The Race Of Champions solves the debate once and for all about who the best driver in the world is. This annual event brings together the world’s finest drivers from all the disciplines of competition – on four wheels and two – and sets them free to battle, head-to-head, on the very same track in the very same car. 
Better still, unlike all other types of motor sport, the unique stadium setting means the crowd gets much closer to the action. The whole course is permanently in view. The fans see every corner, every slide, every move and every spin. 
For the racers, then, there’s no place to hide. It’s a knockout tournament so mistakes prove terminal – and the drivers have to prove themselves in a variety of vehicles. But there’s no blaming the machinery because everyone gets the same kit. Put simply, the best driver will win. 

The stage is set for a thrilling Race Of Champions following the draw for the opening group stages for this weekend’s event at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT arena. The stadium will play host to the ROC Nations Cup on Saturday December 3 followed by the Race Of Champions itself on Sunday December 4. 
The drivers are split into groups of four for a round-robin first stage, with the stars of world motor sport going head to head for two-lap races on a parallel track for the right to participate in the knockout stages. 
The draw has set up some exciting duels, with Schumacher lined up to battle with fellow F1 world champion Jenson Button – along with X-Games great Brian Deegan and rally ace Jan Kopecký. Vettel faces another tough group with Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen, fellow F1 driver Vitaly Petrov and GP2 champion Romain Grosjean. 

The action begins on Saturday evening with the ROC Nations Cup, when home heroes Schumacher and Vettel aim for an incredible fifth consecutive title together for Team Germany. The German pair will again go up against Button and triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx as they have been drawn against Team GB, the runners-up for the past two years.

Race Of Champions (Sunday December 4) 

Group A

  Filipe ALBUQUERQUE, DTM star and reigning ROC Champion of Champions

  Andy PRIAULX, three-time World Touring Car Champion

  David COULTHARD, winner of 13 Formula 1 grands prix

  Travis PASTRANA, four-time Rally America winner and X-Games legend 

Group B

  Mattias EKSTROM, DTM star and triple ROC Champion of Champions

  Martin TOMCZYK, 2011 DTM Champion

  Jan KOPECKÝ, three-time Intercontinental Rally Challenge runner-up

  Sébastien OGIER, winner of five WRC rallies in 2011 

Group C

  Michael SCHUMACHER, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion

  Jenson BUTTON, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion

  Brian DEEGAN, 13 X-games medals including Rally Cross gold in 2011

  Juho HÄNNINEN, 2011 S-WRC champion and 2010 IRC champion 

Group D

  Sebastian VETTEL, 2010 and 2011 Formula 1 World Champion

  Tom KRISTENSEN, eight-time Le Mans 24-Hour race winner

  Vitaly PETROV, Formula 1 driver for Lotus Renault GP

  Romain GROSJEAN, 2011 GP2 Series Champion