Formula 1’s Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel are set to compete at the Race of Champions’ first-ever event in New Zealand, the official X handle of ROC announced on Tuesday.
The event will take place at Hnry Stadium in Wellington on January 9 and 10, 2027, marking the competition’s debut in the country after its recent expansion into the Southern Hemisphere.
Cadillac’s Bottas will represent Finland, while four-time F1 world champion Vettel will race for Germany. They will be joined by reigning Supercars champion Chaz Mostert, representing Australia, and New Zealand rally star Hayden Paddon, who will form half of the host nation’s lineup.
Additionally, ROC president Fredrik Johnsson has also confirmed that an invitation was extended to Formula 1’s Liam Lawson, a fellow New Zealander, though his participation has not been confirmed.
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“Something very special and exciting is coming in January… The Race of Champions is back… and I will be taking part [in] it. So, looking forward to January. I hope you come up there to watch us; it’s gonna be another exciting race with different cars and a good atmosphere. So, can’t wait,” Bottas said while announcing his participation on ROC’s official X handle.
Meanwhile, Vettel revealed he asked organizers to bring the event to New Zealand after visiting the country ahead of the Sydney round. “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 organizers jokingly, ‘Can you [please] bring the next ROC to New Zealand?’, the former F1 driver said in the official press release.
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“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,” Vettel added.
What the Race of Champions New Zealand Event Involves
The Race of Champions pits drivers from different motorsport disciplines against each other in identical cars on a temporary track, rewarding raw skill over machinery. For the Wellington event, crews will convert Hnry Stadium’s grass pitch, known locally as the “Cake Tin,” into a purpose-built tarmac circuit.
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The build is a significant undertaking. When the event made its Southern Hemisphere debut at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in 2025, crews turned the venue’s turf into a fully asphalted circuit in five days, using more than 200 staff and roughly 4,500 tonnes of road base and asphalt. Organizers said work at Hnry Stadium will begin immediately after Wellington Phoenix’s A-League match against the Newcastle Jets on January 2.
New Zealand’s turn as host was secured through the government’s Events Attraction Package, with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment backing the event as part of a push to boost visitation during the country’s summer season.
Formula 1 Drivers Who Took Part in Past Race of Champions Events
Vettel and Bottas both competed at the Sydney event in 2025, where Mostert reached the individual final after eliminating Vettel in the quarterfinals, before losing to nine-time World Rally Championship winner Sébastien Loeb.
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Besides the two, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, David Coulthard, Mika Häkkinen, and both Michael and Mick Schumacher are among the Formula 1 drivers who competed in the Race of Champions in the past.
Ticket presales for the Wellington event will open on September 21, with general sale beginning September 22 via Ticketek New Zealand.