Racing stars are due at Wembley
Formula 1 cars pop up in the strangest places. Not content with appearing at Bonneville Salt Flats and the Nordschleife, last week F1 arrived at Wembley Stadium where Pistonheads was invited to watch David Coulthard run a series of deafening demonstration laps around the pitch to promote the Race of Champions event, scheduled for December 16
Hosted for the last three years at the Stade de France, this year’s event features the return to competition of Schumacher Michael, with Coulthard, Colin McRae, Andy Priaulx and Jenson Button also confirmed. Event organiser Fredrik Johnsson is desperate to secure the signature of Lewis Hamilton which could well raise the intriguing prospect of a Schumacher vs Hamilton duel.
Two circuit layouts are currently being considered. One is a virtual replica of last year’s track at the Stade de France with a little tweaking due to the pitch at Wembley being a few metres shorter, while the other is a new layout which will require sections of the moveable seating area to be slid back. With a closed roof and an 80,000 crowd expected, bring your ear plugs. Ticket prices range from £30 to £110.
Not much margin for error in the stadium
As well as the individual event, the Nations Cup could see Scotland attempt to put one over the English at Wembley for the first time since 1977. The vehicle line up has yet to be confirmed but expect to see a pair of Aston Martin V8 Vantage Rally GTs as well as the 170bhp 1100cc ROC buggies that have long been a staple of the event. The 2006 event also featured Citroën WRCs and racing versions of the Renault Megane Trophy and Porsche 911 GT3. As McRae noted, “It’s always tough getting into a car you have no idea how to start in front of tens of thousands of people.” The diminutive Priaulx was more concerned about being able to reach the pedals.
The track itself is a feat of engineering. The turf is shaved and interlocking aluminium plates are laid down and then covered in hot asphalt lined with concrete walls, water bags and gravel traps. Speeds on the straight are expected to top 150km/h in the Astons.
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