F1 World Champion Among Drivers for Race of Champions’ First New Zealand Event

Race of Champions Unveils First Drivers for Historic Wellington Debut

The Race of Champions has officially launched its inaugural New Zealand edition, confirming the first four competitors for the event scheduled at Wellington’s Hnry Stadium on 9-10 January 2027. The announcement signals a significant milestone for the international motorsport competition, which has never previously staged an event in New Zealand. Organizers have assembled a diverse quartet representing Formula 1, Supercars, and the World Rally Championship, underscoring the series’ signature format of pitting champions from different disciplines against one another in identical machinery.

Vettel Leads Star-Studded Lineup as Serial ROC Winner

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel spearheads the entry list. The German veteran boasts an unparalleled Race of Champions pedigree, having participated in all but two events since 2007. He captured the Nations’ Cup six consecutive years from 2007 to 2012 alongside Michael Schumacher, added a seventh Nations’ Cup victory in 2017 with Pascal Wehrlein, and claimed the individual Champion of Champions title in London in 2015. Vettel revealed the personal connection that helped bring the event to New Zealand.

“Before ROC Sydney I went for a first quick visit to New Zealand and was blown away by the beauty of the country, so I told the organisers jokingly, ‘Can you please bring the next ROC to New Zealand?’,” Vettel said. “I am really looking forward to competing against so many other champions from across the globe at the Race Of Champions in Wellington in January, and getting a chance to visit more of New Zealand.”

Bottas, Mostert, and Paddon Complete Opening Quartet

Joining Vettel is current Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time grand prix winner who now competes for the Cadillac team. The Finn will make just his third Race of Champions appearance. Representing the Australian Supercars championship is Chaz Mostert, the freshly crowned 2025 series champion who debuted at the event in Australia earlier this year. The home-nation hero is Hayden Paddon, a WRC rally winner and prominent figure in New Zealand motorsport, who expressed profound enthusiasm for the event’s arrival.

“It’s amazing to see one of the world’s most spectacular motorsport events come to New Zealand for the first time ever,” Paddon said. “New Zealand is really in a golden age of motorsport at the moment across so many disciplines, and I can’t think of a more fitting celebration of this than hosting the Race Of Champions, that attracts so many of the biggest stars from all around the world.
“This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Kiwi motorsport fans to get up close and personal with drivers from F1, WRC, circuit and other motorsport forms, all battling it out in equal machinery inside one of New Zealand’s most famous sports stadiums. It’s really a historic event for so many reasons, and I’m personally incredibly proud to be a part of it.”

Why This Matters: A Watershed Moment for New Zealand Motorsport

The Race of Champions’ expansion to Wellington represents a strategic growth move for the event, which has traditionally rotated through major European venues and recent editions in Australia and the United States. By staging the competition inside Hnry Stadium—a venue synonymous with rugby and football—the organizers are targeting a mainstream sports audience beyond traditional motorsport circuits. The driver lineup reflects the series’ core philosophy: creating head-to-head matchups that are impossible in conventional championship racing, such as Vettel versus Bottas in a rally car or Paddon versus Mostert in a single-seater. For New Zealand, hosting the event validates Paddon’s assertion of a “golden age” across disciplines, potentially accelerating commercial investment and grassroots participation ahead of the 2027 spectacle.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Race of Champions New Zealand event taking place?

The inaugural Race of Champions New Zealand event is scheduled for 9-10 January 2027 at Hnry Stadium in Wellington.

Which drivers have been confirmed so far?

Four drivers are confirmed: four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, current F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, 2025 Supercars champion Chaz Mostert, and New Zealand WRC rally winner Hayden Paddon.

What makes the Race of Champions format unique?

The Race of Champions pits champions from different motorsport disciplines—Formula 1, WRC, Supercars, and others—against each other in identical cars, creating direct head-to-head competition that does not exist in their respective championships.