Ocon enters RoC for Team France

Formula 3 European champion and Lotus F1 junior Esteban Ocon is the latest addition to the lineup for the 2014 Race of Champions. Ocon will pair up with Lotus F1 driver Romain Grosjean, winner of the last RoC in 2012, in Team France for the Nations' Cup element of the Dec. 13-14 event, which this year takes place at the Bushy Park circuit in Barbados.

"I love short tracks with plenty of turns so that should be great," said 20-year-old Ocon. "The main challenge will be to drive a car with a roof because I've never even tested one before – I don't even have a driving license!

"But it shouldn't be a problem; I'm good at getting on the pace so I will adapt quickly, then we'll see how far I am from the best."

Ocon and Grosjean's RoC rivals will include Le Mans 24 Hours legend Tom Kristensen, Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Williams F1 test driver Susie Wolff, World Touring Car champion Jose Maria Lopez, 2004 NASCAR Cup champion Kurt Busch, World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg and five-time V8 Supercars champion Jamie Whincup.

The last time the RoC was won by a driver from the F1 feeder ladder was in 2004, when Heikki Kovalainen, that year's World Series by Nissan champion, beat Sebastien Loeb in the final.