Hayden Paddon has Shane van Gisbergen and Liam Lawson on his wishlist for the 2027 Race of Champions, with New Zealand’s full line-up yet to be confirmed for the international motorsport showcase in Wellington.
The Race of Champions will make its New Zealand debut at Hnry Stadium on January 9-10, transforming Wellington’s ‘Cake Tin’ into a temporary asphalt circuit for two days of head-to-head racing.
Paddon is among the first drivers confirmed for the event alongside four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, current Cadillac Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas and reigning Supercars champion Chaz Mostert.
However, it remains unknown who will join Paddon in representing New Zealand.
With the event falling during the traditional international motorsport off-season, there is potential for several of New Zealand’s biggest racing names to be available, including NASCAR star van Gisbergen and Formula 1 driver Lawson.
Paddon said he would welcome the opportunity to team up with another Kiwi, identifying van Gisbergen as a particularly dangerous prospect in the Race of Champions format.
“There might be a few Kiwis around come that first week of January, so maybe people like Liam and SVG [van Gisbergen] and others are all in town, so you never know,” Paddon told the Herald.
“I’d be happy to have any Kiwi racer on the team, but I think SVG would be the man to beat in that sort of environment [different cars on changing tracks].
“He’s very adaptable. I think he would be a very, very good driver in the environment. He’s good on motorbikes, quads; he’s driven so many different things, and he can drive anything fast, so that type of event would be right up his alley.”
While neither van Gisbergen nor Lawson has been announced, either would create a formidable New Zealand combination alongside Paddon.
Van Gisbergen’s career has stretched across Supercars, GT racing, rallying and NASCAR, while Lawson has competed across Formula 1, Super Formula, DTM and a range of junior single-seater categories.
Drifter Mad Mike Whiddett is another Kiwi name mentioned as a possible addition, but organisers are yet to reveal who will complete the New Zealand contingent.
The Race of Champions format brings drivers from vastly different disciplines together and puts them in equal machinery, with competitors required to adjust quickly between different vehicles rather than relying on cars tailored to their usual racing environment.
“You’re up against some of the best drivers from around the world, and it’s not your normal sort of motorsport,” Paddon said.
“You don’t have a car that’s set up for you.
“Everyone’s in the same vehicle, so you have to adapt, and you’re driving different vehicles to what you normally drive.”
The weekend will begin with the ROC Nations Cup on Saturday, January 9, where drivers combine to represent their respective countries, before attention turns to the individual Race of Champions on Sunday.
It will be the first time the event has been held in New Zealand and follows its Southern Hemisphere debut in Sydney in 2025.
Mostert was one of the standout performers in Sydney, reaching the individual final after defeating Vettel and fellow Supercars champion Will Brown before ultimately losing to nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb.
Race of Champions president and co-founder Fredrik Johnsson said New Zealand’s strong motorsport following helped make Wellington an attractive destination for the event.
“We are very excited to bring the Race of Champions to Wellington and New Zealand for the first time,” he said.
“This is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and there is so much passion for motorsport and so many talented drivers here.”
Vettel will also return after competing in Sydney, having previously won the individual Race of Champions crown in 2015 and been part of seven Nations Cup victories.
“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 get a chance to visit more of New Zealand.”
First held in 1988, the Race of Champions has brought together some of motorsport’s biggest names from Formula 1, rallying, NASCAR, IndyCar, Supercars, sportscar racing and motorcycles.
Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Mika Häkkinen, Valentino Rossi, David Coulthard and Loeb are among the drivers to have previously competed.
Wellington now joins a list of host cities that includes London, Paris, Beijing, Bangkok, Miami, Riyadh, Mexico City and Sydney.
For New Zealand fans, however, one of the biggest questions remains unanswered: who will line up alongside Paddon when the Nations Cup begins in January?
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