Australian rally star and Extreme E champion Molly Taylor has been confirmed as the first female competitor for the 2025 Race of Champions (ROC), set to take place at Accor Stadium, Sydney, on March 7–8.
This marks a historic moment as Taylor becomes only the fourth female driver in the event’s history. She will line up alongside motorsport legends, including four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, nine-time WRC Champion Sébastien Loeb, seven-time Supercars Champion Jamie Whincup, and X Games icon Travis Pastrana.
Flying the flag for Australia
Born and raised in Sydney, Taylor will be competing on home soil in front of an electrifying local crowd. Her inclusion adds to Australia’s host team for the ROC Nations Cup, where two national squads will battle against teams from New Zealand, Germany, France, the USA, and others to claim the title of the World’s Fastest Nation.
Taylor is thrilled to join the star-studded line-up, saying: “The Race of Champions is such an iconic event and something I’ve followed for a long time. It’s a huge moment in my career to be invited to join a line-up like this. To compete in front of a home Sydney crowd will be an incredibly special, once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
A career full of firsts
Molly Taylor’s career is a testament to her adaptability and tenacity. From her early days as the daughter of five-time Australian Rally Champion co-driver Coral Taylor, Molly has carved her own path in motorsport:
- First female driver to podium in the Junior World Rally Championship, finishing third at Rally Finland.
- 2016 Australian Rally Champion, the first female and youngest driver to achieve the title.
- 2021 Extreme E Champion with Rosberg X Racing alongside teammate Johan Kristoffersson.
- Competitor in the grueling 2022 and 2023 Dakar Rallies, adding endurance off-road racing to her résumé.
Taking on the best
ROC is renowned for its unique format, where champions from motorsport disciplines including Formula 1, WRC, IndyCar, and Le Mans go head-to-head in identical cars on a 1-kilometer parallel track. The event is a pure test of driver skill, with no technical advantages.
Taylor will face a formidable field, including:
- Sebastian Vettel – Four-time F1 World Champion
- Sébastien Loeb – Nine-time FIA WRC Champion
- Jamie Whincup – Seven-time Supercars Champion
- Travis Pastrana – 11-time X Games Gold Medalist
- Johan Kristoffersson – Seven-time FIA World Rallycross Champion
- Hayden Paddon – Two-time European Rally Champion
ROC’s history of female talent
The ROC has featured female competitors in the past, including Susie Wolff, Jamie Chadwick, and Emma Kimiläinen. Taylor’s inclusion is another milestone for women in motorsport, following in the footsteps of Michele Mouton, co-founder of the ROC and the only woman to win FIA WRC events.
ROC President and Co-Founder Fredrik Johnsson shared his excitement: “Having Molly as part of the 2025 event is fantastic for fans. She’s a homegrown talent who has proven herself on the world stage. ROC is the perfect format for her to shine, and we’re excited to see her take on some of the greatest names in motorsport.”
A spectacle of motorsport
The 2025 Race of Champions promises to deliver thrilling action for Australian fans. With the ROC Nations Cup on March 7 and the individual Race of Champions on March 8, the event will showcase the world’s best drivers battling for glory.
Set between Australia’s Supercars opener (Feb 21–23) and the Formula 1 World Championship in Melbourne (March 13–16), the ROC will be a highlight of next year’s motorsport calendar.
Molly Taylor’s participation is not just a win for Australian motorsport but also a celebration of her journey as one of the world’s top female drivers. Will she make history in Sydney? All eyes will be on Accor Stadium in March!