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Preview Race of Champions
The racing chef David Coulthard against Travis Pastrana, Sebastian Vettel against Sébastien Bourdais: on December 16 the stars of the motor sports world will meet for the Race of Champions in Wembley Stadium, London. The Swedish winner from 2006, Mattias Ekström, on the race of the year.
At the Race of Champions the top racing drivers from various disciplines compete against each other.
Does this make the winner the best driver in the world?
Maybe ... at least the best one of the night.
Considering that then, is the Race of Champions more than a fun event for its participants?
Of course everyone’s there to have fun but, believe me, people who take part in this race just can’t get behind the wheel without the ambition to win.
In 2005 you topped the overall national table with Tom Kristensen, and last year you won the individual overall standings. How do you prepare yourself to defend the title?
Not at all. I rely on my talent.
Your rivals include David Coulthard and Sebastian Vettel among others. Are you happy that you get to test your skills against colleagues from the pinnacle of motor sports?
I don’t see it as the pinnacle of motor sports. The toughest rivals are the rally drivers because they’re used to driving fast on different surfaces.
The Race of Champions is being held in the Wembley Stadium this time – an almost holy place for every soccer fan. Also for you – especially seeing the Swedes have held their own there on a few occasions?
I’m not particularly interested in the sport. But the atmosphere in a stadium like that is unique, of course – you also feel that in the car and that adds even more stimulation.
You’ll all be driving with a Buggy, an Aston Martin V8 and a WRC Ford Focus alternately. Which of these cars is the most enjoyable to drive for someone like you?
The buggies are awesome to drive because they’re so light – the relationship between weight and engine performance makes them pretty peppy. And I like rally cars for their versatility.
Recently you founded your own junior team. What motivates you to cultivate the 16-year-old rookie Simon Reinberth with such purpose?
Swedish motor sports has given me so much that I want to give something back. And I have a great deal of confidence in Simon: he’s fast, gets only praise from all sides for his talent and his professionalism. Apart from that he’s got a great personality, and only lives 40 kilometers away.
We recently saw that you’re not only great at taking charge of a team, but also of a kitchen: You personally helped out in the Stuttgart Restaurant Da Capo with an expert’s touch preparing a 90-person menu. How did that happen?
The restaurant belongs to a friend of mine and I’d promised to cook for him if I won the DTM. There were loads of reporters and other racing drivers there, and they all seemed to enjoy the meal …
What’s the special dish à la Ekström?
Spaghetti with shrimp, rocket salad, fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Simple but very tasty!
