On Saturday afternoon, Norway won the Nations Cup in the Race of Champions, know more about the 2023 winner and results
The father-and-son duo of Petter and Oliver Solberg won the championship.
They defeated Team AllStars, which included Thierry Neuville and Formula 2 winner Felipe Drugovich. Norway’s reign as champions was extended by a year, as the country repeated the feat in 2022.
Race of Champions (ROC) 2023 Nations Cup winner, results, timings
We began the day with two eighth-final matches pitting Finland against Team eROC and Britain against Germany. When up against Jarno Opmeer and Lucas Blakeley of the Netherlands, Valtteri Bottas and Mika Häkkinen of Finland were thoroughly defeated. The two-time world champion and driver for Alfa Romeo Racing was defeated in a virtual race by the simulation team, 3-1.
The British had to go to war with Germany. After beating David Coulthard and Jamie Chadwick in their individual heats, Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. After Schumacher’s second straight victory over Coulthard, the outcome of the deciding matchup was moot. As a result of Chadwick’s victory, the Germans now lead the series 3-1.
Final eight of the ROC at Nations Cup 2023
Six teams had already secured a spot in the final eight, and now it was time for the quarterfinals. Denmark faced off against Sweden. The defending champion Norwegian team cruised to a 4-0 victory over rallying newcomers Sebastien Loeb and Patrick Tambay. Furthermore, Sweden defeated Denmark by a score of 4-0.
Team AllStars, which included drivers Felipe Drugovich of Brazil and Thierry Neuville of Belgium, was competing against the United States. The score was at 1-1 after the first two heats, but when Travis Pastrana on the track for the third time, he slowed down and failed to cross the finish line. Neuville made it 3-1, thus ending the USA’s chances.
Both Opmeer and Blakeley failed to handle the Germans when they were on Team eROC. They weren’t much quicker, so the Germans could rest up for their match against Team All-Stars in the semifinals.
Sweden’s semi-finals at Nations Cup 2023
After each of the drivers for Sweden and Norway had once taken the wheel, the score was tied at one. Petter Solberg’s first heat loss and second heat defeat (by a thousandth of a point) put Norway two races behind the rest of the field. But after Oliver Solberg tied the race at 2, the overall time of the race was considered, and it favoured Norway, the defending champion.
Vettel had a bad start for Germany, as he finishes in last place. In his showdown with Neuville, the four-time world champion fell short by a hair. With his victory over Felipe Drugovich, Schumacher has evened the score at the halfway mark of the second semi-final. Then, Vettel bested Drugovich, but the victory went to Team AllStars due to a foul start. Then Schumacher lost, too, and the final was set between AllStars and Norway.
The Grand Finale of the Nations Cup 2023
Petter Solberg faced Neuville in the championship opening faceoff. The latter resulted in a victory, giving the All-Stars the advantage. Nonetheless, Solberg junior quickly tied the score by crushing Drugovich.
TEAM NORWAY WIN THE 2023 ROC NATIONS CUP 🇳🇴🏆
Norway's fastest father-and-son duo does it again! After a titanic battle against Sweden and then Team All Stars, @OliverSolberg01 and @Petter_Solberg!#ROCSweden pic.twitter.com/M68yJxdpdW
— #ROCSweden (@RaceOfChampions) January 28, 2023
Petter Solberg beat Drugovich in the third heat, thus Neuville had to work extra hard to tie the score. However, the Belgian was unsuccessful, as Oliver Solberg triumphed to bring the score to 3-1.
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