Mick Schumacher made it to the finals but was overpowered by multi-titled rally driver Mattias Ekström at the Race of Champions (ROC) 2023 held in the snowy track in Pite Havsbad, Sweden, on Sunday.

Schumache had a great display of precise driving over the ROC weekend, but two-time DTM champion Ekström's years of experience and expertise driving in snow gutted the son of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion and motorsport legend Michael Schumacher in the end.

The 23-year-old Formula 2 and Formula 3 champion showed off an aggressive performance throughout the initial rounds against fellow circuit racers, eliminating IndyCar race winner Felix Rosenqvist, 2-0, and ETCR champion Adrien Tambay, 2-0, in the first rounds of knockouts.

Schumacher met fellow Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich in the quarterfinals, 1-1, where he almost ended his campaign due to mistakes in timing and steering in the second heat.

In the semifinals, he ousted his Race of Nations teammate and four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, 2-0, in the latter’s first race appearance following his retirement in 2022.

Swedish driver Mattias Ekström, who is also a three-time ROC Champion of Champions, meanwhile dominated over his pool of off-road racers, eliminating rally aces Travis Pastrana, Johan Kristoffersson, and Thierry Neuville.

It had been a close fight in the best-of-three finals for the underdog Schumacher, who was only off 0.348 and 1.301 seconds in the first and second heats, respectively. Ekström, who had two finals appearances with the elder Schumacher before in the same event, said that more than winning, he found it “more special” to have competed with the young Schumacher.

“It was very emotional for me because I only had great moments with Michael in this event and to see him (Mick) in the finals is very special and I’m super proud because he was also with me,” Ekström said.

“He’s such a huge talent and I think his time is ahead of him so I look forward to some other battles and I know it won’t take long before I get beaten, but from you (speaking to Mick) I would have no problem if I finish second,” he added.

Ekström now has four Champion of Champions titles under his belt.

A total of 18 drivers from different motorsport disciplines competed in the individual race of the ROC.

NATIONS CUP

Norway’s father-and-son duo Petter and Oliver Solberg snagged the Nations Cup anew on Saturday’s Race of Nations.

The Solbergs, who are both rally champions, defeated the All Stars team composed of ROC rookies Thierry Neuville and Felipe Drugovich, 3-1, in the best of five finals to seal the championship for Norway for the second consecutive time.

Neuville and Drugovich’s finals appearance had been a surprise as they ousted the record eight-time Nations Cup winner Germany, represented this year by Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher, in the semifinals.

It was both Neuville’s and Drugovich’ first time competing at the ROC event.

Oliver Solberg, who instantly became a crowd favorite due to his spotless record during the Race of Nations, maintained being undefeated in the first knockout round in ROC against his father, but fell in the quarterfinals due to a detrimental miscalculation that resulted in DNF in the first heat against Neuville.

A total of 10 teams including Germany, France, USA, Finland, Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Nordic, All Stars, and eROC vied for the Nations Cup.