Chris Hoy to take part in Australian Grand Prix

SIR Chris Hoy is swapping his bike for a race car by taking part in a race at the Australian Grand Prix. The Olympic champion cyclist will get behind the wheel for a celebrity race around the Formula One circuit in Melbourne this weekend.

The Olympic champion cyclist will get behind the wheel for a celebrity race around the Formula One circuit in Melbourne this weekend.

The Mazda6 Celebrity Challenge is being held as a curtain-raiser to the opening race of this year’s F1 season and others taking part include Australian cycling gold medallist Anna Meares. Hoy, 36, is a huge motor racing fan and earlier this year fronted a BBC documentary about former world rally champion Colin McRae. He has flown down under to undergo three days of intensive training ahead of the race. He said: “As a massive Formula One fan this is an incredible opportunity. It’s the thing I have been looking forward to most this year and I’m very excited about it.”