Mostert stuns to reach Race of Champions final

Supercars star Chaz Mostert came away from the Race Of Champions with the runner-up trophy after being beaten by rally legend Sebastien Loeb in Sydney.

Twenty drivers from across various world championships landed in Australia for the 2025 event and after France defeated Team Australia Supercars on Friday, it came down to a rally legend and a modern Supercars great for individual honours on Saturday.

Two-time Bathurst winner Mostert was a late call-up for the event, held at Sydney's Accor Stadium, standing in for four-time Champion of Champions winner Mattias Ekstrom.

Mostert defeated Formula 1 winner Valtteri Bottas, NASCAR legend Kurt Busch, four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, and reigning Supercars champion Will Brown to set up a tantalising final with nine-time World Rally Champion Loeb.

Loeb defeated Mostert in the first leg aboard a Polaris, before the duo stepped into FC2 Rallycross cars for what would prove the defining second leg.

Mostert hauled his rallycross car around the Accor Stadium circuit, before Loeb clawed back and pipped the 24-time Supercars race winner to win a record fifth ROC Champion of Champions crown.

“Absolutely buzzing. This is so unique to anything I’ve ever done before," Mostert said.

"Such a tight stadium circuit with these rallycross cars and four-wheel-drive cars and so many other different disciplines.

“I’ve had an absolute ball. The goal was just to see if I could be lucky enough to get out of the first group and I can’t believe I made it all the way to the final.

"I knew I was going to be up against it. Seb Loeb is obviously one of the best racing drivers in the world, especially at this discipline as well... I’m just honoured to be on the same tarmac with him tonight.”

Mostert also paid tribute to those affected by the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, adding: “I’m super stoked to be here but I must say I had a heavy heart leaving home and my beautiful family with the cyclone coming through.

"I just wanted to race hard and make this trip worthwhile for them letting me come.

“We don’t have any power at home at the moment. I can’t get in communication with my family, but they’re all safe. Everyone is doing it pretty tough in Queensland at the moment.”

It was a double victory for Loeb, who combined with Formula 2 driver Victor Martins to beat Brown and Brodie Kostecki, who was knocked out in the group stage on Saturday, to victory in Friday's Nations Cup.

Kostecki was knocked out on Saturday after Vettel took two wins in Group D, losing to Vettel after hitting the barrier during his heat.

Mostert got revenge for his Supercars rival against Vettel, winning the first leg in a Subaru BRZ before winning the second. Vettel, meanwhile, hit the barriers, opening the door to a big win for Mostert.

Mostert went on to beat Brown in the semis, while Loeb defeated second-generation rally driver Oliver Solberg.

Mostert, Brown and Kostecki will resume their Supercars campaigns in Melbourne next weekend.