Loeb beats Mostert for ROC crown

WRC legend Sebastien Loeb edged out a spirited home hero Chaz Mostert to win the first ever Race of Champions event on Australian soil.

Loeb took on Mostert in the final at Stadium Australia in the individual final and it lived up to the occasion.

The nine-time WRC champion threw down the gauntlet by taking the opening heat in the finale by 0.27s in the Polaris RZR.

This put the WAU driver in a must-win scenario and he gave it everything, only to fall 0.16s short when they jumped into the FC2 Rallycross car.

It completed a perfect campaign for Loeb having won the teams event on Friday night and he was the first driver to “do the double” in the 33-year history of the event.

Sebastien Loeb is the most successful driver ever in ROC. Image: Supplied

The 2025 win also joins the list of the previous times he was crowned ROC Champion of Champions in 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2022 and jumps clear of four-time winners Didier Auriol (France) and Mattias Ekström (Sweden).

To win the fifth ROC Champion of Champions is great for me,” said Loeb.

“It is also special to become the first driver to win both the ROC Nations Cup and the Champion of Champions at the same event.

“It really could not have been a better weekend for us.

“Once we won the Nations Cup, I had achieved something from the event and I could relax and enjoy myself even more.

“When I first came to the Race Of Champions I was a young driver and every time it is different.

“But the atmosphere is always the same, everyone is having funand all the drivers are happy to share and discuss things and enjoy a few drinks.

“In the car, of course you want to win, but outside we are having a good time.”

Chaz Mostert going for it. Image: Supplied

As Mostert went for a special win, he had Supercars mates Will Brown and Brodie Kostecki cheering him on.

The two-time Bathurst 1000 winner overcame F1 winner Valtteri Bottas and NASCAR Champion Kurt Busch in the opening group races before facing off with four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and winning by three tenths.

This set up an all Supercars showdown with Brown in the semis and the WAU driver beat the Triple Eight champion by a single tenth and two tenths.

Whilst he just fell short in the big one against Loeb, Mostert as honoured to be representing his hime nation and taking on the best on home soil.

“Just to make the final as the first Australian was a real honor,” said Mostert.

“It was always going to be a big ask to beat an amazing nine-time World Rally Champion in the final, especially in a couple of rally/off-road vehicles, but we gave it a crack.

ROC lit up Stadium Australia. Image: Supplied

“To be honest, I felt more pressure yesterday, because I did not want to mess up the Nations Cup for my All Stars teammate Johan (Kristoffersson) after being a late call up.

“Today, if I was going to mess up, it was only myself who I was going to let down.

“Going in and out of different cars was really difficult at first, but by the end of the weekend you sort of got used to it and the car you were probably scared of the most at the start was one of my favourites by tonight.

“Although I must say that I was really enjoying the jump over the brige in the Rallycross car by the end of tonight.”

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