Race of Champions moves to Thailand for 2012

Bangkok has been announced as the host of motorsport's 2012 Race of Champions, with officials hoping the event will boost the country's bid to secureland a Formula One race.
The Race of Champions is annual gathering of the leading stars from the world of motorsport, including F1, world rally, touring cars, Le Mans and the X Games. The event has been held every year since 1988 in some of the world's leading stadia, with organisers stating Bangkok's 50,000-seat Rajamangala Stadium held off stiff competition to land December's Race.
Race organiser Fredrik Johnsson explained "we have again been swamped with offers from first-rate venues all over the world but we couldn't think of a better place to celebrate our 25th anniversary than Thailand.
"Following our visit to Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium in 2009 this is only the second time the event has been held outside Europe. Now we can look forward to seeing some of the best drivers in the world fighting it out at ROC in Bangkok."
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silapa-archa, was quoted in March as saying the country could meet the conditions to host a F1 race as soon as 2014.
In respect of the Race of Champions Chumpol stated "this race will be a perfect opportunity for Thais to see some of the world's greatest drivers and represents another step by the government in its efforts to promote racing and automotive sports in the Kingdom. We aim to bring Formula One to Thailand as well."
In recent years the Race Of Champions has visited the Stade de France in Paris (2004-2006), London's Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' Olympic Stadium (2009) and D�sseldorf's ESPRIT arena (2010-2011).

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