Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Team Germany win Nations Cup at Race of Champions
Schumacher and Vettel beat Team France to notch up their sixth straight win in the Nations Cup.
Victorious again!
© Joseph Caron Dawe/Red Bull
Team Germany has extended its run of victories in the Nations Cup leg of the Race of Champions by beating Team France in the final in Bangkok, Thailand.
The German duo of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who have ten Formula One world championships between them, have now won every Nations Cup event since they were first paired together back in 2007.
Now both drivers will contest tomorrow’s Race of Champions main event in the hope of being crowned the Champion of Champions.
“I think the individual [event] is maybe a little bit bigger,” said Vettel after his victory today. “If you look at the trophy, obviously it’s very special when you see the names on it. It would be nice to put my name there.”
Sebastien Ogier and Romain Grosjean
© Getty Images
Schumacher, who retired from Formula One at the end of the 2012 season, said his sights too were now focussed on becoming the Champion of Champions, a feat which the seven-time Formula One champion has never achieved.
“[Tonight] was only the first fight,” said Schumacher. “The next fight starts…tomorrow evening.”
If either Schumacher or Vettel succeed in winning the individual event, they’ll take the crown from existing Champion of Champions Sebastien Ogier, who with Romain Grosjean made it through to the final.
“Of course I will do my best,” Ogier said of defending his title tomorrow. “But I know it will be tough.”
Time for a soaking
© Joseph Caron Dawe/Red Bull
Teammate Grosjean was happy to make it to this year’s final of the Nations Cup, with Team France having exited at the penultimate stage last year in Dusseldorf.
“It’s good to be second,” said the Frenchman. “Last year, we were in the semi-final, this year in the final. The next step is to be on the top of the podium.”
The team Australia pairing of Jamie Whincup and Mick Doohan finished in third place, with ex-motorcycling world champion Doohan calling it a “tall order” to beat Team Germany.
“To be brutally honest, I think it was always going to be tough to go up against Michael and Sebastian and beat them,” said the five-time 500cc champ. “If I could keep them in sight, then I was a happy man.”
Sixteen drivers will compete for the Champion of Champions crown at the final event of the Race of Champions tomorrow, with previous winners including Sebastien Loeb, Colin McRae and Mattias Ekstrom.
