Jorge Lorenzo vs Mick Doohan vs Sebastian Vettel in ROC

With TWOWHEELSBLOG

This upcoming weekend (December 14-16) at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium, the 25th edition of the Race of Champions (ROC) will be held which brings together the world’s greatest drivers, past and present from various motorsports main disciplines – including Formula 1, World Rally, touring cars, Le Mans, MotoGP, IndyCar and the X-Games and sets them free to battle in identical four-wheel machinery.

One of the groups (C) will see reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo, 2012 F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and former five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan and the runner-up from ROC Thailand will be pitted against each other and the top two in each group earn the right to participate in the following knockout stages.

Check out the other stellar names and the groups they will be in following the draw that was held last Friday.

Group A
Sébastien OGIER, WRC star and reigning ROC ‘Champion of Champions’
Jamie WHINCUP, V8 Supercar Champion 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008
David COULTHARD, 13 Formula 1 grand prix victories
Benito GUERRA, Production World Rally Champion 2012

Group B
Tom KRISTENSEN, eight-time Le Mans 24-Hour race winner
Andy PRIAULX, three-time World Touring Car Champion
ROC Asia 1, top non-Thailand competitor from ROC Asia
ROC Thailand 1, winner of ROC Thailand

Group C
Sebastian VETTEL, Formula 1 World Champion 2012, 2011, 2010
Jorge LORENZO, MotoGP World Champion 2012, 2010
Mick DOOHAN, five-time 500cc MotoGP World Champion
ROC Thailand 2, runner-up from ROC Thailand

Group D
Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion
Ryan HUNTER-REAY, IndyCar Series Champion 2012
ROC Asia 2, second-placed non-Thailand competitor from ROC Asia
Romain GROSJEAN, three Formula 1 podiums in 2012

The ROC Nations Cup will take place on the Saturday, where Schumacher and Vettel will be looking to continue this winning streak for Team Germany. Lorenzo will be driving as part of the ‘All Stars’ team with Doohan alongside Jamie Whincup for Team Australia. The group draw for the Nations Cup is as follows:

ROC Nations Cup (Saturday December 15)

Group A
Team France (Sébastien OGIER & Romain GROSJEAN)
Team Great Britain (David COULTHARD & Andy PRIAULX)
Team Americas (Ryan HUNTER-REAY & Benito GUERRA)
Team All Stars (Tom KRISTENSEN & Jorge LORENZO)

Group B
Team Germany (Michael SCHUMACHER & Sebastian VETTEL)
Team Thailand (The two finalists from ROC Thailand)
Team Australia (Mick DOOHAN & Jamie WHINCUP)
Team Asia (The leading ROC Asia team other than Thailand)

Michael Schumacher, Keith Flint, John McGuinness, Randy Mamola, & Pol Espargaró Villá score the ultimate track day on bikes thanks to Monster Energy

Monster Energy put together retired F1 driver Michael Schumacher, Prodigy’s frontmanKeith Flint (and avid rider and sometimes racer), TT legend John McGuinness, and retired GP rider Randy Mamola, and Moto2 rider Pol Espargaró at the Paul Ricard circuit, filming a promotional video for the energy drink company, that hopefully we’ll see very soon.

This odd quintet lapped the French circuit, with the F1 champion on a Ducati Panigale, Espargarò on his Pons Kalex machine, McGuinness on his Honda, Mamola on a Yamaha Superbike and Flint on a Suzuki.

Schumacher took up bike racing as a hobby and even took part in the KTM Super Duke Trophy in Italy, the 8 hour endurance race at Oschersleben, and also rode in 3 IDM Superbike races before crashing at Cartegana during a test which left him with a neck injury said, “Coming here today I felt so proud to be able to turn my hand at riding a bike with guys I really admire. I can’t begin to explain how much fun it was to ride the track with the likes of John, Randy, Keith and watching Pol Espargaro’s huge talent.”

While 19-time TT winner McGuinness said, “Riding with Michael was so good. What he’s achieved on four wheels makes him the Godfather of motorsport. I wasn’t expecting him to be anything less, but he’s fast! You can see his enthusiasm for motorcycles and it was a massive pleasure to spend the day with him.”

“Today I was truly able to use the word ‘legend’ to describe the company I was keeping; both from four and two wheels. As I pulled out of the pit lane I mentally pinched myself as I followed out Randy Mamola, Michael Schumacher and a true gladiator in John McGuinness. That Espargaro kid is a bit of a handful too isn’t he?” said Flint about his illustrious track mates.

Photo Source | monsterenergy.facebook.com