:57.627
2	Tom Kristensen	3	2	1	1:58.305
3	Tanner Foust	3	1	2	1:57.677
4	Guerlain Chicherit	3	0	3	2:03.938

Driver 1	Time 1	Car	Driver 2	Time 2
Jenson Button	2:00.085		Tom Kristensen	2:01.381
Guerlain Chicherit	2:04.486		Tanner Foust	2:00.578
Tanner Foust	1:57.677	Solution F Prototype	Jenson Button	1:57.627
Tom Kristensen	1:58.305		Guerlain Chicherit	DNF
Guerlain Chicherit	2:03.938	KTM X-Bow	Jenson Button	1:59.174
Tanner Foust	2:04.512	KTM X-Bow	Tom Kristensen	1:59.136

Group B

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Mattias Ekström	3	3	0	1:58.276
2	Andy Priaulx	3	2	1	1:59.860
3	Mick Doohan	3	1	2	2:04.325
4	Travis Pastrana	3	0	3	2:04.208

Driver 1	Time 1	Car	Driver 2	Time 2
Mattias Ekström	1:58.551		Andy Priaulx	1:59.860
Mick Doohan	2:04.325		Travis Pastrana	2:04.402
Travis Pastrana	2:04.208		Mattias Ekström	2:02.174
Andy Priaulx	2:04.801		Mick Doohan	2:05.229
Mick Doohan	DNF	KTM X-Bow	Mattias Ekström	1:58.276
Travis Pastrana	DNF	KTM X-Bow	Andy Priaulx	2:00.043

Group C

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Sebastian Vettel	3	3	0	1:51.442
2	Mikko Hirvonen	3	2	1	1:51.094
3	Chad Reed	3	1	2	1:54.247
4	Giniel de Villiers	3	0	3	1:53.626

Driver 1	Time 1	Car	Driver 2	Time 2
Sebastian Vettel	2:00.363		Mikko Hirvonen	2:02.567
Chad Reed	2:02.391	ROC Car	Giniel de Villiers	2:04.247
Giniel de Villiers	1:53.626	Ford Focus RS WRC	Sebastian Vettel	1:51.442
Mikko Hirvonen	1:51.094	Ford Focus RS WRC	Chad Reed	1:54.247
Chad Reed	DNF		Sebastian Vettel	1:58.583
Giniel de Villiers	2:04.437		Mikko Hirvonen	2:01.859

Group D

Pos	Team	Races	W	L	Best Time
1	Michael Schumacher	3	3	0	1:58.644
2	David Coulthard	3	2	1	1:58.547
3	Yvan Muller	3	1	2	1:58.956
4	Marcus Grönholm	3	0	3	2:00.835

Driver 1	Time 1	Car	Driver 2	Time 2
Michael Schumacher	1:58.644		David Coulthard	2:00.503
Marcus Grönholm	2:01.456		Yvan Muller	2:00.191
Yvan Muller	2:01.474		Michael Schumacher	1:59.296
David Coulthard	2:00.259		Marcus Grönholm	2:00.835
Marcus Grönholm	2:02.111	KTM X-Bow	Michael Schumacher	1:59.907
Yvan Muller	1:58.956	KTM X-Bow	David Coulthard	1:58.547

Knockout stages

Quarter-finals		Semi-finals		Final

Ford Focus RS WRC

Jenson Button	1:51.375
		Ford Focus RS WRC
Andy Priaulx	1:55.500
		Jenson Button	1:50.627
Solution F Prototype
		Mattias Ekström	1:49.500
Mattias Ekström	1:56.530

Tom Kristensen	1:57.814
				Mattias Ekström	2
ROC Car
				Michael Schumacher	0
Sebastian Vettel	1:58.213
		KTM X-Bow
David Coulthard	1:58.930
		Sebastian Vettel	DNF
KTM X-Bow
		Michael Schumacher	1:57.940
Michael Schumacher	1:57.805

Mikko Hirvonen	1:59.786

Final

Driver 1	Time 1	Car	Driver 2	Time 2
Mattias Ekström	1:57.290	ROC Car	Michael Schumacher	1:57.471
Mattias Ekström	1:56.044	KTM X-Bow	Michael Schumacher	1:56.657

References

^ "Race of Champions moves to Beijing". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. 2009-04-16. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
^ "Monaco Surprise Spain To Win Euromilhoes RoC South Europe". Race of Champions. 2009-06-07. Archived from the original on 2009-08-12. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
^ "Priaulx Prevails Over Herbert In All British Race Of Champions Legends Final". Race of Champions. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-08. ^{[dead link]}

External links

[1] "Race of Champions moves to Beijing". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. 2009-04-16. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2009-05-26.

[2] "Monaco Surprise Spain To Win Euromilhoes RoC South Europe". Race of Champions. 2009-06-07. Archived from the original on 2009-08-12. Retrieved 2009-06-08.

[3] "Priaulx Prevails Over Herbert In All British Race Of Champions Legends Final". Race of Champions. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-08. ^{[dead link]}

[1]

[2]

[3]