Double World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm will be taking part next week in the Race of Champions (ROC), thereby adding his name to a long list of world-renowned drivers competing in the annual multidisciplinary event.

The location will be different this year however, as the ROC leaves Europe for the first time in its 22-year history and arrives in China, where the teams will gather at the Bird's Nest Stadium which was used during the Beijing Olympics.

The three-day event features several rounds fought aboard identical machinery, including a Nations Cup and the concluding Race of Champions on November 4th.

Gronholm will be teaming up with fellow Finn Mikko Hirvonen in the Nations Cup, battling other driver pairings including Germany's Michael Schumacher/Sebastian Vettel, Great Britain's Jenson Button/Andy Priaulx, the USA's Travis Pastrana/Tanner Foust, and several others.

"This year's line-up is one of our most varied ever as we aim to make the Race of Champions a real battle of champions from many different types of competition disciplines," said Fredrik Johnsson, President of Event Organisers IMP.

"With champions from Formula 1, rallying, touring cars, sports cars, off-road rallying, MotoGP and drifting, plus a new group stage format which means more action than ever before, it will be a great show not only for the fans in China, but also for ROC fans around the world," he pointed out.

Gronholm, who won the all-star battle in 2002, is looking forward to rejoining the ROC ranks: "The Race of Champions is great fun, and I missed competing in it last year.

"Everyone has a laugh, but you always want to win, and because you're in the same cars you don't have the excuses if you don't," he pointed out. "It's exciting, and I think racing in China will be fantastic."